African Heritage Remembered at Colombia’s Black and White Carnival

PASTO, Colombia – Typical rhythms from Colombia’s Pacific region can be heard on Thursday in the streets of the southwestern city of Pasto to celebrate the Day of the Blacks, a tribute to the portion of the population descended from African slaves during the traditional Carnival celebration in this zone bordering on Ecuador.

“This day is celebrated (to commemorate) the free day our ancestors who arrived from Africa as slaves received to hold their festivals and rituals and at the same time to calm the anxieties the blacks felt at being bound and imprisoned,” the director of the Los Alegres de Telembi folkloric group, Liloy Ortiz, told EFE.

At the Black and White Carnival “what we want is to show people the cultural legacy our ancestors left us that we still experience in African music, dance, poetry and theater,” said Ortiz, who has been part of the musical group for the past 10 years.

To the rhythms of the marimba, an instrument with African origins, residents and tourists in Pasto, the capital of Nariño province, smudge their bodies black to begin a game of exchanging identities where mixed-race people take on the appearance of blacks.

“This event is the chance to leave to the side those racial differences and social prejudices that exist in the country among the black and white races, and to see that we’re all humans and brothers,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz added that the music at the Carnival is also designed to denounce the problems that currently exist in the Pacific region.

“The Pacific (region) is a zone with great biodiversity. However, we’re ignored by the state and there’s very generalized corruption that results in the region not prospering economically, and so it’s one of the poorest in Colombia,” the musician added.

Meanwhile, Lisenia Gallo, the executive director of the Cueros y Chonta Musical Foundation, a musical group participating in the Carnival, said that “through rhythms such as the ‘currulao,’ the ‘bunde’ and the ‘juga,’ among others” the performers sing about corruption “but also about peace, love and life.”

The Black and White Carnival, in 2010 designated as part of the World Heritage by Unesco, will conclude on Jan. 6, the Day of the Whites, with a parade of floats the main aim of which is to present the myths and legends of the region through the talent of Nariño’s artisans.

PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURAL GALA FOR INCOMING PRESIDENT TRUMP

Trump-Pence Asian Pacific American committees to host ‘APA Presidential Inaugural Gala’

BY AANEWS

Newswire.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump-Pence Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee (APAAC) and the National Committee of Asian American Republicans (Asian.GOP) on Wednesday announced that they will be hosting an Asian Pacific American Presidential Inaugural Gala in honor of President-Elect Donald J. Trump as well as for the Asian Pacific Americans who have been nominated to serve in the new Trump Administration.

The inaugural celebration will take place a few blocks from the White House at the historic and beautiful Mayflower Hotel, located at 1127 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC. The hotel is home to many presidential inaugurations since 1925. The Gala will be held on Thursday, January 19, 2017, from 6 to 11 PM in the Grand Ballroom and Chinese Room of this elegant hotel.

The program will include:

• Celebration with prominent dignitaries and Presidential appointees (Donald J. Trump, Mike Pence, Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Reince Priebus, Elaine Lan Chao, Nikki Haley, and many others are invited

• Networking opportunities with key Asian American and Pacific Islander community leaders

• Networking interactions with business elites in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community

• Performances from Asian Pacific American communities proudly sharing their rich cultures

“This will be an excellent event that features our national Asian Pacific American leaders who have worked so hard to elect and represent Mr. Trump,” said Eddie Baza Calvo, Governor of Guam and APAAC co-chair. “Our Inaugural Gala will provide a wonderful opportunity to engage with public and private sector leaders to work closer together with our growing Asian Americans and Pacific Islander communities.”

“We are excited that Donald J. Trump has won the Presidency,” said Ralph DLG Torres, Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands and APAAC co-chair. “The Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are celebrating his victory with this Inaugural Gala. We look forward to a prosperous future working with the Trump Administration in Making America Great Again.”

“Asian Pacific Americans share many of the same values as the Republican Party. We are confident that Asian Pacific American Republicans will play a significant vital role in the new Trump Administration. Together, we look forward to making an America filled with jobs, hope, opportunity, security, and freedom,” said Mr. Cliff Zhonggang Li, Executive Director of the National Committee of Asian American Republicans.

To purchase tickets to the APA Presidential Inaugural Gala, inquire about corporate sponsorship opportunities, volunteer, or to make a charitable donation, please visit http://apainaugural.asian.gop. Tickets and corporate sponsorship tables are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Asian Pacific American Advisory Committee (APAAC) is co-chaired by the Eddie Baza Calvo, Governor of Guam and the Honorable Ralph DLG Torres, Governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It is a group that will continue to promote policies and programs dedicated to the specific needs of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country. It is the official Trump campaign advisory council representing Asian Pacific Americans. The National Committee of Asian American Republicans (Asian.GOP) is a nationwide organization of Asian American Republicans headquartered in Washington, DC dedicated to raising the awareness in Asian American communities about the importance of participating in the political process, which has a great impact on everyone’s life, for future generations, and for the destiny of this great nation.

Air Force veteran, 72, alleges Agent Orange use on Andersen Air Force Base (on Guam)

PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

Kyla P Mora 

kmora@guampdn.com

(Photo: PDN file foto)

Air Force veteran Gerard Laitres, 72, was stationed at Andersen Air Force Base from September 1963 to March 1965. During that time, he worked as a liquid fuels system maintenance specialist, cleaning and monitoring above-ground pipelines for chipped paint and damage.

He was always surprised, he said, that there was never any brush around the pipeline that needed chopping or clearing.

“We worked around the Tumon Tank Farm, and around the immediate storage areas along the flight line. There were 10 pump houses,” Laitres said. “We had no problem getting into anything we had to get to. I always wondered what happened, how they cleared that out. Now I know it.”

Laitres believes the Air Force used Agent Orange as a defoliant on Guam, particularly along the path of the pipeline he worked to maintain.

“They did that, on the pipeline, and that’s a lot of mileage of defoliation,” Laitres said. “And so, are they going to admit it?”

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE.

SINT EUSTATIUS DELIVERS FORMAL 'CEASE AND DESIST' TO DUTCH ATTEMPT TO ANNEX TERRITORY AGAINST THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

Statia petitions against embedding public entity in Dutch Constitution

DAILY HERALD

ST. EUSTATIUS- In carrying out the Island Council’s motion of November 30, 2016, the Executive Council on Wednesday presented the Dutch Government with a formal petition against the process of embedding the public entities of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba in the Dutch Constitution.

In the petition, which was signed by Acting Island Governor of Statia Julian Woodley and Island Secretary Koert Kerkhoff and sent to the Kingdom Council of Ministers and Prime Minister Mark Rutte, it was stated that the Dutch Government has “unilaterally” started the process of embedding the public entity of Statia in the Dutch Constitution.

“Such action, as was the establishment of Statia as a public entity on October 10, 2010, is in violation of Dutch law, which by virtue of its inclusion of and relation with the international legal order protects the people of Statia’s right to freely express their right to self-determination and choose their political status,” it is stated in the petition.

The petitioners urgently call on the Dutch and Kingdom Governments to “immediately” cease the “unilateral” process of embedding the public entity Statia in the Dutch Constitution and commence consultations with the local Government aimed at the public entity achieving full internal self-governance by means of free association with the Netherlands, “in accordance with the expressed wishes of the people of Statia and the international legal order, also aware of reports of irregularities surrounding the December 2014 constitutional referendum in Statia, and strongly urges the release of the UN [United Nations Ed.] report on the 2014 referendum results to the Government of Statia.

According to the Executive Council, the majority of the world community represented in the UN in 1954 was not convinced that the former Dutch colonies Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles had achieved a full-measure of self-government with the enactment of the Kingdom Charter in 1954 and the Netherlands was unjustly relieved of its obligation to report on its overseas territories by means of a UN resolution.

“Resolution 945 does not affirm that the former Netherlands Antilles had received a full measure of self-government under Article 73 (b). It merely removed the requirement of the Netherlands to regularly submit information regarding its colonies to the UN under Article 73 (e). It preserved the UN authority to decide whether a non-self-governing territory, – such as the Netherlands Antilles then and Statia now – has attained a full measure of self-government.

“It is clear that the committee looking into this matter was of the view that decolonisation of the Netherlands Antilles remained incomplete and the UN remained authorised to review the situation under Article 73,” the petition reads.

“Resolution 945 clearly establishes the competence of the [UN – Ed.] General Assembly in the matter of deciding if a non-self-governing territory, which includes Statia, has attained full measure of self-government. Constitutional and other developments, as well as statements by public and academic authorities within and without the Dutch Kingdom since 1954, have convincingly established that the Kingdom Charter did not result in a full measure of self-government for the current Dutch overseas territories and needs to be structurally revamped if such objective is to be achieved.”

The Executive Council claims that the “peoples” of the overseas territories Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, Statia and St. Maarten have all expressed their “inalienable right to self-determination” during referenda held in 2004, 2005, 2010, 2014 and 2015, “thus prior to and after the new constitutional order within the Kingdom of the Netherlands which took effect on 10-10-10.”

Signatories claim that the new constitutional order has led to (more) discontent among the peoples of the Dutch overseas territories, as confirmed in the evaluation report of the Spies Committee, and further exposed the democratic deficit within the Kingdom.

“The results of the UN-observed referenda on Bonaire in 2004, 2010 and 2015, and on Statia in 2005 and 2014, clearly indicated that the populations of the islands did not freely choose their current constitutional relationship with the Kingdom in accordance with the UN Charter and General Assembly resolutions,” the petition reads.

In light of the UN-observed referendum of December 17, 2014, in Statia there were reports of irregularities, despite the overwhelming choice for the status of “Autonomy within the Dutch Kingdom,” it is stated in the petition, which claims that the current status of the Dutch overseas territories is not in compliance with the UN Charter and resolutions and international constitutional law and conventions.

The official position of the Dutch Government on the Spies report is a further violation of the right to self-determination of the people of Statia, the Executive Council said.

Considering all these facts, the Executive Council has been tasked with preparing a “detailed and concrete” plan of action for achieving full autonomy in free association with the Netherlands, in accordance with the relevant Island Council decrees and with the support of civil-society organisations Brighter Path Foundation, Pro Statia and Nos Ke Boneiru Bek.

Copies of the petition were sent to the Dutch Parliament’s First and Second Chambers; the Executive and Island Councils of Saba and Bonaire; the Councils of Ministers and Parliaments of Aruba, Curaçao and St. Maarten; the Council of State in The Hague; the governments and Parliaments of Caribbean Community Caricom member states; Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS); Association of Caribbean States (ACS); Latin American Parliament Parlatino; UN Special Committee on Decolonisation; UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Alliance of Small Island States; andThe Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (College voor de Rechten van de Mens).

The Forgotten Women of Puerto Rico’s Nationalist Struggle (1930s-1950s)

Centro Staff

From the Ponce Massacre to the Nationalist uprisings of the 1950s, the story of Puerto Rico’s nationalism is often placed within the context of its most iconic moments, or president of its party, Don Pedro Albizu Campos. But women also played a significant role in Puerto Rico’s nationalist movement from the early to mid-20th century. Yet the names of only a few, most famously Lolita Lebrón, are evoked.

In 1950, for example, after the attack on the Blair House (temporary residence of President Truman at the time), 41 women were arrested, included the wives of each of the gunmen. And in Mayagüez, the names of at least 70 women can be found on a plaque which commemorates those who participated in the Nationalist struggle. Many more sacrificed their lives, were imprisoned and tortured, exiled.

Historians have largely ignored the stories of these women, much like the press that came before them. So in her latest book, Dr. Olga Jiménez de Wagenheim’s Nationalist Heroines: Puerto Rican Women History Forgot, 1930s-1950s attempts to recover the individual stories of these women, compiling sixteen in total and dividing them into four parts.

After providing a brief synopsis of the island’s history and history of the Nationalist Party, the opening section is dedicated to Dominga de la Cruz Becerril, a black working-class woman from Mayagüez and member of the Nationalist Party. She famously rescued the Puerto Rican flag during the 1937 Ponce Massacre, picking up the flag before it could hit the ground, after the person carrying it was wounded.

In the next section, “Nationalist Women Imprisoned in Puerto Rico, 1950, 1954," the book discusses the lives of the following seven women: Blanca Canales, Leonides Díaz, Carmen María Pérez, Ruth Mary Reynolds, Isabel Rosado Morales, Doris Torresola Roura, and Olga Isabel Viscal Garriga.

Blanca Canales is famous for leading El Grito de Jayuya which took place on October 30, 1950. She went to prison for 17 years before being released. Her childhood home in Jayuya was later converted into the Casa Museo Blanca Canales.

Carmen María Pérez, Ruth Mary Reynolds, and Olga Isabel Viscal Garriga were arrested together in 1950 and held at the infamous La Princesa jail. Ruth Mary Reynolds is the only non-Puerto Rican included in the book, although she is recognized for her dedication to the Nationalist cause and as one of the founders of the American League for Puerto Rico's Independence.

The third section switches perspective to the Nationalist movement within the United States. Included here are the stories of Lolita Lebrón, Rosa Cortés Collazo, and Carmen Dolores Otero de Torresola (also known as Lolita). The latter two women were also the wives of Oscar Collazo and Griselio Torresola, the two gunmen who attacked the Blair House in an attempt to assassinate President Truman.

In the last section, entitled “Brief Account of Other Women Arrested in Puerto Rico,” the author discusses five women (Juana Mills Rosa, Juanita Ojeda Maldonado, Ramona Padilla de Negrón, Angelina Torresola de Platet, and Monserrate Valle de López) who were well known members of the Nationalist Party and had been under surveillance for years before being arrested.

Jiménez has previously written about Puerto Rican history, including Puerto Rico: An Interpretive History From Pre-Columbian Times to 1900, Puerto Rico's Revolt for Independence: El Grito De Lares, and The Puerto Ricans: A Documentary History, which was co-edited with her husband. Jiménez is also co-founder the New Jersey Hispanic Research and Information Center (NJHRIC) of the Newark Public Library.

Puerto Rico economic crisis "directly linked” to Puerto Rico’s commonwealth status - Governor Ricardo Rossello

New Puerto Rico Government Has No Funds to Pay February Payroll

SAN JUAN – Newly-installed Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello said on Monday during his inaugural address that the island’s government does not have the funds to pay public employees in February.

Rossello, who was sworn into office a few minutes past midnight on Jan. 2 so that he could sign several executive orders early in the morning, said in his speech that the situation is so serious that the government simply does not have any liquidity.

“We’re inheriting a deficit of more than $6 billion and a situation so precarious that there is no way to pay the payroll for the month of February,” emphasized Rossello, the 37-year-old son of former Gov. Pedro Rossello, who headed the U.S. commonwealth from 1993-2000.

The new governor said that confronting the situation of the island’s $69 billion public debt is his top priority, and in direct connection with that he emphasized that he will do everything possible so that Puerto Rico ceases to be a U.S. commonwealth and becomes the 51st state.

He devoted a significant portion of his speech to lambasting the government of outgoing Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla for its economic management, which the new governor called terrible, the alleged poor use of public funds to pay operating expenses and the hiding of financial information.

Rossello warned that the transition between the two administrations had not been transparent and that alleged irregularities on the part of the outgoing government will be investigated.

“Today we begin the reconstruction of our homeland,” Rossello emphasized after saying that the generation he represents “will change the course of the history of Puerto Rico.”

Among the most immediate measures to deal with the critical situation facing the island, Rossello announced that early Monday morning he had signed a series of executive orders designed to immediately change the island’s course, including a decree for all government agencies to reduce their annual expenses and all outside contracts for services by 10 percent.

Another executive order decrees a state of emergency within the government that will enable Rossello to facilitate procedures to initiate strategic projects immediately.

Furthermore, he said that he will move with all possible speed to make bilingualism – Spanish and English – a reality among the island’s students, something that currently is restricted to private schools, although he did not specify how he would do that.

In the political realm, he emphasized that “the crisis is directly linked” to Puerto Rico’s status as a U.S. commonwealth, which for more than five decades has given a certain level of self-governance to the island but has left in Washington’s hands critical areas such as border security, defense and international relations.

Rossello also announced that on Monday he will travel to Washington to begin working on achieving greater integration with the United States for the island.

Asamblea del Pueblo Raizal invita a reunión este 7 de enero

El Isleño.com

Con un espíritu de unión, hermandad y buena voluntad, que intenta incluir y construir un espacio transparente para todos, la Asamblea del Pueblo Raizal ha adoptado nuevas disposiciones referentes a sus comunicados, con lo que espera mejorar significativamente su relación con todos los estamentos de la comunidad. (información bilingüe) 

Esta decisión se toma luego de evidenciar las continuas dificultades que se han tenido para comunicar de forma efectiva las reuniones, decisiones y convocatorias, lo que se ha traducido en una serie de malentendidos que afectaron directamente al poder decisorio y la legitimidad de la Asamblea.

Para una plenaria efectiva es necesaria la presencia de la mayor cantidad de personas pertenecientes a nuestro Pueblo Raizal. Por lo anterior:

1. A partir de la fecha, la Asamblea del Pueblo Raizal se pronunciará de forma única a través de comunicados escritos dirigidos al Pueblo Raizal, comunidad general, medios de comunicación y medios alternativos. Todos estos serán emitidos por la red social Facebook, órgano de comunicación oficial designado por la Asamblea. De igual modo, se realizará una labor de difusión informal que incluirá comunicación puerta a puerta, reuniones en los barrios, volantes, cartas dirigidas a las iglesias y sus miembros, entre otros.

2. Se convoca a todo el Pueblo Raizal a una reunión el próximo sábado 7 de enero, en la Casa de la Cultura Tamarind Tree, a las 2:00 p.m. En esta importante reunión se trataran los siguientes temas:

• Organización del congreso del Pueblo Raizal.
• Discusión de herramientas participativas para el Pueblo Raizal.
• Discusión de problemáticas varias.

Recuerda seguirnos por el nuevo canal de comunicación:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dihraizalasembly/

Contamos con su participación.
Asamblea del Pueblo Raizal.

MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES OPEN IN PUERTO RICO

Sale of Medical Marijuana Begins in Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN – The three dispensaries licensed to sell medical marijuana in Puerto Rico opened their doors on Friday to the 1,953 patients authorized to use cannabis for therapeutic purposes.

Outgoing Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla marked the occasion with a visit to one of the dispensaries.

Garcia Padilla, who hands over to successor Ricardo Rossello next Monday, signed the executive order legalizing medical marijuana in early 2015 and has worked to foster the development of a medicinal pot industry on the island, which has been mired in recession for a decade.

The 23 firms that have obtained permits to grow, process, transport and sell marijuana in Puerto Rico employ hundreds of people.

“It is a historic day for Puerto Rico and NextGen Pharma is proud to be part of this moment. Today sees the fulfillment of a promise in favor of the right of thousands of patients in Puerto Rico to a better quality of life,” NextGen Pharma managing partner Carmen Serrano said at the opening of the company’s dispensary in San Juan.

Puerto Rico joins 25 U.S. states and nine Latin American nations in legalizing medicinal marijuana.

AMERICAN SAMOA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATE ON TRUMP TRANSITION TEAM

Pence Taps Aumua to Join Transition Executive Body

Press Release

Washington, D.C. –Saturday, Vice President-elect Mike Pence appointed Congresswoman Aumua Amata to the Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee.

“Amata is a great friend and colleague and I am delighted she will be joining our team,” said Vice Chairman Marsha Blackburn, a senior Member of Congress from Tennessee, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee. "This decision advances a commitment President-elect Trump made last spring to not forget the territories once elected.”

VP-elect Pence and Congresswoman Amata
in the U.S. Capitol last month

Radewagen can be expected to be looked to as a key advisor on issues concerning the U.S. territories and Asian Pacific American (APA) communities.

As the highest ranking elected Republican federal official of APA heritage and as a Trump delegate to the Republican National Convention last summer, Amata is ideally suited to serve this powerful role within this prominent group of decision-makers.

Having served on President George W. Bush’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and as the current Vice Chairman of the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Indian, Insular and Native Alaskan Affairs, the Congresswoman is very familiar with leadership in both the Caribbean and Pacific territories and stateside APA communities.

The Presidential Transition Team Executive Committee is a body composed of national business, government and political leaders who are guiding the work of teams that have been dispatched to the White House and various government departments and agencies to coordinate with current Administration officials the smooth handover of the reins of government on January 20th. In addition to Rep. Blackburn, the Committee includes a number of other members of Congress, incoming White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, and First Daughter Ivanka Trump.

"Governor Pence and I discussed this possibility when we met recently, and I'm pleased and honored to be selected by him to join the team,” said Amata. “Following my conversation with the VP- elect, I spoke with my good friend Marsha Blackburn who saw the value for the territories and APA communities to have a voice on the Committee.”

Last month, Radewagen was re-elected for a second term to her House seat, having received the most votes for a candidate of any territory-wide office in the history of American Samoa. Her selection to the Committee may be the first time a Pacific Islander has been part of the inner circle of a presidential transition.

Guam Independence Task Force intensifies decolonization education

Independent Guåhan launches weekly podcast on decolonization

GUAM DAILY POST

A new podcast series put on by the Independence for Guam Task Force (Independent Guåhan) began earlier this month with the goal of educating listeners from the Guam community and beyond on issues relating to decolonization.

Titled “Fanachu!,” which translates to “stand tall” in Chamorro, the weekly podcasts will feature casual conversations and interviews with a variety of individuals who are either decolonization experts, have a hand in Guam’s three task forces, or who simply contribute to the movement in their profession.

“Fanachu!” is produced by the Independent Guåhan Media Committee, headed by Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua, and is spearheaded by Manny Cruz and Independent Guåhan partners Becca Garrison, Jesse Chargualaf, and Ed Leon Guerrero. The series host is Manny Cruz, a former reporter who had a short stint on radio and is pursuing a Master’s degree in English. Even as a volunteer host, he provides the audio equipment and guides the flow of the show, posing insightful questions on decolonization to featured guests.

Starting discussions

The inaugural episode was recorded at Java Junction in Hagåtña as part of their “Coffee Shop Convo” sessions, featuring Independent Guåhan members Dr. Bevaqcua and Victoria Leon Guerrero, and Free Association Task Force Chair Adrian Cruz.

At a glance, this first conversation covered topics including anti-American outlooks in pushing for independence, similarities between Guam and an independence push in Scotland, and the role of the United Nations in the process of decolonization. 

Their second podcast focused on the connection of Guam’s struggle to that of the highly contested Dakota Access Pipeline and explored ways to see Guam’s decolonization as a normal part of history.

Their third podcast featured Jason Datuin of DFRNT, to talk about how, according to Cruz, colonization’s affects can be found in virtually very aspect of our daily lives, including food.

Their fourth podcast in the ongoing series, scheduled to be released this week, features Moneka Flores and Melvin Won Pat-Borja, members of Independent Guåhan topics. They discuss the role of media companies in sometimes distorting decolonization efforts and, as they argue, creating an unbalanced picture of the status options, namely independence.

Progressive ideas

A grassroots operation, the task force decided to engage the public through podcasts as their medium of education due to their constraints on funding. But Cruz says that through the democratization of media, having his own microphones, a laptop, and an internet connection, he had all he needed to be able to publish engaging content with ease and at minimal expense.

"Podcasting just seemed like a great way to include the world in the conversations taking place locally," Cruz said. "There’s always a lot of great, progressive ideas floating around at our different meetings. But not everyone can be there all the time, so it just made sense to capture it in a way that's convenient for practically anyone."

The young graduate student and journalist took it upon himself to use the minimal equipment he had to contribute to the task force and to the decolonization conversation by producing the show. Cruz conducts the interviews, edits the recordings, and promotes the shows through social media.

“My interest in activism on Guam goes back a long way,” Cruz said. “This is my way of contributing with a skill that I have.”

Fighting colonization

The larger goal of Independent Guåhan, and Cruz's personal goal, is to contribute toward educating a community on a topic that is both far-reaching and frightening to some. 

“There’s a huge barrier in us trying to communicate to the public, to people who don’t think about decolonization on a day-to-day basis,” Cruz said. “Most people are like ‘why should I care’ or ‘I like what I have.’ Breaking through the status quo is what is challenging for all of the task forces; getting over the idea that decolonization isn’t crazy, and it’s not scary. This is a common obstacle between the status options, so we try to figure out ways, like podcasting, to get through to people.”

Cruz said the common goal between the three task forces representing the three status options of Free Association, Statehood, and Independence, is to move the island toward a decolonized Guam, with more power over its own resources, people, and political destiny.

“At the end of the day the common obstacle is colonization, and what we’re fighting for is sovereignty,” Cruz said. “Thanks to the educative efforts of some people, there’s a shift in consciousness and way of thinking about decolonization."

French Polynesia anti nuclear freedom fighter joins the ancestors

World Council of Churches Mourns the Death 

of Polynesian Nuclear Fighter John Doom

Contact: World Council of Churches, +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press

GENEVA, Dec. 28, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- John Doom lived in a small place on the planet, but he was committed to big things through his faith, fighting to stem atomic testing in the fragile ecosystem of his homeland French Polynesia.

"Papa John's passionate commitment and dedication to the ecumenical movement and our Lord's call to unity was and continues to be a source of inspiration for the many blessed enough to have known him and to work with him," wrote the World Council of Churches' general secretary, Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit.

The general secretary sent a letter on 28 December to the Maòhi Protestant Church after Mr John Doom passed away, aged 80, on Christmas Day, in Papeari, Tahiti.

The fifth sibling of 12 children, John Taroanui Doom was born on 6 May 1936, in Papeete, French Polynesia.

Doom became a deacon of the Maòhi Protestant Church (French Polynesia) in 1962.

From 1971 to 1988, he served as general secretary of his church. Between 1972 and 1977, he also served as principal of the Hermon Theological School, Tahiti. He was a member of the executive committee of the Pacific Conference of Churches from 1966 to 1989.

Doom was a member of the WCC’s Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA) from 1983-1989, and of the WCC Central Committee 1976-1983.

In 1989, he was appointed as the WCC's executive secretary for the Pacific region, a position he held until his retirement in 2000.

Between 2006 and 2013, Doom was the WCC President for the Pacific Region.

In his letter, Tveit praised Doom's leadership and vision, stressing that his "life and witness as a faithful disciple of Jesus truly exemplify one who lived in assured hope and in readiness for Christ's coming in his daily walk by faith."

A committed citizen, John Doom was also the co-founder and coordinator of the Nuclear Workers' Association in French Polynesia, Mururoa e Tatou.

Being an eye witness of the first French atomic test in the Pacific, in 1966, he was also known for his strong commitment to anti-nuclear advocacy campaigns.

In the early 1980s, the Evangelical Church in Polynesia officially denounced French atomic tests at Moruroa and Fangataufa, encouraged by the Pacific Conference of Churches, which also firmly opposed the American nuclear tests in Marshall and Kiribati.

When the atomic tests in the region were resumed, in 1995, Doom sent 80,000 postcards of protest to the French government from the Pacific office of the WCC. In 2001, he took part in the founding of the association of victims Moruroa e tatou in Papeete.

In his condolence letter, the WCC general secretary shared his testimony on Doom's crucial role to raise awareness in the world "to address the enormous damage for his peoples and region after the nuclear testing going on in the Pacific."

Tveit's letter ends with words of support to Doom's family and the churches in the Pacific.

"We stand with you in your sorrow and give thanks for a man whose spirit encouraged unity in our faith and participation in God's mission," he wrote.

Doom's funeral service took place on 27 December, in the cemetery of Papeari, where he was buried next to his wife Tetua Tau, who died five years earlier.

The "Illusion of Inclusion" - Guam's non-voting delegate seeks "symbolic" vote for territories in U.S. House of Representatives

(OTR Comments highlighted)

Democrats push for symbolic voting rights for territorial delegates

PACIFIC DAILY NEWS

                                         Steve Limtiaco 

(Photo: PDN file photo)

The U.S. House of Representatives once again is considering whether to allow members from the territories, including Guam Del. Madeleine Bordallo, and the District of Columbia to have a symbolic vote during the Committee of the Whole.

Unlike other members of Congress, the delegates from the territories and the District of Columbia do not have the right to vote on the passage of legislation, unless Congress amends its rules to allow them to vote.

“I thank our Democratic Whip, Congressman Steny Hoyer, for again urging the Republican Majority to amend the Rules of the House to permit the Delegates from the territories and D.C. to vote in the Committee of the Whole. Whip Hoyer has been a firm supporter of the territories, and I appreciate his consistent leadership in working to ensure that votes cast in the House reflect the voices of all Americans,” Bordallo stated Wednesday. “I testified before the Rules Committee in September to encourage this rule change, and I believe that doing so would allow the territories’ voices to be heard more fully during debate on the House floor. It would give us parity with other members (?) and strengthen the long-cherished values of the House.”

Here is a partial transcript of the Sept. 14 hearing, when Bordallo testified before the House Committee on Rules, asking that the rules be changed to allow territorial delegates to vote:

Bordallo: Members of the committee, I request that the House rules be amended for the 115th Congress to permit the delegates and the resident commissioner to cast votes when we are debating amendments and legislation in the committee of the whole. Same as was granted in the rules of the House for the 110th and 111th Congress. Votes cast by members of Congress make us accountable to our constituents and allow them to understand where we stand on important issues. The rules that were adopted by the 112th, 113th and the 114th Congress denied these voting rights for members from the territories and the District of Columbia. It makes the house less responsive to the more than 4 million Americans who live in these districts.

Extending voting rights would be wholly symbolic. Our votes cannot change the outcome of legislation or amendments considered on the floor. However, these votes allow us to ensure that the needs of our constituents are addressed. 

Further, many of our nation’s men and women in uniform are residents of the territories and D.C. These dedicated service members sacrificed much for our country, and many have paid the ultimate sacrifice. In fact, the per capita death rate for service members from the territories is higher than most states. Beyond high levels of military service, residents from the territories and D.C. contribute to and serve our nation in all other aspects of American life. Yet, we, their representatives in Congress, are denied the very basic right to vote on matters that impact their very lives. 

Permitting the delegates and the resident commissioner to cast votes in the Committee of the Whole will not lessen the representation of the 435 members, rather it would allow territories’ voices to be heard more fully. It will give us parity with other members (?) and strengthen the long -cherished values of this body. 

I want to leave you, Mr. Chairman and ranking member, with something that one of my predecessors, Guam’s former Republican congressman and general, Ben Blaz, told me when I was first elected to Congress, in 2003. He said, that as a delegate from a territory who could not vote on the floor of the House, and, I quote, “I would be a member of Congress, but not one of its members.” So I hope that this rule will be changed.”

Rep. Steve Stivers, R-Ohio: You already said this, but I want to make sure I understand it. You would give voting rights to the resident delegates, but they could not change the outcome of a vote?

Bordallo: If the vote would be a tie on amendments, then they would vote again, leaving us out. So it makes no difference, whatsoever. It’s just the idea of being down on the floor with our colleagues, and then letting our constituents know how we stand on these issues.

Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-New York, Rules Committee ranking member: “It seems a terrible thing to ask a member to come all the way from Guam and not be able to participate in a lot of things we’re doing. And I thought it worked out very well. As you pointed out, if there’s a tie, they re-vote and take the delegates out.

Bordallo: “It’s simply symbolic”

Slaughter: Right, but an important symbol, and you’re here. I think we need to do that.”

Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington: This is an interesting idea, that you’ve brought forward, and I’ve often wondered that myself, why territories are not allowed to vote, although you have voting privileges in committee, correct?

Bordallo: In committee, that’s correct.

Newhouse: So if you’re asking for a symbolic vote on the floor, I’m not sure how that gives you parity, if you could help me understand that. If it’s only symbolic, you’re not quite there, and you do have the opportunity to express your opinions clearly in committees. So if your complaint is that you can’t express how you feel on issues to your constituents, there’s an opportunity there.

Bordallo: I guess in answer to you, Mr. Newhouse, is the fact that you’re elected to a body and you are not allowed to go on the floor at all. We don’t vote for final passage. That’s even a disparity, in my opinion. But to not be able to go down and vote when there’s a committee of the whole — It’s a matter of just going down on the floor and meeting our colleagues once in a while. I’m very seldom down on the floor because we don’t have a vote — the Committee of the Whole or final passage. I think it’s just a matter of belonging to a family, the House family.

Newhouse: So, only in the event of a tie would those votes then be discounted?

Bordallo: That’s right.

Slaughter: It seemed to work pretty well. At least I don’t recall hearing any complaints about it. And it did make people who’ve come a great distance to get here really feel like a part of what was going on.

Bordallo: Most important, too, is our constituents don’t know where we stand, because our votes are never publicized or whatever. We may be on the bill as a cosponsor, but

Newhouse: Aren’t committee votes publicized?

Bordallo: Yes, they are, but in every aspect. I’m on defense and I’m on natural resources, but what about all the other – the health, the education committees, and so forth? And we did have it in two congresses. We did have the right to vote, but it was taken away then, when the parties changed.

Rep. Pete Sessions, R-Texas, Rules Committee chairman: Bringing the issue up is important. I’m not promising any change this time, but you are ensuring that there will be a discussion. And I think from that perspective, you would not consider that a victory, but that we do recognize what we’re doing and we probably need to get better at it.

Bordallo: I just want to make it very clear that, although we wish could have final vote on the passage of bills, we’re just asking for this Committee of the Whole vote. And I understand it has been through various courts and it’s come out affirmatively. So I want you to know there’s been some background done on this. And, as I said, it’s just a symbolic vote, and we represent 4 million American citizens.

Sessions: Yes, ma’am, but you don’t come from States.

Bordallo: Well, I guess you could say that.

Sessions: I guess I could.

Outgoing Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner to U.S. Congress terms territorial status 'undignified and unsustainable'

"My Tenure as Resident Commissioner" 

Hon. Pedro R. Pierluisi

December 7, 2016 

Mr. Speaker:

 After eight years, this will be my last floor speech as the Resident Commissioner of Puerto Rico in Congress. I want to thank my constituents for giving me the opportunity to serve as their voice in Washington. They are enduring difficult times, but they never lose their hope, dignity, or appreciation for life’s blessings. 

I also want to thank my colleagues in the House and the Senate. I respect your dedication to public service, energy, and commitment to the causes you champion. In addition, I want to thank my staff, which has served me—and the people of Puerto Rico—with skill, passion and loyalty. 

Most importantly, I want to thank my wife, Maria-Elena; my four children; and the rest of my family. They have walked alongside me on this journey, through the peaks and valleys, and my love for them cannot be captured with words. 2 It is impossible to condense eight action-packed years into five minutes. 

However, if there is a central theme to my tenure as Resident Commissioner, it has been “fighting the good fight” on behalf of the 3.4 million American citizens in Puerto Rico, who have been treated unfairly for too long. 

In an example of baptism by fire, the battle began almost as soon as I assumed office in 2009, when Congress was debating the stimulus bill known as ARRA. Even as I was still learning to navigate my way through the Capitol, we managed to secure virtually state-like treatment for Puerto Rico, injecting almost $7 billion into the island’s economy when we needed it most. 

The fight continued the following year with the Affordable Care Act, which resulted in the largest funding increase in history for Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program. Separately, we secured legislative and administrative action eliminating many of the disparities that Puerto Rico faced under the Medicare program. 

I am also proud of our work to combat drug-related violence in Puerto Rico, requiring the federal government to prepare a Caribbean Border Counternarcotics Strategy and persuading federal law enforcement agencies to increase the resources they assign to Puerto Rico. The number of homicides on the island was cut in half between 2011 and 2015. This is not about statistics. It is about preserving human life. 

Moreover, I have tried my best to serve those who have served us. Residents of Puerto Rico have a rich military tradition, and no unit exemplifies their courage and character better than the 65th Infantry Regiment, which fought the enemy on the battlefield and discrimination in the barracks. After we enacted legislation to award them the Congressional Gold Medal, these warriors—now in the twilight of their lives—stood beside President Obama as he signed the bill into law and were honored at a ceremony in the Capitol that I will never forget. 

The toughest fight of my tenure came earlier this year, when Congress and the White House worked together to enact legislation—called PROMESA—to prevent the government of Puerto Rico from collapsing. Nobody was pleased that such legislation was necessary, and nobody liked every provision in the bill, but I firmly believe that PROMESA—if properly implemented— provides a path to a better future for Puerto Rico. (emphasis added)

I close with this thought. Puerto Rico’s current territory status, which gives Congress license to treat my constituents like second-class citizens, is undignified and unsustainable. (emphasis added)

Following a 2012 local referendum in which island residents expressed their opposition to the current status and their support for statehood, Congress enacted legislation providing funding for the first federally-sponsored referendum in Puerto Rico’s history. The significance of this achievement has yet to be sufficiently appreciated. 

Puerto Rico should use this authority to conduct a vote on whether the territory should become a state. If the people of Puerto Rico ratify their support for statehood, as I expect they will, it will be incumbent upon Congress to implement that result. This country, which was founded on the principles of equality and justice, must live up to its creed. May God bless Puerto Rico and the United States of America.

2016 STATE OF THE BLACK WORLD CONFERENCE CALLS FOR GLOBAL COLLABORATION ON STRUGGLE FOR REPARATIONS

State of the Black World Conference IV

DECLARATION OF INTENT AND CALL TO ACTION

Intensifying the U.S. and Global Reparations Movement

Work to intensify the U.S. and global struggle for reparations within the context of the Durban Declaration and Program of Action and the U.N. Decade for People of African Descent.  To that end, IBW will:

• Strive to strengthen the National African American Reparations Commission (NAARC) as a co-partner with the CARICOM Reparations Commission in expanding the global Reparations Movement.
• With the consent of Congressional John Conyers, finalize the revision of HR-40 from a “Study Bill” to a “Remedy Bill” to be introduced in the next Congress of the United States as a tool for mass public education, mobilizing/organizing and action to advance the struggle for reparations.
• Encourage the creation of Reparations Studies Curricula at Historically Black Colleges and Universities in collaboration with the University of West Indies Mona Campus in Jamaica.
• Support the convening of Reparations Summits in Africa and Columbia in 2017.

.....

Addressing Key Issues in Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America

Based on the deliberations and documents developed by the Pan African Unity Dialogue convened by IBW in New York, work to mobilize mass based, popular support for:

• African-centered Principles of Democratic Governance in Africa and the Caribbean.
• Guidelines for Addressing and Resolving Crises in Africa and the Caribbean.
• Principles and Guidelines for Foreign Investment in Africa to counter the “new scramble for Africa.”

In addition, continue efforts to strengthen the capacity of the Diaspora to impact U.S. policy toward Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America; strengthen bonds of solidarity and action with Afro-Descendant communities in Central and South America; and intensify efforts to develop mutually beneficial business and commercial relations between Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America and the Diaspora in the U.S.

UK continues to justify illegal removal of Chagossians from their homeland

Update on the British Indian Ocean Territory:Written statement - HCWS260

WS

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Made on: 16 November 2016

Made by: Sir Alan Duncan (The Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs )

HCWS260

Update on the British Indian Ocean Territory

My right Honourable Friend, the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Anelay of St Johns), has made the following written Ministerial statement:

On 24 March 2016 the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) informed the House that the Government would be carrying out further work on its review of resettlement policy in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). I would now like to inform Parliament of two decisions which have been made concerning the future of BIOT.

Parliament will be aware of the Government’s review and consultation over the resettlement of the Chagossian people to BIOT. The manner in which the Chagossian community was removed from the Territory in the 1960s and 1970s, and the way they were treated, was wrong and we look back with deep regret. We have taken care in coming to our final decision on resettlement, noting the community’s emotional ties to BIOT and their desire to go back to their former way of life.

This comprehensive programme of work included an independent feasibility study followed by a full public consultation in the UK, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

I am today announcing that the Government has decided against resettlement of the Chagossian people to the British Indian Ocean Territory on the grounds of feasibility, defence and security interests, and cost to the British taxpayer. In coming to this decision the Government has considered carefully the practicalities of setting up a small remote community on low-lying islands and the challenges that any community would face. These are significant, and include the challenge of effectively establishing modern public services, the limited healthcare and education that it would be possible to provide, and the lack of economic opportunities, particularly job prospects. The Government has also considered the interaction of any potential community with the US Naval Support Facility – a vital part of our defence relationship.

The Government will instead seek to support improvements to the livelihoods of Chagossians in the communities where they now live. I can today announce that we have agreed to fund a package of approximately £40 million over the next ten years to achieve this goal. This money addresses the most pressing needs of the community by improving access to health and social care and to improved education and employment opportunities. Moreover, this fund will support a significantly expanded programme of visits to BIOT for native Chagossians. The Government will work closely with Chagossian communities in the UK and overseas to develop cost-effective programmes which will make the biggest improvement in the life chances of those Chagossians who need it most.

Parliament will also be aware that the agreements underpinning the UK/US defence facility will roll over automatically on 31 December if neither side breaks silence. In an increasingly dangerous world, the defence facility is used by us and our allies to combat some of the most difficult problems of the 21st century including terrorism, international criminality, instability and piracy. I can today confirm that the UK continues to welcome the US presence, and that the agreements will continue as they stand until 30 December 2036.

_______________________________

What now for Chagossians?

December 7, 2016

|Tom Guha & Stefan Donnelly

It will come as no surprise  that the UK Chagos Support Association are deeply saddened by the Government’s recent decision against pilot resettlement of the Chagos Islands. The decision came as a shock to us and has paralysed many in the community.

As a group dedicated to supporting the people of the Chagos Islands, we do not speak on their behalf. However we are in regular contact with many in the Chagossian community and those conversations have formed the basis of our position.    

The UK Chagos Support Association do not accept the Government’s decision. We believe it was based on flawed evidence and we will support the Chagossian community however they choose to respond.  

However, we welcome the Government’s new commitment to “improving the lives of the Chagossians in the places where they are now” and we hope we can work constructively with both Government and the Chagossian community to come to a settlement that works for both parties.

With regards the Written Ministerial Statement that announced the decision, while we are pleased that the Government acknowledged that historic treatment of Chagossians was wrong, we believe it should be acknowledged as illegal. The basis of Chagossian exile was a falsehood and should be recognised as such.

It is also misleading to suggest Chagossians wanted to “go back to their former way of life.” The Foreign Office consultation demonstrated Chagossians understood that life on the returned islands would be different from the life they used to lead. There was great enthusiasm for modern industries like eco-tourism, environmental protection and administrative roles within BIOT and the US base.

The enthusiasm found in the consultation was matched by requisite skill found in the KPMG study, which states, “the wide range of employment skills present in the Chagossian community has allowed the team to identify major livelihood options for a resettled community”. This seriously brings into question the Government’s concerns around “job prospects”.

Chagossians are not naive. They are aware of the challenges that return presents. But all these challenges were accounted for in the KPMG study - on which after completion, Ministers accepted return was “practically feasible”

The KPMG study also addressed security and defence concerns - concerns that have never been properly outlined. Almost all US military bases have an attached civilian population and the base on Diego Garcia has a large population of temporary labourers. The statement says that Ministers had “considered the interaction of any potential community with the US Naval Support Facility”, which prompts the question; what are the outcomes of these considerations?

The idea that “costs to the British taxpayer” are a barrier is difficult to accept and frankly insulting. Firstly, many Chagossians are the British taxpayers mentioned. Moreover, the £60m resettlement start-up costs over three years are a tiny proportion of the international aid budget, over which citizens of British Overseas Territories have first call. We would also expect contributions from the US, the EU, the private sector and NGOs.

Recently the Government spent £285m on an airport on St Helena. It is not even fit for purpose. Every year defence of the Falklands costs UK taxpayers upwards of £60m. Why is the Government so opposed to funding a resettlement programme on the Chagos Islands?

We absolutely welcome the Government’s new commitment to make “improvements to the livelihoods of Chagossians in the communities where they now live” and are willing to work with the Government to make this happen. However, we are sceptical of the £40m funding package.

The fund’s stated aim is to “[address] the most pressing needs of the community by improving access to health and social care and to improved education and employment opportunities”. This raises a number of questions: how was the fund calculated? What will it be spent on? How will it reach the community? Who will be eligible to receive it?

We know that the fund will “support a significantly expanded programme of visits to BIOT for native Chagossians”. Visits to BIOT (the Government name for the Chagos Islands) used to take place almost annually - what does a “significantly expanded programme” mean? It is also vital that the criteria of ‘native’ is clarified. If it only means those who were born on the islands then anyone under the age of 40 will be excluded, robbing younger Chagossians of their identity and links to their birthplace.

There are extremely serious problems affecting the Chagossian community that urgently need to be addressed and could be with minimal funding.

Families are routinely torn apart because the Home Office does not recognise Chagossian identity. Many Chagossians have been deported or are in Immigration Removal Centres. Simply trying to keep a family together is an inconceivable challenge to many - costing time and money and removing any chances of social or economic mobility.

If the Government is to do just one thing to improve the lives of Chagossians where they are now, it must be to fix the immigration laws that are literally ripping their community apart. One Chagossian put it very poignantly; “these laws are causing a second exile”.

We do not accept the decision and we will support Chagossians in any campaign they mount against it. However it is also important that we hold the Government to account on their commitment to improving the lives of Chagossians.

It is embarrassing that the Government threw away such a perfect opportunity to right a historical wrong. To address these laws would at least offer them some redemption - but crucially it would offer some hope to a community that has been on history’s losing side for far too long.