VIDEO: Pohakuloa Training Area plan slammed by Hawaiians

November 9, 2011 | Mauna Kea

By David Corrigan and Stephanie Salazar

[Video by David Corrigan]

HILO, Hawaii: The public weighed-in on U.S. Army’s plan to upgrade facilities at the Pohakuloa training Area on Tuesday night.

At this hearing held at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale in Hilo, residents had plenty to say about the proposed project – which will construct new ranges and Soldier support facilities, new roads and utilities at PTA.

The document specifically evaluates constructing and operating an Infantry Platoon Battle Area that would include a Battle Course, Live-fire Shoothouse, and Military Operations on Urban Terrain facility.

The Army says there is no proposed expansion or use above historic levels, but it is clear that the public has a different impression. Many of those testifying in opposition were passionate advocates for the environment and for Hawaiian sovereignty.


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There are "8 comments" on this Article:

  1. Hawaii Patriotic Farmer says:

    What I see when I view this video news clip is a bunch of people that are PROFOUNDLY ungrateful and pathetically clueless . Every single on of these people owe their freedom and rights to speak up to the fore fathers of those guys sitting there in uniform , listening to their disrespectful tirades and BS. They would be speaking Japanese , bow and groveling to evil men with rifles and bayonets RIGHT NOW if it were not for our AMERICAN SOLDIERS , who they now come out to revile and diss . The Hawaii Monarchy was on da rocks .
    They were doin a piss poor job and governing and every colonial power in the world was eyeballing Hawai’i
    in those days . They should thank their lucky stars that the Stars and Stripes came out on top and not anybody else . What a bunch of whiners ! Led these days by outright Communists !
    Do you all even know who these people are that turn up at all these meetings ??? FIND OUT! The truth wil surprise you . Don’t be mislead . Wise Up! ad SUPPORT OUR MILITARY of today . Forget the past , it’s over , it’s gone already . God bless AMERICA

  2. Aloha says:

    Excuse me?? I take it you are not from here.. I to believe they should take there training elsewhere.. Seems like a pretty important place to be bombing don’t you think?? Idiot you are.. Have you seen what happened to Kahoolawe??

  3. Kamahana says:

    How ignorant to call this illegal occupation freedom. Learn your history before you buy the bleached out American version of it. Hawaii is an illegally occupied country. Citizens of the rightful Hawaiian government do not enjoy your idea of freedom. Our government lands have been occupied and stolen. Statehood, and the process by which an entity becomes a state according to America’s own laws, is a farce. You talk of justice- but what you mean is you support this illegal occupation and the displacement of my people. To entertain the idea that Hawaii could not maintain safety and freedom for itself is a rationalization of international crime. Belittling th real political situation in Hawaii does not make it right. International as well as American laws have been broken. The U.S. has only illegally occupied Hawaii for the past 130 years. Our Hawaiian nation was able to last much longer and should do so again. Your western idea of justice is flawed and ethnocentric. There is no freedom or justice for Hawaiians and the fact that you do not recognize our religious right to keep our lands that have been stolen sacred further exagerates my point- no justice, no freedom. Freedom and justice do not exist if it is being controlled by an International law breaking oppressor. Occupation is not freedom- any dictionary would tell you that. Go learn something before you lash out with racist idea and colonial mantra. One day even this system will fall. Now that would be true justice. I am Not graeful for my government and kingdom being occupied against international law. I am not grateful for this displacement. If you are than you most stand to benefit from belittling international crimes. That is not freedom. That is not justice. Live outside of the illusion that it is and maybe you’ll get a glimpse of the reality that is illegally occupied Hawaii. My
    Kingdom.

  4. Kamahana says:

    How ignorant to call this illegal occupation freedom. Learn your history before you buy the bleached out American version of it. Hawaii is an illegally occupied country. Citizens of the rightful Hawaiian government do not enjoy your idea of freedom. Our government lands have been occupied and stolen. Statehood, and the process by which an entity becomes a state according to America’s own laws, is a farce. You talk of justice- but what you mean is you support this illegal occupation and the displacement of my people. To entertain the idea that Hawaii could not maintain safety and freedom for itself is a rationalization of international crime. Belittling the real political situation in Hawaii does not make it right. International as well as American laws have been broken. The U.S. has only illegally occupied Hawaii for the past 130 years. Our Hawaiian nation was able to last much longer and should do so again. Your western idea of justice is flawed and ethnocentric. There is no freedom or justice for Hawaiians and the fact that you do not recognize our religious right to keep our lands that have been stolen sacred further exagerates my point- no justice, no freedom. Freedom and justice do not exist if it is being controlled by an International law breaking oppressor. Occupation is not freedom- any dictionary would tell you that. Go learn something before you lash out with racist idea and colonial mantra. One day even this system will fall. Now that would be true justice. I am Not graeful for my government and kingdom being occupied against international law. I am not grateful for this displacement. If you are than you must stand to benefit from belittling international crimes. That is not freedom. That is not justice. Live outside of the illusion that it is and maybe you’ll get a glimpse of the reality that is illegally occupied Hawaii. My Kingdom.

  5. Scott says:

    You are right. Kamehameha the Great, conquered the Hawaiian Islands and formally established the Kingdom of Hawai’i so how is that any different, he moccupied the land illeagally. If not for U.S.A. you would be Chinese or Japanese occupied. I haven’t seen any trend for native Hawaiians to refuse U.S. entitlements such as welfare, Medicaid etc. So get over yourself.

  6. Scott says:

    How many people did King Kamehameha kill to establish his kingdom? I suppose that Kealoha Kahunaaina Iona thinks that was okay. “Hawaiians pressed for statehood after World War II and the Congress was reluctant because of the communist controlled Longshoremen’s and warehousmen’s union. (http://www.city-data.com/states/Hawaii-History.html)”.

  7. former_pta_solder says:

    If the US had not “occupied” Hawaii the some other country would have. Most Likely Russia so consider yourself lucky that it was the USA tha “occupied” your lad. It happened over a centuary ago so get over it

  8. FormerPTA_solder says:

    If the US had not “occupied” Hawaii then some other power would have.Most Likely Russia. Do you think that you would have been able to voice your displeasure with that govt as you are able to with the the govt of the USA? It was just a matter of time given the stragegic importance of the islands tha some power would have taken them over. Ypu should be thankful it was the USA and not the USSR

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