Protest of Stryker and other live-fire training at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA)

Press Release Monday, Oct. 5, 2009

Protest of Stryker and other live-fire training at Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA)

Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 Mauna Kea State Park

There will be a peaceful protest l0AM Saturday Oct. l0th at Mauna Kea State park –l mile east of the Pohakuloa main gate on Saddle Road. (Car pools will leave 9AM from the Hilo Bayfront parking lot at Pauahi and Kamehameha Ave.) The protest will begin at the park and then move to PTA’s main gate. The protest is over Stryker tank and other ongoing live-fire training at the base known to be contaminated with Depleted Uranium (DU) radiation from past weapons training. Live-fire and other activities that create dust, risk spreading the radiation off base into civilian areas. The Hawaii County Council passed a resolution 8-1 in July 2008 calling for a halt to all live-fire at PTA until there is a complete assessment of the radiation contamination and clean up of the DU present. The military continues to ignore the Council’s call to action.

Reports are that l00 Stryker l9 ton eight-wheeled tanks (perhaps more) are currently doing training at PTA. These tanks have recently returned from Iraq where their l05 mm canons and 50 cal machine guns have fired DU munitions.

The protest is sponsored by Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action.

Jim Albertini of Malu ‘Aina said: It’s time to Stop Strykers! Stop all live-fire on Pohakuloa, and live-fire in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. The military needs to clean up its mess and end its occupations, not make more of a mess.”

-pau-

STRYKER PROTEST

Stop Live-fire on Pohakuloa,
Iraq, Afghanistan, & Pakistan, etc.

Time: 10AM

Date: Saturday, Oct. l0th

Meeting place: Mauna Kea State Park
One mile east of the new main gate of the Pohakuloa Training Area on Saddle Rd. in the center of the island. Car pools will leave 9AM from the Hilo Bayfront parking lot at Pauahi and Kamehameha Ave.

A Stryker is an eight-wheeled, l9-ton modern tank (urban assault vehicle). It’s not a defensive weapon. It is a killing machine. A full Stryker Brigade is based on Oahu at Schofield Barracks. Earlier this year the Brigade, including more than 300 Stryker tanks, returned from Iraq. The Brigade is now training for another deployment to Iraq or possibly Afghanistan, as President Obama escalates the war there.

The Stryker tanks fire depleted uranium (DU) ammunition. They have fired it in Iraq and have contributed to the widespread DU contamination there which is causing widespread health problems, including cancer, birth defects, and deaths. Whether these tanks have brought DU contamination back to Hawaii is unknown. No independent testing has been done.

Reports are that a hundred Strykers (perhaps more) have been brought via Kawaihae Harbor from Ohau and are now doing training at the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), including live-fire. While the Army says no DU weapons are presently used in training at PTA, the area is already officially acknowledged to be contaminated with DU from earlier weapons training. Live-fire, and other activities that create dust such as tank maneuver training, risk spreading radiation contamination — toxic deadly poison, off-base into civilian areas, carried by the strong winds that travel through the Saddle Area toward the Hilo and Kona sides of our Island.
Stand Up and Speak Out!

Let a cry go out by all of us who are charged to be responsible stewards of this ‘aina: Stop Strykers! Stop all live-fire on Pohakuloa, and live-fire in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan. But let us do more. Let us work to end the illegal U.S. occupation of Hawai’i as well as illegal occupations of Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. The people and the land are spiritually interconnected as one. So too are the issues of Justice & Peace. Join our non-violent protest, where hearts come together to help remove the obstacles to peace. Mahalo.

For more information please contact: Malu `Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action P.O. Box AB Kurtistown, Hawai`i 96760. Phone (808) 966-7622. Email ja@interpac.net http://www.malu-aina.org
—
Jim Albertini
Malu ‘Aina Center for Non-violent Education & Action
P.O.Box AB
Kurtistown, Hawai’i 96760
phone: 808-966-7622
email: JA@interpac.net
Visit us on the web at: www.malu-aina.org