Liberation Day message

Editor’s Note: The following is a message from the 17th Saipan and Northern Island Municipal Council, which is composed of Marian DLG Tudela (chairwoman); Antonia M. Tudela (vice chairwoman); and Carmen C. Pangelinan (council secretary)

This October, the 17th Saipan and Northern Islands Municipal Council, in cooperation with the American Memorial Park on Saipan, will hold an In Memoriam commemorative ceremony in remembrance of nearly a thousand Chamorro and Carolinian civilians who lost their lives during the fierce Battle of Saipan nearly 80 years ago in 1944. On July 4, 2024, we joined the Mayor of Saipan Liberation Day Organizing Committee to mark the opening of the gates on July 4, 1946, to Camp Susupe and Camp Chalan Kanoa when Chamorros and Carolinians were permitted by their captors to return freely to their land and lives after World War II, which, as then-Mayor David M. Apatang stated in 2019: “We never forget the past, especially what happened during World War II and in the civilian camps following the war.”

On this day, let us pause and reflect on the values we so cherish and take for granted for nearly 80 years in pursuit and celebration of freedom, liberty, pursuit of happiness and exercise of self-determination as a people of our sacred Mariana islands, a place we know no other than that is home to us, and poignantly reflected in our CNMI anthem, I Tano gi halom Tasi, a place that saw nations come, and nations go, and ultimately a place the indigenous people of Islas Sinahi Pacifico have freely chosen a pathway of democracy in political relationship with the United States of America enshrined in our Covenant agreement and the CNMI Constitution of self-governance. Today, let us celebrate the Commonwealth’s longstanding peace in diversity among our courageous men and women in uniform who willingly made the ultimate sacrifice, and the indigenous civilian brothers and sisters whose lives were untimely taken for the freedom, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of peace loving citizens and guests, emanating from the island people’s free exercise of self-determination in making our Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands achieve the quality of life anchored in the host culture of our island traditions, customs, values, and sense of place.

Caught in a war not of their making, the people of Northern Marianas, like other civilians in the Pacific, became victims of war brought upon them. The Marianas Memorial at American Memorial Park on Saipan, for instance, honors Chamorros and Carolinians who lost their lives as a result of this war, and war-related casualties suffered by the people during the massive aerial bombardment on Saipan 78 years ago on June 11, 1944, and the closure of the civilian Camp Susupe and Camp Chalan Kanoa that followed, the official internment camps which housed both civilian citizens and foreign combatants as prisoners of war immediately after World War II, until islanders on Saipan were liberated at the eventful hour 78 years to this fourth day of July in 1946. The liberation of island civilians from Saipan’s Camp Susupe and Camp Chalan Kanoa conjures both painful and joyful memories and remembrance, that we shall not forget, yet we honor and celebrate today 77 years later as a day of remembrance, strength, resolve, determination and renewal in rightful affirmation of the place that is home, our islands, and our heritage interconnected throughout the Marianas Islas SinahiPacifico!

May this 77th Liberation Day be a harbinger of lasting hope, lasting peace, and prosperity for the islands, the islanders and the island citizens, including guests to the islands.

From this day forward, therefore, let us re-double our effort and our commitment in reaching out to others and educating others about our Islands and our Heritage, as we did 77 years ago, and today, as we continue to hold the torch in celebration of July 4th, and our unending celebration of our islands and our heritage, tomorrow.

May our commitment as island people and citizens remain unabated, grow stronger, and continually renewed for generations to forever reign in our individual and collective thoughts and action in remembrance of our dearly departed civilians caught in a war not of their making, but nonetheless perished for the cause of freedom, liberty, pursuit of happiness and exercise of self-determination that we all enjoy today and share with others, too. In honor and remembrance of the fallen; the islanders who suffered compulsory detention in Camp Susupe and Camp Chalan Kanoa; our island leaders who led the pathway to our political relationship with the United States of America yesterday, and one that has withstood the test of time today on this liberation day, and that may we all cherish our island traditions, customs, values, and sense of place tomorrow as heritage islanders and Americans, too.