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WOMEN\u2019S VOICES WOMEN SPEAK
\nC\/O HAWAI\u2018I PEACE & JUSTICE
\n2426 O\u2018AHU AVENUE
\nHONOLULU HI 96822
\nWVWS808.BLOGSPOT.COM<\/p>\n
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 21, 2012<\/p>\n
Contact: Terri Keko\u2018olani 808-227-1621
\nEri Oura 808-542-0348 eriola@gmail.com<\/p>\n
Hawai\u2018i Women Share Experiences from Puerto Rico (Honolulu, O\u2018ahu). Four Hawai\u2018i women returned home recently after meeting with other members of the International Women\u2019s Network Against Militarism (IWNAM) at the organization\u2019s 8th annual meeting in Puerto Rico. They will share their experiences with the community Friday evening, June 1, 6:00 PM at the Church of the Crossroads in Honolulu.<\/p>\n
The International Women\u2019s Network Against Militarism (IWNAM) was formed in 1997 when forty women activists, policy-makers, teachers, and students gathered in Okinawa to strategize about the negative effects of the US military on their respective communities. The network\u2014a collaboration among women active in their communities and who share the mission to promote, model and protect genuine security\u2014includes women from the Philippines, South Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Guam, the continental United States, Puerto Rico and Hawai\u2018i.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the increasing militarism in so many of our communities, the opportunity to stand in solidarity with others who face issues similar to ours here in the islands,\u201d said long time activist Terri Keko\u2018olani, \u201chelps us to put our work into perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to meeting around organization and strategic planning for the near future, the attendees participated in excursions to several storied places of Puerto Rico, such as El Yunqu\u00e9 Forest and a healing labyrinth in the mountainside village of Barranquitas. They participated in a protest against the building of a natural gas line in the city, met with survivors of domestic violence, former political prisoners, various women\u2019s groups for peace, and others leading their communities in providing health screenings and services.
\n\u201cPuerto Rico and Hawai\u2018i have much in common, as island economies that are dependent on importing basic necessities and vulnerable to unsustainable development and military interest,\u201d Elise Davis, a public health educator, was particularly struck by the health concerns brought up by communities that experienced extensive military weapons testing. \u201cVieques has a 27% higher rate of cancer than mainland Puerto Rico, and no one can say with certainty that it is not related to the weapons testing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Communities, such as Ceiba, introduced them to the struggles to reclaim and reuse land no longer being used by the U.S. military. \u201cThere are so many similarities between Vieques and Kaho\u2018olawe,\u201d shares Kim Ku\u2018ulei Birnie, a member of Protect Kaho\u2018olawe \u2018Ohana. \u201cThey have Ceiba, Culebra and Vieques; we have Kaho\u2018olawe, M\u0101kua and P\u014dhakuloa. We have so much to share with one another.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group also made presentations on the status of militarism in their respective countries, held at the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan, and at the museum on Vieques.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a strong partnership between the local communities and the university among the network in Puerto Rico. We met Puerto Ricos most involved and passionate activists and scholars who believe in the right to self-determination and actively resist further Americanization of their people and lands,\u201d explained Eri Oura. \u201cWe were even greeted by the mayors of Barranquitas and Vieques.\u201d<\/p>\n
Terri Keko\u2018olani, Eri Oura, Elise Davis and Kim Ku\u2018ulei Birnie will share their impressions on Friday, June 1st, from 6:00-8:00 PM at the Church of the Crossroads in Honolulu, 1212 University Avenue.<\/p>\n
This is a pre-event to the Umematsu & Yasu Watada Lecture Series on Peace, Social Justice & the Environment. The public is invited.<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s Voices Women Speak is a group of Hawai\u2018i women who organize around Kanaka Maoli sovereignty and demilitarization in Hawai\u2018i from women’s perspectives.<\/p>\n
www.wvws808.blogspot.com<\/a><\/p>\n Women for Genuine Security is the U.S.-based partner in the International Women\u2019s Network Against Militarism. # PAU #<\/p>\n WOMEN\u2019S VOICES WOMEN SPEAK C\/O HAWAI\u2018I PEACE & JUSTICE 2426 O\u2018AHU AVENUE HONOLULU HI 96822 WVWS808.BLOGSPOT.COM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 21, 2012 Contact: Terri Keko\u2018olani 808-227-1621 Eri Oura 808-542-0348 eriola@gmail.com Hawai\u2018i Women Share Experiences from Puerto Rico (Honolulu, O\u2018ahu). Four Hawai\u2018i women returned home recently after meeting with other members of the International Women\u2019s Network … <\/p>\n
\nwww.genuinesecurity.org<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a>Media documents can be downloaded here: https:\/\/docs.google.com\/file\/d\/0B-K0TmHJlFSUU19WaGk2WUZzeWM\/edit<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"