Man’amko say they were forced to sign

Four Man’amko Advisory Council members are crying foul over a resolution passed stating their opposition to the proposed national marine monument.

The members—Terisita Sorroza, Christiana Michael, Sujan Muna and Meryalen Conrad—said they were told to sign the resolution without getting a chance to read it. They said they support the monument proposal.

Sorroza said she was handed the resolution while she was trying to eat lunch and was told to sign it.

“A lady came and said, ‘this is from the governor. Sign. All you do is sign,’” said Sorroza, who ultimately did not sign the resolution.

The lady Sorroza was referring to was Rose Mondala, the federal program coordinator for the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. Gov. Benigno Fitial, the Legislature and several mayors have stated their opposition to the monument.

Sorroza, a naturalized American, said she was then told it doesn’t matter if she doesn’t sign because she is not local.

“I was so upset. I almost didn’t finish my lunch,” she said. “I am a U.S. citizen. I have all the rights. I’m a U.S. voter.”

And with eight members of the Council, Sorroza said, there were not enough signatures to pass the resolution.

Mondala said she could not speak for the Council but that the members of Chamorro descent—chairman Frank Reyes, vice chairman Carmen Taitano and Muña—all signed the resolution stating their opposition.

“The outsiders didn’t sign it,” Mondala said. “All the locals signed it.”

Mondala then referred all questions to Fitial’s office.

Charles Reyes, press secretary for the Governor’s Office, said he was not aware of any resolution.

“The Aging Center falls under the Executive Office, but we haven’t done anything,” he said, adding that the Office has not been in communication with the man’amko.

Muña, who did sign the resolution, said she was coerced into signing it so she could sit down.

Michael said she had a similar experience with Sorroza and Muña. After entering a room, she said she was not allowed to sit until she signed the resolution. When she refused to sign, she was told the governor would find out.

“But you have to say no,” she said. “How can we sign if we don’t know the reason?”

“Is it our resolution or somebody else’s resolution?” she added. “We didn’t write it.”

Taitano, who did sign the resolution, said she is against the monument until officials explain what it’s for.

“I don’t want it,” she said. “They don’t tell us why it’s going to be there. You have to explain what it’s for.”

Taitano said the monument would hurt the fishermen who use the waters to catch tuna.

“If they close that place no one can go there,” she said. “That’s where they get a lot of tuna.”

Chairman Reyes was not available for comment because he had a family emergency.

Meanwhile, in a letter to White House Council on Environmental Quality chief James Connaughton, Fitial, House Speaker Arnold Palacios and Senate President Pete Reyes questioned the authenticity of the more than 5,000 signatures gathered by Friends of the Monument—a community organization founded by local people backing the proposal.

“We believe the list contains the names of foreign national workers who, pursuant to the recent federalization of our immigration, have short-term interests in the CNMI, and tourists who, frankly should not have a say in the governance of either the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands or the United States of America. We feel there are many duplicate names and we question the integrity of the position.”