The March 1995 issue of Common Sense contained an article on the
Johnston Island chemical weapons incinerator (JACADS), which
provided a historical overview of the Army's incinerator in the Pacific,
and pointed out some of the serious problems of this facility. Just as
citizens living in the continental U.S. are concerned with the
construction of such a facility in our communities, Pacific peoples have
been historically united against utilizing the Pacific Ocean and remote
Pacific islands for nuclear testing and disposal of lethal chemical wastes.
I would like to introduce you to some active groups and organizations
which share our concerns, and tell you about their current activities.
In December 1990, the U.S. transported a stockpile of chemical weapons
from Germany to Johnston Island. At that time, the Army had already
begun construction of the Johnston Island incinerator. Opposition to
these actions from Pacific governments became so strong that President
Bush made a special visit to Hawaii to meet with government leaders
from eleven Pacific countries to discuss the matter. President Bush
assured them that after the German shipment, the U.S. would not
transport any more major stockpiles of chemical agent to JACADS other
than obsolete weapons found on Pacific Islands. He also stated that the
Army would dismantle the JACADS facility after all the stockpiles were
incinerated. Pacific peoples were led to believe that the incinerator
facility was so safe that there would be no release of nerve agent into the
atmosphere, and that operations would be completed in 1994. Today, we
are realizing that the Army's Pacific program is years behind schedule
with less than 20% of the stockpiles incinerated. JACADS is grossly over
budget --$600 million more is required-- and there have been numerous
environmental violations, including at least four reported incidences of
nerve agent releases.
Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG) members in the Pacific have
been involved with the issue of chemical weapons disposal at JACADS
since 1983 when the Army publicly announced their intention to build a
chemical weapons disposal facility at Johnston Island. One such group
is the Institute for the Advancement of Hawaiian Affairs (IAHA), headed
by Puanani Burgess. IAHA formed in 1985 as a non-profit organization
to promote discussion and understanding on many different aspects of
Hawaiian life including work in traditional healing practices of
indigenous people, development of alternative tourism, promotion of
Hawaiian sovereignty and self-determination, and the protection of the
Pacific environment. Another active CWWG member group in Hawaii is
the Pacific-Asian Council of Indigenous Peoples (PACIP) whose members
include indigenous and tribal organizations from the Pacific and Asia.
Their main activity has been in the area of human rights advocacy and
educating the general community about the concerns of indigenous
people. Individual CWWG member Marsha Joyner also helps to create
public awareness of the chemical weapons disposal concerns through a
talk radio show which she produces on Hawaii Public Radio.
Other Pacific organizations recently joined the CWWG in asking the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to deny the Army request for
another five years and $640 million to burn nerve agent at JACADS.
Pacific peoples are still concerned about the operational problems
experienced at the facility and the releases of chemical agent and other
toxics through the smokestacks. These organizations include the Pacific
Island Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (PIANGO), a
coalition of many hundreds of Pacific Island organizations from 23
countries; Nuclear Free and Independent Pacific; Hawaii's Thousand
Friends; and Le Vao Matua, an environmental group in American Samoa.
EPA approved the Army's permit request on May 3rd, thus allowing the
Army to operate past the five year operational deadline of July 1, 1995. If
the permit hadbeen denied, the Army would have had to cease
operations on June 30, and not resume burning until a new permit was
approved. On June 2nd, the CWWG, PACIP and IAHA filed an appeal of
the EPA's decision to grant the Army's request. They cite the schedule
delays, cost overruns and safety risks as the reasons why the facility
should not be given an extended permit to operate.
Networking has been a major factor behind the successful opposition to
nerve gas incineration in the Pacific. The safe disposal of lethal chemical
weapons is an issue that has united communities around the globe. The
battle in the Pacific is not yet over; but now we are working together to
ensure safe disposal processes at JACADS and in the continental U.S.!
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