Text Fwd: We Are Guåhan - Fight to Save Pågat Village Far From Over

* Text fwd from Martha Duenas on March 10, 2011

Pacific News Center
"We Are Guåhan" - Fight to Save Pågat Village Far From Over

News Release
Thursday, 10 March 2011 08:13

Guam - "We Are Guahan has released the following statement in reaction to the the signing of the Programmatic Agreement Wednesday:

DoD’s plans to build 5 firing ranges at the area surrounding Pågat Village were approved by Governor Calvo yesterday. The signing of the Programmatic Agreement (“PA”) allows DoD to begin work on its $7.2 million dog kennels, military wharf improvements and behind the fence infrastructure projects. These projects, along with approximately 150 other construction projects, were put on hold because DoD was unwilling to reconsider its decision to “acquire” more land around and above the ancient village of Pågat for its firing range complex.

The signing of the PA shows that 6 months after the Record of Decision, DoD still refuses to consider any location other than Pågat Village for the site of its 5 firing ranges. These violations of law are the basis of the lawsuit filed by We Are Guåhan, the Guam Preservation Trust and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The fight to save Pågat Village did not end yesterday. DoD will have to answer for breaking the law in court,” says Attorney Leevin T. Camacho, a member of We Are Guåhan. “The signing of the PA does not change that."

The PA remains silent on what DoD considers to be “Pågat Village” or how DoD plans on giving safe access to the area with .50 caliber machine guns being fired overhead. “At some point, we all have to ask ourselves: what kind of Guam do we want to leave for our children and for our grandchildren,” says We Are Guåhan member Cara Flores-Mays. “Times may be hard. But there is no amount of money that can buy back our land or our culture.”
__________________________________

See also

Pacific News Center
Programmatic Agreement Signed
News Release
Wednesday, 09 March 2011 14:28

Stars and Stripes
Guam, US Military Agree on Plan to Build Firing Ranges on Ancestral Land
Travis Tritten
March 9, 2011

Video Fwd: [Guam] Pagat Point

Minagahet Chamorro
Monday, March 07, 2011
Pagat Point

Where I spent my weekend. A cool video from Leevin below.

Text Fwd: VIDEO: At Least Two More Latte Sites Found Within Pagat

* Video source: same as the link
_________________________________
* Text informed by Martha Duenas on Feb. 9, 2011

Pacific News Centre
At Least Two More Latte Sites Found Within Pagat
Clynt Ridgell
Monday, 07 February 2011 17:31

Guam - JGPO and DOD officials have promised to allow 24/7 access to the trail to Pagat caves and the ancient Pagat village. However, the cave and the ancient village that DOD is referring to isn't the only cultural, and historical site in that area. PNC followed members of We are Guahan this weekend to see two other latte sites that DOD and JGPO have not made mention of.


Members of “We Are Guahan” have said that the Pagat cave, the ancient Pagat village, and the trail to the cave aren't the only historical or cultural sites in the Pagat or Rt.15 area. So we decided to follow them into the jungles of Pagat to see for ourselves. The hike down to the cave is steep after the caves the trail continues on to the ancient Pagat village. UOG professor Mike Bevaqua stopped at a lusong (grinding stone) and said, "As you walk on this trail you can see a lot of different artifacts such as this basalt lusong right here there was a limestone lusong back there up ahead there's latte so south of here you've got dozens of latte and then to the north there's more latte as well and so this is the trail that most people take down here and most people think that Pagat is that cave and that natural arch when in truth Pagat it extends there was hundreds of people that lived down here there are fifteen different sets of latte that we've found and there are probably more out here.”

A latte set is the set of latte stones left from what was once an ancient Chamorro house. Some ancient Chamorros presumably chiefs or those of the higher classes built their houses on stone pillars called latte stones. Lusong are ancient grinding stones used to grind medicinal plants and food. Although DOD has promised to allow 24-7 access to this particular site of lattes stones and lusong, Bevacqua says it still may be in the range of stray bullets. "This what is in most people's minds and DOD's mind is the basis of Pagat really they don't really think of it as expanding further north than this so that's why they're basically saying you can still come to Pagat all you want cuz they'll be firing up there not down here although technically this is still in their danger zone,” said Bevaqua.

Maps of the proposed firing range in the FEIS show that the surface danger zone extends over the ancient Pagat village. From the Pagat village the trail continues on to the coastline where the limestone rocks create a natural arch. From here we hiked north up the coastline till we reached a bluff and a native limestone forest. Just a few feet inside the forest is another ancient Chamorro latte site.

We saw no trash in this area it was however littered with artifacts. Even areas away from the latte sites were covered with pottery shards complete with designs or etchings in them, clam shells, scrapers, sinkers and other tools were also found throughout the area. "If DOD considers Pagat to be the latte site next to the natural arch and the cave then this latte and the six or seven others in this area are not part of Pagat and all of the pottery shards all of the shells all of the lusong then their not part of Pagat either,” said Bevaqua asking, "I guess according to them it's okay to fire over here or it's okay to block this place off because this isn't culturally historic or this isn't significant." We asked Bevaqua "Right here where we're at at this latte site what's due west from here?” He replied saying, “Rt. 15"

The entire area is filled with native plants and trees. For example Fadang, Lumot or native moss that is used by locals to decorate nativity scenes, and Nunu or Taotaomona trees also known as Banyon trees in English.

We continued to hike inland from the coast towards Rt. 15. Once we reached an overlook on the Cepeda Ranch We are Guahans Leevin Camacho paused to say, "I think if you're not from here this may not look pristine but for those of us who appreciate the beauty of our island and the ocean coming up here I mean who would want to build a firing range on the bluff above here to build a target right next to this scenery here. Not only is this area where our ancestors used to live not only does DOD have more than enough property to build the ranges on it's own within it's footprint but again who would want to disturb this with gun fire?”

The Rt.15 or Pagat area also includes the Cepeda ranch which is a CLTC ranch as well as some privately owned properties.

[Jeju Update] Jeju reflected in a Guam site 제주, 괌 사이트에 반영됨

* Image source: same as the source
'Pagat, Guam' '패이같, 괌'
_________________________________________
* Michael Lujan Bevacqua in Guam thankfully reflected the story of Gangjeong village with that of Pagat village in Guam in his recent blog. He casts an important question and here I copy part of his as the below.
* 괌의 마이클 루잔 베박쿠아는 고맙게도 그의 최근의 블로그에서 강정 이야기를 괌의 패이같 마을에 반영하고 있읍니다. 중요한 질문을 던졌으며 그의 블로그 일부분을 아래와 같이 복사합니다. 전체 블로그는 여기를 클릭
________________________________________

Minagahet Chamorro
Saturday, February 05, 2011
Life and Death in Gangjeong


There has been much talk recently over the cultural and historic properties in the Pagat area of Northeastern Guam, and where exactly Pagat begins and ends. Last weekend and this past weekend I went with members of We Are Guahan into the northern section of Pagat to see what artifacts we could find. Although we weren't the first to find them, we found quite a bit of latte and lusong, which I'm sure I'll be writing about very soon on this blog.

The issue of historic relics and cultural artifacts reminds me of the current situation in Gangjeong Village, on Jeju Island in South Korea. Although the villager of Gangjeong have been fiercely resisting the creation of a military dock there which will be used by both US and South Korean Navy forces, the construction and hence the destruction of parts of the coast and the land in Gangjeong have already begun.

As usual, the blog where you can find the most update to date info on this (which is graciously translated into English by the author) is No Base Stories of Korea, which is where I found the video below, as well as a poem which was written recently by the son of a Gangjeong Villager describing his anguish over what is happening on their coast.

Whenever large military projects are undertaken, whether it be a Naval Base in Jeju or a firing range near Pagat, there are a number of important and obvious questions which are sadly rarely ever asked, usually because of some vague, abstract and more wishful than anything hope for some economic boost or boom. In the case of Gangjeong, while I was there last year, one simple question which every villager asked but which no one wanted to answer, was why use such rich and fertile land to build a base? The area where this Navy base will be built is so abundant in water that the villagers say it was the first place where their ancestors were able to plant rice. Why would you want to use something which can be so important in providing life, to create a place which is so invested in death? For those who have been paying attention, while few are claiming that Pagat is rich agricultural lands, the similarity should still be clear.

See the full blog

Text Fwd: Speaker Judi Won Pat Weekly Radio Address

* Text informed by Martha Duenas on Feb. 4, 2011

Pacific News Centre

Speaker Judi Won Pat's Weekly Radio Address

Bob Gaeth

Wednesday, 02 February 2011 08:31

Guam - Speaker Senator Judi Won Pat with the first Speakers weekly radio address.

JUDITH T. WON PAT, Ed.D.
CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND PUBLIC LIBRARIES
I MINA’TRENTAI UNU NA LIHESLATURAN GUAHAN 31st GUAM LEGISLATURE

The Guam Legislature met with the Under Secretary of the Navy Robert Work and with other ranking officials from the Department of the Navy to again discuss the military build-up.

It was very clear to the Senators present in the meeting that the United States Military remains steadfast on their path to create a firing range complex in Pågat.

So that I am clear, let me repeat that the Department of Defense is moving forward in its plans to build a firing complex. They will fire their weapons, including submachine guns and grenades, directly over an ancient Chamorro village and burial grounds in the Pagat area.

Your Senators voiced their opposition to this firing range complex. We made it clear to all concerned that we will stand firm in protecting and promoting the culture, heritage, and natural resources of the People of Guam.

In the effort to keep open lines of communication between the executive and legislative branches of government, I’ve met with Governor Calvo on two separate occasions to talk about progress that we’ve made, to find common footing, and to address any differences with respect to public policy and law.

While it is true that there are areas where we disagree, we also agree on many things; one of which is education. I was pleased to hear in Governor Calvo state in his Monday Address that he plans to be proactive with education— and that he knows that throwing money at the issue is not the solution.

As the Speaker and Committee chair on Education, I have consistently been working toward a safe and nurturing learning environment, and greater accountability that will safeguard the use of your tax dollars while also increasing the quality of education for our students. I look forward to working with the Governor to achieve these goals.

This effort for the next term--and the next decade—will take all of us. As your Senators engage in appointee confirmations and public hearings on bills and resolutions, please participate. Come down to the public hearing room at the legislature. Testify on matters that are important to you. Watch us live on MCV Channel 13 or GTA Channel 21. Your civic participation is vital for the health of our community.

The leadership of the Guam Legislature is committed to maintaining the momentum we’ve generated since the inauguration and I look forward to again sharing our progress in the next radio address. I know that every person listening to this address loves our island and is willing to work hard to make it better. This is the place where our discussions begin, and the place where they must return when we are done.

Si yu’us ma’ase.

_______________________

See also

KUAM News
JGPO Chief Tries to Debunk Buildup Myths
Lannie Walker
February 3, 2011

Pacific News Center
Senator Pangelinan Calls DoD's Promise of a "Net Negative Footprint" a "Farce"
Kevin Kerrigan
Friday, 28 January 2011 17:24


Pacific News Center
Senators React to Jackson's Speech: "Buildup Isn't Just About Money"
News Release
Thursday, 03 February 2011 19:42


Pacific News Centre
VIDEO: JGPO Director Respects Differences, But Suggests There Are Misconceptions
Clynt Ridgell


KUAM News
Names Sought for Guam First Commission
Mindy Aguon
February 1, 2011
Thursday, 03 February 2011 17:37

Text Fwd: Okinawa Assembly Vice-Speaker: Okinawa & Guam have much in common

* Text fwd by J. D. on Jan. 29, 2011


KUAM NEWS
Okinawan officials on fact-finding mission
Posted: Jan 27, 2011 1:16 AM Updated: Jan 27, 2011 3:04 AM
by Nick Delgado

Guam - Another delegation with the Okinawa Prefecture Assembly is on island. As a matter of fact, this is Assembly vice speaker Yoshikazu Tamaki's third visit to find out the specific issues surrounding the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam.

Yoshizaku says Japan still hasn't received the more than $400 million in funding from the U.S. Government. He added like Guam communication is a problem. "It's basically we can say that Guam's peoples voice is not heard to the federal government and Okinawa's voice is not heard to the Japanese government, that's the one of common ground both Guam and Okinawa have," he explained.

In the meantime, Speaker Judi Won Pat tells KUAM News they learned that more than 75% of the people of Okinawa don't mind the Marines that are anticipated to relocate actually staying in their country, however she says they still have reservation about the Futenma base remaining there. (Okinawans want Futenma to close and no new construction at Henoko).

The delegation met also with Governor Eddie Baza Calvo and Lieutenant Governor Ray Tenorio.

Pacific News Center

Calvo, Tenorio Talk Buildup with Okinawa Assembly
Last Updated on Thursday, 27 January 2011 21:06

Written by News Release Thursday, 27 January 2011 17:50
Guam News - Guam News

Guam - Talks to turn the military buildup into a Guam buildup continued this afternoon, with a meeting between five members of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly and Governor Eddie Baza Calvo and Lt. Governor Ray Tenorio.

The delegation was led by Vice Speaker Tamaki Yoshikazu.

“We have come to realize we have lots of similarities. There are similar problems in the relationships between Okinawa and Japan and Guam and the United States,” he said.

The assembly members discussed issues surrounding the relocation of Marines to Guam, including timelines, Pagat village, and public sentiment.

“I will continue to push for a mutually beneficial conclusion between the U.S., Japan, Okinawa, and Guam,” Governor Calvo told the delegation. “To be clear, I will also remain firm on keeping the federal government responsible and accountable to the promises it has made to improve the quality of life for Guamanians, return land to our people, and respect the sanctity of our ancestors.”

Text Fwd: We Are Guahan Questions Buildup Estimate

Attorney Leevin Camacho, We Are Guahan member, yesterday disputed Governor Eddie Calvo’s claim that $15 billion is coming to Guam from the military buildup. Photo by Matt Weiss

___________________________________________________________

* Texts fwd from Martha Duenas on Jan. 28, 2011

Marianas Variety
$15 Billion Disputed
We Are Guahan Questions Buildup Estimate
Jennifer Naylor Gesick
Friday, 28 January 2011

Attorney Leevin Camacho, We Are Guahan member, yesterday disputed Governor Eddie Calvo’s claim that $15 billion is coming to Guam from the military buildup and that the entire buildup may stop because of the disagreement over Pagat.

Camacho made this statement when he addressed members of the Rotary Club of Guam yesterday.

Camacho said he does not know where the $15 billion figure is coming from, because according to documents the Department of Defense has released, the Government of Guam is only set to receive $1.78 billion to be spread out over 10 years, and even that figure has been overstated.

“No one has looked at how much the buildup is going to cost GovGuam,” he said. “In terms of net, the $1.78 billion is an overstatement, it’s generous, and it does not take into account any increasing costs,” said Camacho.

Camacho also stated that according to University of Guam professor and economist Dr. Claret M. Ruane, the $1.78 billion figure from the Department of Defense’s Environmental Impact Statement may be overestimated by 18 to 41 percent because information from Hawaii was used to prepare the figures.

Camacho asked: “If the Governor thinks the money coming for projects inside the fence will go to Guam, of the projects that were awarded how many were given to Guam companies?”

Camacho said We Are Guahan is concerned mostly about the ancient village of Pagat being turned into a series of firing ranges.

But the group is also worried about public education, housing, traffic and health care being negatively affected by the relocation of 8,400 U.S. Marines and their over 9,000 dependants from Okinawa to Guam.

“Are the benefits greater than the cost? I’m not sure,” he said.

Camacho also told Rotary Club of Guam members that Governor Calvo’s statements that the buildup may stop because of the dispute over Pagat “are untrue.”

There are over 160 projects identified in the Programmatic Agreement, said Camacho. The Programmatic Agreement is an agreement that governs the handling of projects related to the buildup with respect to cultural and historic sites.

Camacho said that Pagat has taken centerstage, but in reality most of those projects are not disputed. But he said the military has taken an “all or nothing approach to the buildup.”

Pagat is the only ancient Chamorro village with public access, said Camacho. And it is still being used by indigenous healers and for cultural practices like fishing. All other villages are on DoD property and those without base access are usually unable to visit the sites, said Camacho.

He said that the military has disregarded all other options, including splitting up the series of five firing ranges and keeping them on property DoD currently controls, which is 28.5 percent of the island.

Camacho also said that DoD’s recent claims that they will be firing over Pagat and into the water, thus leaving the area open all the time for people to visit the site does not seem logical, and he can’t imagine anyone wanting to go down there while fifty caliber machine guns are going off.

The lawsuit filed over Pagat by the Guam Preservation Trust, We Are Guahan, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in Hawaii has a scheduling hearing in the second week of February with a response from the defendants expected by Feb. 14.

___________________________________

See also





Pacific News Center
We Are Guahan Faces Skepticism & Though Questions At Rotary Meeting
Clynt Ridgell
Thursday, 27 January 2011 18:24



Marianas Variety

Ghost Town: Abandoned Construction Project?

Jennifer Naylor Gesick Variety News Staff

Friday, 28 January 2011

[video]

Camacho replied saying, "Unless you care about something for the entire time at no point can you realize how important something is and that's incorrect I think it's awesome it's awesome and incredible that people now are looking at cultures being valuable outside of being strictly monetary. People want to learn about Pagat now. That's unfortunate that it's taken DOD's plans to acquire it and build a grenade launcher and machine gun range over it but that doesn't mean that it's any less valid to argue that DOD should stay within it's footprint and leave Pagat alone."



Marianas Variety

The Silent Sentinels Editorial

Friday, 28 January 2011



Pacific News Center

Okinawan Delegation Tells Speaker Delays in Futenma Move Will Delay Buildup

Clynt Ridgell

Thursday, 27 January 2011 17:04



KUAM News

Okinawan Officials on Fact-Finding Mission

Nick Delgado

January 27, 2011



Kuam News

Calvo: Buildup Goals Must Be Good for Guam

Mindy Aguon

January 26, 2011



KUAM News

GovGuam Awaits Japan's Word on Upgrades

Sabrina Salas Matanane

January 25, 2011



Japan Update

Futenma Move Not Coming Any Time Soon

January 20, 2011



KUAM News

Definition of "Pagat" Unclear

Michele CatahayJanuary 21, 2011



KUAM News

Cruz Pens Letter to DoD

Michele Catahay

January 21, 2011

Text Fwd: "We Are Guåhan": DoD Plans to Acquire More Land, Pagat Plans Unchanged

* Image source& caption: Pacific News Center

* Texts fwd from Martha Duenas on Jan. 22, 2011

Pacific News Center
"We Are Guahan": DoD Plans to Acquire More Land, Pagat Plans Unchanged

News Release
Friday, 21 January 2011 10:45

Guam - In contrast to a statement released yesterday [Thursday] by the Governor and the visiting federal delegation, "We Are Guåhan" today released a statement of its own arguing that the Department of Defense actually plans on acquiring more land and claiming that DoD's plans for Pagat remain unchanged.

The statement is printed below:

Officials from the Department of Defense were on Guam for one day to pitch their plans to build a firing range complex at Pågat Village and the surrounding areas to island leaders. During their meetings, DoD officials confirmed that Pågat Village and the surrounding area remain its “preferred alternative” for the site of its 5 firing ranges.

Although DoD plans to “acquire” Pågat Village and the surrounding area – including the Guam International Raceway Park – DoD officials verbally promised “un-impeded access” to Pågat Village. This suggestion is similar to the one made by Undersecretary Jackalyn Pfannenstiel soon after DoD was sued by the Guam Preservation Trust, We Are Guåhan and the National Trust for Historic Preservation for not following the law.

For over a year, the people of Guam have opposed DoD’s plans to acquire any additional land or to build a firing range complex at Pågat Village. DoD’s continued plans of “acquiring” over 1,000 more acres of land and firing around and above Pågat Village do not address these concerns. “Un-impeded access” to Pågat Village was never the issue.

“The messengers may change, but the message remains the same: DoD plans on taking Pågat,” says We Are Guåhan member Cara Flores-Mays. “Pågat, and what it represents, is worth more to our island than vague promises of returning land that was taken from our people decades ago.”

Responding to DoD’s proposal is Governor Calvo’s first opportunity to fulfill his promise to the people of Guam that he will not abandon Pågat, and that the Calvo Tenorio administration will not agree to DoD expanding beyond its current footprint.

Governor Calvo ran on the promise that Pågat is not for sale. This means that he would never allow DoD to fire bullets over or around the graves of our ancestors. This means that Pågat will not be traded to DoD in exchange for the return of thousands of acres of land DoD currently owns but does not use, or a promise to ask Congress for money to pay for a museum and cultural center.

“Machine guns being fired overhead, and grenades blowing up in the distance, are unacceptable impacts on Pågat Village and the people living in the surrounding area,” says Flores-Mays. “We Are Guåhan will not give up on Pågat.”

_________________________________
See also
Pacific News Center
Navy Under-Secretary Work: DoD Determined to "Continue to Listen to the Government & People of Guam"
News Release
Friday, 21 January 2011 10:30

Pacific News Center
BREAKING NEWS: 10:40 a.m. - Navy releases more details on Work's "four pillars" of buildup
Jan. 21, 2011

Text Fwd: Gates: Japan, US Partnerships Vital

Buildup: Defense Secretary Robert Gates with Rear Adm. William French and others at Andersen Air Force Base after a helicopter tour during his visit to Guam on May 30, 2008 in this file photo. (Pacific Daily News file photo)

* Text forward from Martha Duenas on Jan. 18, 2011

Pacific Daily News

Gates: Japan, US Partnerships Vital

Brett Kelman • Pacific Daily News • January 18, 2011

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said during a speech last week that smaller complications with the U.S.-Japan alliance, like Guam funding and the Okinawa bases, can distract from the reasons why allies must stick together -- specifically, North Korea and China.

Gates spoke at Keio University in Tokyo last Thursday about the importance of the U.S.-Japan defense pact. It's been in effect for about 50 years but has been strained on both sides by plans to shuffle American forces between Okinawa and Guam.

Gates said the alliance was born from "shared values" over how countries should treat their people and each other. Today, those values are still larger than the conflicts that have dominated recent headlines, Gates said.

During the speech, Gates explained why the two powerful nations to needed to preserve their partnership and why, despite controversy, some American troops needed to stay on Japanese soil. They were:

If the troops leave Japan, North Korea's recent military provocations could become "even more outrageous -- or worse"; and China, an economic superpower with a growing military presence, might "behave more assertively toward its neighbors."

"Even as President Obama has committed the U.S. to a strategy of engagement and cooperation -- with special emphasis on Asia -- we will continue to maintain the military strength necessary to protect our interests, defend our allies, and deter potential adversaries from acts of aggression and intimidation," Gates said. "To do this, we need a committed and capable security partner in Japan."

Guam's role

Yesterday, Gov. Eddie Calvo said that Guam's role in the troop relocation was directly linked with the growth of China, which could turn out to be a friend, competitor or both.

Guam is only one piece in an international relationship with a "massive," global scope, involving three of the most powerful on Earth, Calvo said. But Guam's large role gives the island leverage it never had before.

"It will be either the harmonious interaction, or competition, between the United States and China that will dictate the course of world events over the next 50 to 100 years," Calvo said. "And we will be right in the middle of it."

The security demands of a modern Asia make the troop relocation inevitable, said Sen. Judith Guthertz, chairwoman of the legislative buildup committee.

Guthertz said floundering public opinion in Japan and the financial concerns of a new Congress will probably delay the buildup a while more, but it will happen.

"The Department of Defense is very worried about China and they are very worried about North Korea," she said. "They can't protect our interests as a country, and the region's interest, without the buildup on Guam. So this buildup on Guam will proceed, but the timelines may be a little slower."

Japan trip

Gates' recent speech came at the tail end of a short trip to Japan, the same day he met with Japanese Minister of Defense Tosihimi Kitazawa to discuss the U.S.-Japan alliance.

During both the speech and a joint press conference, Gates spoke more about alliance conflicts in Okinawa than he did about Guam, but he was speaking to a Japanese audience.

The troop realignment will change the shape of both islands.

In Guam, infrastructure isn't ready for a population boom, so federal funding -- and money from Japan -- is slated to fund upgrades. The plan to build a firing range near the ancient village site of Pågat has led to protests.

In Okinawa, public opinion of U.S. forces is low, and prefecture Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima has vowed to oppose the troop realignment plan unless it removes all American bases from Okinawa.

Currently, the Defense Department plans to close the Futenma Air Base in Ginowan by moving many of the Marines to Guam and the airfield to Camp Schwab, another base in Okinawa.

Because of his authority under Japan's Public Water Body Reclamation Law, Nakaima could block a key component to the Futenma shift -- a landfill on reclaimed land in the Oura Bay.

The Defense Department once pressured the Japan government to proceed with the air base relocation, despite objections, but after his meeting with Kitazama last week, Gates took a softer tone on Futenma.

"We do understand that it is, politically, a complex matter in Japan and we intend to follow the lead of the Japanese government in working with the people of Okinawa to take their interests and their concerns into account, and that obviously needs to happen," Gates said, according to a transcript of the press conference.

Guthertz said Gates' new approach was a testament to the power of the Okinawan people. If the Defense Department can soften on Futenma, it can surely soften on Pågat too, she said.

"They are going to back off of Pågat. That's my gut instinct," she said. "They know it's a no-winner for them."

File downloads
Download the full text of Calvo's address here.

Text Fwd: The Explosive Growth of U.S. Military Power on Guam Confronts People Power 괌의 폭팔하는 미 군사력은 괌 민중의 힘과 대립

* Image source: same as the link

* Text thankfully forwarded by Martha Duenas on Dec. 6, 2010


The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
The Explosive Growth of U.S. Military Power on Guam Confronts People Power
: Experience of an island people under Spanish, Japanese and American colonial rule
LisaLinda S. Natividad and Victoria-Lola Leon Guerrero


The United States Department of Defense is planning a massive military build-up on Guahan (Guam) that threatens to change the entire make-up of the island. Guahan, nestled at the southern-most tip of the Marianas Archipelago in the Micronesian region of Oceania, is a mere 212 square miles in area, barely bigger than a dot in most world maps. The island is similarly small in the consciousness of most American and Japanese taxpayers, who will be funding the military expansion. Guahan, however, has a large and rich history. While the island and her people remained in relative isolation from the Western world for over 3,500 years from the earliest indications of settlement, its strategic location as a crossroad between East and West has resulted in colonization by successive maritime powers over the last six centuries.

Spain became the island’s first colonizer after Ferdinand Magellan stumbled upon Guahan in 1521. The Spanish maintained control until they were defeated in the Spanish-American War in 1898.

The United States then took Guahan as a spoil of war and made the island a U.S. possession. Guahan was governed much like a naval ship with a naval governor at the helm. In 1941, the United States did not defend the island when Japan invaded on December 8.Guahan surrendered two days later and was occupied by the Japanese Imperial Army from 1941-1944.

The United States returned and used the island to win the war with Japan. Guahan’s strategic military value was solidified and the United States secured its presence on the island.

Today, it remains a possession of the United States as an “unincorporated territory,” a colonial relic in a professed era of democratization and post-colonialism. As an unincorporated territory, island residents do not have the rights of full U.S. citizens – they are not eligible to vote in U.S. presidential elections, nor does their one elected congressional representative have the right to vote on the floor level of the U.S. Congress.

Further, Guahan is limited in its ability to develop a viable economy as prescribed in specific federal-territorial policies like the Jones Act, which requires that all goods be carried to Guahan exclusively in U.S. ships. This increases the cost of shipping and diminishes the island’s ability to trade.

Guahan was added to the United Nations’ list of non-self-governing territories in 1946, deeming the island a colony in need of self-determination. However, both the United States and the United Nations have done very little to decolonize Guahan. In fact, the U.S. has made concerted efforts to further colonize the island over the decades. The United States has consistently pointed to the U.S. Congress’ passage of an Organic Act for Guahan in 1950 as evidence of why international monitoring bodies such as the UN should not intervene to protect the rights of its people. However, Guahan’s Organic Act, which designed a government for the island and gave Guahan residents limited U.S. citizenship, is a far cry from decolonization. It is a proxy constitution that creates the illusion of local control over governance but grants the U.S. Department of Interior and the U.S. Congress ultimate power over the island. The Act authorizes the Federal Government to use powers such as eminent domain, which continue to be considered illegal in international law. It also allows the United States to increase their military presence on the island without seeking consent from Guahan’s people.

READ MORE

____________________________________

See also the below(* Texts forwarded from Martha Duenas on Dec. 6, 2010)

Overseas Territories Review
05 December 2010
International Governance Expert Discusses Changes in Northern Marianas Covenant
'It's always good to assess NMI political status periodically'
By Haidee V. Eugenio, Reporter


Overseas Territories Review
30 November 2010
Governance Expert to Speak at University of Guam
Will discuss recent developments in small island governance


Guam News Watch
Literary Arts Group to Honor Insular Guard's Defens of Guam on Invasion Anniversary
News Release
Monday, 06 December 2010 08:33

Text Fwd: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DoD Begins to Waver on Plans for Pågat; Community Stands United [괌 보도 자료] 미 국방부, 파갓 마을에 대한 계획들 주저하기 시작

* Text sent from Action Leader through the famoksaiyanfriends on Dec. 3, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Department of Defense Begins to Waver on Plans for Pågat;
Community of Guam United to Preserve this Ancient Village

December 3, 2010; Guam: After a full year of the Guam community working to protect the Pågat area from becoming a firing range complex, the Department of Defense is wavering on its plans to use the area for Marine training. Ms. Jackalynn Pfannenstiel, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, has been on Guam this week attempting to sell a plan of “unimpeded access” to Pågat and a land-swap deal, while still intending to claim and control the land at Pågat.

In November of 2009, the Draft EIS was released and the community began to respond to the plans outlined to use the ancient village for a firing range complex. After 11,000 comments, the Final EIS showed little to no change—and, the Record of Decision only put off the decision on Pågat, with no significant change from the FEIS. Now, after the Guam Preservation Trust, We Are Guåhan and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have filed a lawsuit against the DoD, they are finally trying to engage the community.

“They have had two weeks to review the lawsuit, and they know that they have broken the law,” says We Are Guåhan member and attorney Leevin Camacho. “We have been very clear—access is not sufficient. We do not want the DoD to have control over access to any of the Pågat area. We know what happens when the DoD controls access. They make promises that are quickly compromised for whatever their needs are, regardless of what our community needs.”

After a meeting with the Senators and Mayors yesterday, Pfannenstiel was told that access of any sort was not a sufficient mitigation. “And now they want a land swap,” said Acting Speaker Tina Muña-Barnes. “Why don’t they put the firing range on that land, then? They want to trade back land they took from us in the first place. We’re not biting.”

We Are Guåhan would like to congratulate Mayors Lizama, Chargualaf, Blas, Lizama and Flores, as well as the Acting Speaker, Speaker Won Pat and the Senators on their continuing unity and commitment to protecting and preserving Pågat and our beautiful island of Guam.

###

NOT FOR PUBLICATION
Media Contact: Leevin Camacho
leevin@gmail.com
488-3675

_____________________________________________

* See also the text forwarded by Martha Duenas on Dec. 4, 2010 (Video included in the article)

Stars & Stripes
Guam Seeks Closure to Its Nearly 30-Year Quest for Wartime Reparations
Travis J. Tritten
November 29, 2010

Test Fwd: Lawsuit filed over Pagat, Guam [괌] 역사 문화 유적지, 파갓을 사격 훈련장 건설로부터 지키기 위한 법소송 들어감

_____________________________________________________

* All the below three images
From the National Trust for Historic Preservation
Guam Under Fire
Lawsuit Filed Against Department of Defense
By Arin Greenwood | Online Only | Nov. 17, 2010
(Informed at We Are Guahan)

Pagat cliffline looking northeast of Guam.

Credit: Courtesy Kie Susuico

Northeast view from Pagat Village

Joe Quinata of the Guam Preservation Trust leads a group hike to Pagat
Credit: National Trust for Historic Preservation
_____________________________________________________

* Image source: same as the Decolonize Guam blog

____________________________________________________
* See also DMZ Hawai'i
Guam preservation groups suing military to protect a Chamorro village
November 19, 2010
____________________________________________________
Decolonize Guam blog
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Lawsuit filed over Pagat
by Mindy Aguon from KUAM.com

Guam - The Department of Defense is being taken to court over a decision to use an area of land adjacent to the historic and culturally-rich village of Pagat for a firing range complex for U.S. Marines. The litigation looks to force the DoD to comply with federal laws.

"We did not want to get to this stage," Attorney Nicholas Yost said. "We've had many, many meetings and consultations."

Referring to it as their last resort, the Guam Historic Preservation Trust and We Are Guahan joined in a lawsuit with the National Trust for Historic Preservation filed against the Department of Defense. The lawsuit, filed in Hawaii where the environmental review process was coordinated by the Navy, challenges the military's plans to build a firing range complex adjacent to the historic village of Pagat, named one of the 11 most endangered historic sites.

Guam Historic Preservation Officer Joe Quinata said, "This action does not challenge the buildup itself. but seeks to compel the Department of Defense to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act by giving adequate consideration to alternative locations for the firing ranges, as mandated by law."

Yost, with the San Francisco-based SNR Denton, along with Matthew Adams has taken on this case pro bono as they believe the DoD has failed to comply with the NEPA and the National Historic Preservation Act by giving adequate consideration to alternative locations for the firing ranges.

"At the very minimum, what we want is for them to reopen the process honestly to examine alternatives, and those alternatives include those at Andersen Air Force Base, those on Navy property, all of which are listed in the complaint," Yost explained. "There's also other places on Guam that they have suggested that they haven't looked at all. There's also the possibility of relocating the ranges to Tinian, where indeed some firing ranges are already proposed in the environmental impact statement for the future."

As the lead drafter of the NEPA regulations, Attorney Yost is all too familiar with what the law requires of the federal government. Yost contends the DoD failed to follow the law and violated numerous regulations, adding, "They restricted their surveying of sites to sites on Defense Department land except for Pagat - that is the one exception they made to the rule. Other than that they looked at just Defense Department land."

Yost adds that the alternatives the DoD discarded including sites at the naval and Air Force bases should not have been thrown out without significant review. While the most desirable outcome of the lawsuit would be to put the firing range somewhere other than Pagat, the plaintiffs are also asking that a supplemental environmental impact statement be conducted.

We Are Guahan's Attorney Leevin Camacho believes Guam's unified stance against Pagat has helped make the difference, telling KUAM News, "Pagat is the most glaring example of how the DoD made its decision a long time ago with how the buildup was gonna proceed, and litigation is never what you want to do. I say that as a lawyer. I hope this sends a message that the people of Guam are not going to sit by, as bystanders on our own island and we're going to do whatever we can to protect our home including legal action."

National Trust for Historic Preservation's Dr. Anthea Hartig says the organization is glad to be collaborating on such a historic and meaningful event. "We do not take this kind of legal action lightly, but we feel that even though we've come to it reluctantly, we come to it with a seriousness of mission and we are here for you and we're and we're deeply honored to be there with you," she explained.

For others who call Guam home, today's announcement brought tears to their eyes. Moneka De Oro says she's grateful for the organizations standing up for the people of Guam to protect our future and resources. She added, "It is a very emotional experience. This whole buildup process has been incredibly emotional, especially because the people of Guam have really been cast aside in the decision making processes, so it's very emotional for us to come to this point after gathering our community together after negotiating with the DoD in many different ways, and them not listening to us and to have to come to this. It's very emotional."

United States District Court Judge David Ezra has been assigned the case and a scheduling conference is set for February 14 in Hawaii.

Text & Video Fwd:[Guam] Power to the People of the Pacific!! Imperialism & Resistance in the Pacific Islands [괌] 태평양의 민중들이여, 힘내 ! 태평양 군도에서의 제국주의와 저항

* Text from Erica Benton on Oct. 17, 2010

[famoksaiyanfriends] AGUPA'!! SOUL SUNDAY SCHOOL :
Power to the People of the Pacific!! Imperialism & Resistance in the Pacific Islands

3 to 5pm : Sunday : October 17th 2010
at SOUL : 1904 Franklin (@19th) Suite 904
Oakland

SOUL and Famoksaiyan invite you to a Sunday School on the fight for survival and self-determination in the Pacific Islands. Please join us for a presentation & discussion about the legacy of US imperialism in the region and emerging movements to resist militarization.

*Photo: We Are Guahan's Realize Our Destiny rally, October 1st 2010
by Masako Watanabe/Pacific Daily News

We will be joined by anti-militarization organizers who work in the Pacific and locally, against empire at home and abroad, including Moñeka de Oro from We Are Guåhan.

A current site of struggle in the fight against US military domination, the small Pacific island of Guåhan/Guam is currently targeted for a US military base expansion that threatens widespread displacement and destruction. The US military already directly controls over one-third of Guåhan's territory and wants even more, to strengthen its ability to wage existing wars and threaten new ones. We Are Guåhan is an island-based organization that works to educate residents about the impending military buildup, and organizes them in defense of their land and resources. They have been a leading popular force against militarization, and have mobilized thousands of people to take action to protect their island.

Speakers:

Moñeka de Oro / We Are Guåhan
Raquel Redondiez / BAYAN-USA
Miho Kim / TRAI-US Transpacific Research & Action Institute for the Hisabetsu Nikkei
Alicia Garza / POWER People Organized to Win Employment Rights & War Times Newspaper

Please RSVP to info@schoolofunityandliberation.org or at www.facebook.com/schoolofunityandliberation

More on We Are Guahan here & here.

Protect Pagat Community Action 7/23/10 Guam



School Of Unity & Liberation
::: a school to build a movement :::
www.schoolofunityandliberation.org
www.facebook.com/schoolofunityandliberation

________________________________________________________

Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Text Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends] [Michael Bevacqua, Guam] Realizing Our Destiny
[마이클 베박쿠아, 괌] 우리의 운명을 실현하기

Saturday, October 2, 2010
Photos Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends][Guam] Realizing Our Destiny
[괌] 우리의 운명을 실현하자

Photos Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends][Guam] Realizing Our Destiny [괌] 우리의 운명을 실현하자

* Photos and Texts sent from Martha Duenas on Oct. 1 & 2, 2010

_______________________________________________________

from No Rest for the Awake: Minagahet Chamorro blog on Oct. 2, 2010:

_______________________________________________________

* Image source: Pacific Daily News

Pacific Daily News (* With seven photos)
Protesters Want Voice in Buildup
By Brett Kelman
Pacific Daily News • October 2, 2010

Pacific News Center
Rally Against the ROD
Clynt Ridgell
Friday, 01 October 2010 17:10

KUAM News
Hundreds Participate in ROD Rally
by Lannie Walker
Oct 01, 2010 2:00 AM PDT

Text Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends] REALIZE OUR DESTINY: Community Response to the Record of Decision [괌] 우리의 운명을 실현하자: 결정 기록에 대한 공동체 반응

* Text sent from Martha Duenas on Sept. 30, 2010

Action Alert Guam: Realize Our Destiny: Community Response to the Record of Decision
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2010
4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
ADELUP
We Are Guahan

WeAreGuahan.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

September 23, 2010; Guam- With the release of the DoD’s Record of Decision, it has become evident that the Department of Defense will continue to disregard concerns voiced by the people of Guam. Guam’s local residents will be the demographic most severely impacted by plans to increase the US military’s presence within the region through one of the largest peacetime military relocations in modern history. We Are Guahan will be hosting a rally on Oct. 1 to unite the community in response.

The island participated actively within the NEPA process, with over 10,000 comments submitted in response to the Draft EIS from the community and Government of Guam agencies. Despite the outpouring of community involvement, the Final EIS failed to incorporate many of the island’s concerns into their final plans.

Guam’s community and local leaders presented a united front in opposition to the condemnation of land and the taking of more sites considered culturally and historically significant to the island’s indigenous people. However, the Department of Defense’s Record of Decision (ROD) indicates that the condemnation of land through eminent domain is still a possibility. Although decisions regarding the use of Pågat, an ancient Chamorro village and burial site, have been delayed, the site remains affected by the Department of Defense’s preferred alternatives for live-ammunition exercises.

Guam boasts one of the highest rates of enlistment into the United States Armed Forces per capita. Guam’s soldiers have fought and defended American values at rates higher than any other state within the Continental US, but remain excluded from discussions that greatly determine their futures. As a United States colony, residents of Guam lack any real control of their home and its resources. The lack of Democracy involved in the processes surrounding the military build-up in Guam have prompted residents to demand a role in the decision making process.

Plans to realign US troops stationed in Okinawa highlight a critical moment in the island’s history. Residents are uniting in efforts to empower themselves, protect their home’s resources, and shape their futures.

We Are Guahan invites all residents to participate in an island-wide rally to demonstrate unity, commemorate the island’s many sacrifices, and to empower the community to prepare for their home’s future. The rally is scheduled for Friday, October 1st from 4:30pm to 7:30pm at Adelup.

Text Fwd: [famoksaiyanfriends] Military Says Guam Buildup on Schedule Despite New Problems 군대는 말하길, 새로운 문제들에도 불구, 괌 증강, 예정대로

* Images from Minagahet Chamorro blog on Sept. 26, 2010
_________________________________________________________
* Text sent from Martha Duenas on Sept. 26, 2010

Stars & Stripes
Military Says Guam Buildup on Schedule Despite New Problems
By Travis J. Tritten
Published: September 24, 2010


SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan — The plan for a U.S. military buildup on Guam hit two more snags this week that will delay key projects.

The Department of Defense and Guam are at an impasse over the use of ancestral land for a Marine Corps firing range, which could put the future of the project in question, the Guam State Historic Preservation Office said.

Meanwhile, building a berth for aircraft carriers must be delayed for another year while the Navy researches the environmental impact on coral, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in Hawaii confirmed Friday.

Both projects are part of a historic shift of military forces in the Pacific that includes an agreement with Japan to move 8,600 Marines from Okinawa to Guam by 2014.

Difficulties in the process have fueled public speculation and media reports that the transfer of Marines will be delayed to 2016 or later, but the military has remained committed to the deadline.

Landmark Guam buildup plans the Navy released Tuesday are based on the 2014 deadline and the transfer of Marines will continue on that schedule, Maj. Neil Ruggiero, spokesman for the Joint Guam Program Office, told Stars and Stripes on Friday.

The construction of some Marine facilities is expected to begin early next year on Guam using $498 million in funding from Japan.

But the future of planned training ranges on the island is far less certain.

The military has been unable to get support it needs from the Guam government to place Marine live-fire ranges on ancient Chamorro land at Pagat Village, a federally registered archaeological site that holds deep meaning for many on the island.

“The Department of Defense is still recognizing Pagat as the site for the firing range, whereas we don’t even want it mentioned in the programmatic agreement,” said Lynda Aguon, State Historic Preservation officer. “We just don’t want Pagat to be mentioned at all.”

The DOD is seeking an agreement with the preservation office that will set ground rules to deal with damage to historic sites during construction and to clear the way for the ranges. Such agreements are required by federal law when the government builds on historic land.

But Aguon said her office will not support a DOD plan that targets Pagat — a position that has thrown the possibility of any agreement into question.

“We just want that [land] kept pristine,” she said. “If you fence off the area, we can’t visit where our ancestors were and pay our respects.”

Retired Marine Maj. Gen. David Bice, executive director of the Joint Guam Program Office, said Tuesday that Pagat is the only site on the island that meets all requirements for Marine training and it remains the military’s top choice for the ranges.

“We could not find any parcels on DOD property that would accommodate the ranges,” he said. “Through the process of talking to Guam leaders and agency heads, we started looking around and were guided to the preferred alternative [of Pagat Village] at Route 15.”

Bice said any final decision on using the site will be delayed as talks continue.

The two groups have failed to reach an understanding after months of meetings and multiple agreement drafts, according to Aguon.

If an understanding is not reached, Aguon said the DOD could take the land without Guam government support through condemnation.

Meanwhile, the Navy must conduct another study of coral before it can dredge Apra Harbor to make access for aircraft carriers.

The new research will focus on coral, fish, sponges and protected sea turtles at 72 sites in the harbor. It was requested by federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Previous Navy studies show little high-quality coral is likely to be removed and three harbor reefs will not be dredged. About 71 acres would be dredged under the Navy’s preferred plan, including about 25 acres containing sparse patches of coral, according to studies compiled by the Navy in July.

The Navy will delay a decision on where to locate the carrier berth until after the new research is complete in November 2011, according to contract information supplied by NAVFAC.

A $2.3 million contract for the study was awarded on Sept. 17 to HDR-e2M, a Denver-based environmental and engineering company, and work will begin in October, NAVFAC said.

The fate of harbor coral has stoked public concerns on Guam similar to the Pagat ranges.

“We will never get those corals back. It is a terrible loss for our island,” said Guam Sen. Judith Guthertz, chairwoman of the legislature’s Committee on the Guam Military Buildup and Homeland Security.

Guthertz said the U.S. military will “hurt their cause and alienate people” by dredging coral and using Pagat for training ranges despite the persistent public concerns.

Still, she said the projects are probably inevitable despite the delays this month.

“Even if they delayed [plans] for awhile, it will happen,” she said.



trittent@pstripes.osd.mil

Text Fwd: Navy Finalizes Plans For U.S. Military Buildup On Guam 미 해군, 괌에서의 미 군대 증강 계획 최종

* Stop NATO

Stars and Stripes
September 20, 2010
Navy finalizes plans for U.S. military buildup on Guam
By Travis J. Tritten

SASEBO NAVAL BASE, Japan: The U.S. Navy firmed up plans Tuesday for a military
buildup on Guam that could lead to a historic shift in military forces in the
Pacific.

The Navy’s record of decision finalizes where facilities will be built for
8,600 Marines scheduled to move from Okinawa by 2014 and identifies the planned
pace of the massive construction effort, according to a brief released by the
Department of Defense Joint Guam Program Office.

But the Navy delayed decisions on controversial plans to build military training
ranges on Guam’s ancestral land and to dredge coral in Guam’s main harbor
for an aircraft carrier berth, according to the brief.

The full report on the buildup was not available immediately after it was signed
by Assistant Secretary of the Navy Jackie Pfannenstiel early Tuesday. The joint
program office said it would post the full document online by Wednesday.
....
Utilities funding from the Japanese government is critical, he said.

The United States is in talks with Japan and the Japanese Bank of International
Cooperation over the country’s $740 million contribution for wastewater, power
and water upgrades on Guam.

Japan agreed in 2006 to fund the upgrades as part of the shift of Marines from
Okinawa.
....
===========================
Stop NATO
Blog site

_____________________________________________________
* See a text sent from Martha Duenas on Sept. 22, 2010, also.

Guam Build EIS
Associated Press

US Military Postpones 2 Guam Buildup Decisions
By AUDREY McAVOY (AP) – 2:09 PM Guam / ChST

HONOLULU — The U.S. military has postponed two key decisions related to its buildup of forces on the Guam to ensure it's complying with environmental and historic preservation laws.

But it gave final approval to the single biggest part of the buildup: a proposal to move 8,000 Marines and their dependents from Okinawa, Japan to the U.S. territory in the Pacific. The decision was posted online Tuesday.

The Navy put off deciding where to build a live fire range for the Marines while it consults with preservation authorities on how the training area would affect the ancient village of Pagat. Stone bowls, fishing gear, spear points and other artifacts dating back more than a millennium have been found at the village, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The military acknowledged in a document called a "Record of Decision" that a significant new influx of population would affect the island's indigenous Chamorro population, and vowed to be sensitive to this issue.

At its peak, the buildup is expected to boost Guam's population by 79,000 people, or 45 percent, over its current 180,000 residents.

The Department of Defense "is cognizant of the concerns regarding the degradation of Chamorro culture and respects Chamorro social and cultural traditions and will continue to strive to be good neighbors," the document said.

The Navy also delayed deciding where in Apra Harbor it will place a new aircraft carrier berth so it can study how construction of the dock would affect the harbor's coral reef.

The Environmental Protection Agency in February said the military, in a draft environmental impact statement, had underestimated the effect the berth would have on corals that provide essential habitats for fish and endangered sea turtles.

The EPA told the Navy this month it would need to study the coral matter further before it selected a site within Apra for the carrier.

The Navy wants the new berth to accommodate the military's strategy of having its aircraft carriers spend more time in the western Pacific.

Guam is about 3,700 miles southwest of Hawaii and 1,500 miles south of Tokyo.

Text Fwd:[famoksaiyanfriends] US Embassy Tokyo: U.S. and Japan Moving Forward on U.S. Force Realignment 도쿄 미 대사관: 미국과 일본 미국 군대 재배치를 향해 전진

*Image source: Teri Weaver/Stars and Stripes
'A man walks along Guam's eastern shore in an area near Pagat, the site of an ancient Chamorro village.'
__________________________________________________________
* Texts fwd from Martha Duenas on Sept. 15, 2010

Embassy of the United States - Japan

PRESS RELEASE:

U.S. and Japan Moving Forward on U.S. Force Realignment

Sept. 14, 2010

On Sept. 14, 2010 in Tokyo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America John V. Roos and Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada exchanged Notes pertaining to the transfer of funds provided by the Government of Japan to the United States Government in accordance with the Agreement on the Relocation of United States Marine Corps from Okinawa to Guam, signed between Secretary of State Clinton and Foreign Minster Nakasone on Feb. 17, 2009.

Based on the exchanged Notes, the Government of Japan will provide $497.8 million to the United States Government during FY2010 to be used for projects to develop facilities and infrastructure on Guam for the relocation of 8,000 U.S. Marines and their dependents from Okinawa to Guam. This significant step is in accordance with the May 1, 2006, SCC Document, "United States-Japan Roadmap for Realignment Implementation," which both Governments reaffirmed in the May 28, 2010, SCC Joint Statement.

Projects to be funded by the Government of Japan during FY2010 for the relocation of U.S. Marines from Okinawa to Guam:

On-base infrastructure project in Finegayan area (Phase 2): 309 million U.S. dollars
Construction project of fire station in Finegayan area: 25.1 million U.S. dollars
Construction project of port operation unit headquarters building in Apra area: 24.8 million U.S. dollars
Construction project of medical clinic in Apra area: 96 million U.S. dollars
Design project (base administrative building, Marine Logistic Group headquarters building, police station, physical training complex, enlisted dining facility and bachelor enlisted quarters in Finegayan area): 42.9 million U.S. dollars
TOTAL: 497.8 million U.S. dollars
_____________________________________________________

* Related articles

Stars and Stripes
Japan Agrees to Pay $498 Million Toward Guam Buildup
By Travis J. Tritten
September 14, 2010 1:58 PM Guam/ChST

• Senate committee cuts $300M slated for Guam buildup from proposed budget
• Guam expansion central to U.S. realignment strategy in Asia
• Navy details impact of Guam move