Power of the people

We in the Northern Mariana Islands are intimately familiar with change. Our islands sit along the seismic ring of fire, and in the path of seasonal tropical storms. We have been swept by the winds of multiple wars in the modern age, and experienced much ecological, social, and political disruption. Unexploded ordnance and other relics of conflict still litter the islands. Our landscapes, collective memory, and relationships with each other reflect our remarkable capacity to survive, recover, and thrive.

Throughout our tumultuous history, we have always had the power to influence the course of change and determine the ways in which we respond – whether we negotiate, accommodate, adapt, or resist. This has been true in times of war and typhoons. It is true today as we confront the profound implications and impacts of the proposed military buildup in our Marianas.

The military wants to use our islands to expand their operational and training capacities in the Western Pacific, and they have set their sights on Tinian and Pagan in particular. They claim to need both. They propose, in part, to conduct live fire, combined arms, and maneuver exercises and to establish training areas and support facilities. This would mean the acquisition of scarce public lands and the designation of highly hazardous areas where bombs will be dropped. It would mean hundreds of acres of new impervious surface—pavement and structures—on both islands. It would mean significant damage to fragile nearshore and terrestrial ecosystems, the loss of rare native plants and wildlife, and the destruction of cultural and historic sites. It would restrict public access to invaluable resources for livelihood and recreation, disrupt the serenity of village and homestead life on Tinian, and cancel altogether the aspirations of residents who hope to someday rebuild a community on Pagan. Some economic benefits might be gained, but at what cost? On balance, what do we stand to lose forever? What will we fight to protect?

As we consider the military’s proposal to expand operations on our islands, we should be fully cognizant of what we already give as members of the American political family. We recognize the strategic importance of the Marianas to national interests in the region. We value the service of our armed forces. Many of us now serve or have served in the military, and we have lost family members and friends overseas.

Moreover, with respect to our natural resources, when we entered the Covenant with the United States, we leased 17,799 acres of land on Tinian, 177 acres on Saipan, and the entire 206-acre island of Farallon de Mendinilla, plus the adjacent waters of these lands, for defense purposes. For several decades now, the military has used Farallon de Mendinilla for bombing exercises. These are significant sacrifices for the nation.

Our lands and waters are precious to us—tied inextricably with livelihood, cultural identity, and our sense of place in the world. For good reason, our founding fathers of the Commonwealth negotiated for provisions in the Covenant that restrain the federal government’s exercise of eminent domain powers. The federal government for its part explicitly promised to “recognize and respect the scarcity and special importance of land in the Northern Mariana Islands” (Section 806, Covenant). The United States agreed to abide by a policy of acquiring only the minimum amount of land necessary for public purpose, to attempt to acquire such property first by voluntary means before exercising the power of eminent domain, and to refrain from acquiring interest in property until duly authorized by the U.S. Congress.

Our Commonwealth has contributed a great deal to national defense—in land, water, airspace, service, and blood. To take more when we have given so much already—and to do so in the face of vigorous public resistance and concern—would raise serious questions of social and environmental justice for which we should all demand answers.

So as we confront the dramatic social and environmental impacts that would come with the buildup as proposed and as we consider our response, we are, as always, faced with choices. It is our responsibility as citizens to engage: to educate ourselves and become well-informed about our rights, interests, options, to ask critical questions and speak up about our concerns, and to stand firmly by our convictions and values. Moreover, our leaders need to know clearly where we stand and represent our best and highest public interests. We should expect them to consult with us, to negotiate with integrity on our behalf, and to make informed and ethical decisions. We should support them as they do so, and hold them accountable.

Our leaders are now seeking a modest six-month extension to review and analyze the military’s draft Environmental Impact Statement. They are wise to do so. The military has had years to develop their complex and highly technical plans. We certainly need more than 60 days to consider what they propose. Defense officials have been quoted in local media saying that they are still considering our government’s “request” for more time (which should really be construed as an assertion of a genuine and reasonable interest) and would like to hear from the public first. So they are moving forward with public hearings as scheduled.

That’s fine. But our leaders also want and need time to consult directly with us, the community, on our own terms, and to hire independent expertise to assist in the process of analysis and public outreach. We should demand and take all the time we need to fully understand the far-reaching and lasting changes that the military proposes to bring to our islands, and to carefully consider all our options for negotiation and action.

Tina Sablan was born and raised on Saipan and is presently based in Honolulu completing a master’s program in urban and regional planning at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She is a former member of the CNMI Legislature. She can be reached at tinasablan@gmail.com or (808) 840-7836 for questions, comments, and conversation.