Jetnil-Kijiner joins opposition to military buildup

Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner, left, talks with Carolinian historian and writer Lino Olopai, right, after last Wednesday’s poetry workshop conducted by the Marshallese poet and environmental activist at the Northern Marianas College. (Jon Perez)

Marshallese poet and climate change activist Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner is supporting the local community’s opposition to the planned U.S. military buildup in the CNMI and the proposed use of Pagan Island as a training facility.

The Alternative Zero Coalition is one of the groups that were formed to oppose the plan of bombing and using the island as a live training range of the U.S. military. An online petition, Save Pagan Island was also started.

Jetinil-Kijiner said she understands how the Chamorros and Carolinians feel especially with Bikini Atoll, which consists of 23 islands that were part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, having been used for nuclear weapons—atom and hydrogen bombs—testing.

“The Marshall Islands people understand what the Chamorros and Carolinians of the CNMI is feeling right now. Our islands were used for nuclear testing. The voice of the indigenous people must always be taken into account,” said Jetinil-Kijiner.

“It’s dangerous and I think you know if people are against it, the idea of military buildup, listen to them and support what the indigenous people want,” added Jetinil-Kijiner, who made known the Pacific Islanders’ issues when she spoke in the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.

Jetinil-Kijiner added that she grew up hearing stories about the Marshall Islands being used as a nuclear testing site. “For me, who grew up with the Marshall Islands having the legacy of nuclear testing, we’ve seen how far reaching the consequences are. They’re still going on today.”

She said that the people here should focus more on eco-tourism and promote the culture and its people, but at the same time should not ignore protecting indigenous lands.

The U.S. military, in several stories printed on the Saipan Tribune, had backtracked saying that they would be using inert bombs and would even reduce the area of bomb targets on Pagan—an uninhabited volcanic island 320 km north of Saipan that has a diverse ecosystem.

Marshallese people, even after more than 60 years since the last nuclear weapon was tested, are still afraid to go back to Bikini Atoll fearing contamination and its affects. The testing was part of the U.S. and Russia’s cold war nuclear arms race after World War II.

Jetinil-Kijiner made a brief stop on Saipan after attending the 2016 Festival of the Pacific Arts in Guam where she also performed as part of the Marshall Islands delegation. She was also a guest in forums both in the FestPac’s 12th edition and the Pacific Asia Travel Association Summit.

Jetinil-Kijiner was on island and held a poetry and writing workshop last Wednesday at the Northern Marianas College. More than 40 students, high school and college, attended the Northern Marianas Humanities Council-sponsored workshop.

National Geographic and AP contributing journalist Daniel Lin joined Jetinil-Kijiner in the trip to Saipan.