Political Reviews

Micronesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016 michael lujan bevacqua, landisang l kotaro, monica c labriola, clement yow mulalap

Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016 peter clegg, lorenz gonschor, margaret mutu, christina newport, steven ratuva, forrest wade young

93 104 the contemporary pacific • 29:1 (2017) to Push for Binding and Ambitious Deal. The Guardian, 8 Dec. Guam Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency. The year ended on a high note in 2015. Update on the Status of the Pacific Guam, as the island had the honor Islands–US Treaty. 31 Dec. https://www of hosting the 12th Festival of Pacific .ffa.int/node/1617 [accessed 31 July 2016] Arts (FestPac), 22 May–4 June 2016. FestPac, sponsored by the Secretariat pdn, Pacific Daily News. Guam. http://www.guampdn.com of the Pacific Community, is often called “the cultural Olympics of the rnz, Radio New Zealand. 2016. US Tuna Pacific.” Close to thirty Island nations Treaty Deal Salvaged for 2016. 3 March. come together to share their arts Thompson, Andrea. 2016. How a and culture with each other and the Monster El Niño Transforms the Weather. rest of the world. More than 2,700 Climate Central, 13 March. http://www delegates made their way to Guam for .climatecentral.org/news/monster-el-nino the thirteen-day event, which showed -transforms-worlds-weather-20138 the breadth of cultural diversity of the [accessed 31 July 2016] Pacific and the various ways in which unfccc, United Nations Framework Pacific peoples are perpetuating and Convention on Climate Change. 2015. reinvigorating their heritages. Paris Agreement. 12 Dec. http://unfccc FestPac experienced early logisti- .int/files/essential_background/convention/ cal issues. At the opening ceremony, application/pdf/english_paris_agreement delegates were forced to stand for .pdf [accessed 31 July 2016] hours without adequate access to food Yahoo! News. 2016. US Tuna Fleet Shut and water, and problems with meal Out of Lucrative Pacific Region. 1 Jan. vouchers, transportation, and accom- modations also marred the event (pdn, Yap Congressional Delegation Office. 23 May 2016). These issues were soon 2015a. 19th FSM Congress Joins the 2015 eclipsed by the momentousness of the Joint National Inauguration. 13 July. occasion, as FestPac was filled with a https://cfsmyapdel.wordpress.com/2015/ 07/13/19th-fsm-congress-joins-the-2015 multitude of activities including per- -joint-national-inauguration/ [accessed formances, cultural demonstrations, 31 July 2016] lectures, creative readings, academic conferences, and film screenings. ———. 2015b. FSM Congress Delegation The first-ever Indigenous Language Attends Historic : FSM Joins the cop21 Conference at FestPac offered presen- World in Approving Climate Agreement. tations and networking opportunities 15 Dec. https://cfsmyapdel.wordpress .com/2015/12/15/fsm-congress-delegation for scholars and community activists -attends-historic-cop-21-fsm-joins-the across the Pacific who were seeking -world-in-approving-climate-agreement/ to revitalize or preserve their native [accessed 31 July 2016] languages (kuam, 27 May 2016). The relationship between Cha morros and FestPac has sometimes been contentious. As Chamorros are the people of the Pacific who have experienced the longest history of political reviews • micronesia 105 colonization, they are often perceived highlights the beautiful cultural facets in the wider Pacific as having no of our Pacific communities. . . . It is culture. Decades of Chamorro par- also an event which should remind us ticipation in FestPac and exposure of the historical and political struggles to those critiques of their cultural of our people . . . and the beauty in identity have pushed Chamorros to our ability to survive hundreds of learn more about themselves as an years of colonialism” (pdn, 9 June indigenous people and to re-create 2016). Five of the islands participating certain traditional arts, most notably in FestPac are formally listed by the dancing (pdn, 23 April 2015). The United Nations as “Non-Self-Govern- cultural performance groups På'a ing-Territories,” and several others Taotao Tåno' and I Fanlalai'an were exist in neocolonial relationships with- both formed as attempts to reestablish out recognition (pdn, 18 July 2016). Chamorro traditional dance or chant, While the demonstration was and they seized on FestPac as their meant to provoke a response from the chance to showcase their culture to the wider community of the Pacific, it was rest of the Pacific. also aimed at Governor Calvo, who Guam has been without a national had, months before, taken an aggres- museum for several decades, and it sive position on changing Guam’s was hoped that one would be open in political status but did not appear time for FestPac. Some facilities were to be carrying out his stated goals. finished and able to be used for Fest- In March 2016, during his State of Pac activities, but the majority of the the Island Address, Calvo made the Guam Museum remains unfinished. bold move of declaring his intention Although it was originally scheduled to hold a political status plebiscite for completion in 2014, delays due to in November. In this non-binding mismanagement and weather pushed vote, the Chamorro people of Guam the projected completion date to would select between free associa- spring 2017 (pdn, 31 March 2016). tion, independence, and statehood for In May 2016, Governor Eddie Calvo Guam’s future political status, and the signed an executive order naming the results would be submitted to the US museum after the late Senator Anto- government. In his speech, he referred nio Manibusan Palomo, a Chamorro to nearly four hundred years of author and former director of the colonization as being long enough and museum (gdp, 4 May 2016). said the time was ripe for the people During the FestPac closing of Guam to seize their long-deferred ceremony, a group of a dozen Guam dream of self-determination (Calvo delegates unfurled two banners embla- 2016). zoned with the words “Decolonize Per existing local law, the Commis- Oceania” and “Free Guåhan.” Kisha sion on Decolonization, of which the Borja-Quichocho-Calvo, a professor governor is chairman, is responsible at the University of Guam and one of for setting the date of any plebiscite, the demonstrators, noted the state- once it determines that the public ment was necessary “to demonstrate is adequately prepared and that 70 that FestPac is not just an event which percent of those eligible to vote are 106 the contemporary pacific • 29:1 (2017)

registered. Calvo proposed instead Residents of Guam, whether using a public referendum process indigenous or not, US citizens or not, from the US Organic Act, which are all denied the right to vote for US allows any private citizen to put forth president, denied representation in the any issue to the entire island commu- electoral college, and denied voting nity in the form of a vote (pdn, 2 April representation in the US Congress. The 2016). A collection of Chamorro party conventions represent the only rights groups formally informed Calvo national political participation open to they found his plan reckless, as the the people of the US territories (Gallo public referendum would take place 2016). Madeleine Bordallo, Guam’s within too short a time period, with nonvoting delegate to Congress, no educational materials created or highlighted the island’s liminal status outreach infrastructure in place. His at the Democratic National Conven- proposed referendum would violate tion in Philadelphia: “Madame chair, both local and international law, as it hafa adai from the island of Guam—a would open the decolonization vote remarkably diverse community and to the general public; the plebiscite the homeland of the Chamorro people. is legally reserved only for “native We have traveled over 8,000 miles and inhabitants,” those who are the direct through nine time zones, to cast our inheritors of the legacy of Guam’s only vote for the president and vice colonization (pdn, 5 April 2016). president. We want a president who is In April, Calvo met with the Com- sensitive to our needs . . . a president mission on Decolonization to discuss that supports our rights for full self- his plans. While the commission was determination and self-governance as sympathetic to Calvo’s desire to move ratified in the Democratic platform” ahead on the issue, they lamented the (gdp, 3 Aug 2016). fact that the governor, despite being With the conventions finished, the the chairman of the commission, had Commission on Decolonization met not attended a meeting in four years. in August. The Governor’s Office had Calvo proposed that his office conduct held no public meetings and con- an aggressive, three-month educational ducted no surveys since April, and so campaign. The commission would the governor withdrew his proposal meet again in July, and if—through a for a November plebiscite (gdp, series of public meetings, social media 25 Aug 2016). marketing, and distribution of educa- Governor Calvo’s rationale for tional materials—a significant amount pushing ahead with a plebiscite was in of education had taken place, then a part because colonialism inhibits the plebiscite would be set for November island and its leaders from any input (kuam, 6 April 2016). The July meet- into the actions of the US military in ing was pushed back to August, as its area. US plans to transfer rela- several members of the commission, tively large numbers of marines from from both Democratic and Republi- Okinawa to Guam have been contro- can parties, were off island attending versial to the public, especially in 2009 the national party conventions in the when the US Department of Defense’s United States. Draft Environmental Impact Statement political reviews • micronesia 107 was first released. Approximately the year, Guam found itself men- 6,000 military personnel and 6,000 tioned regularly amid saber rattling dependents are currently stationed from China and North Korea. In on Guam. The military already uses May 2016, China revealed a missile more than 28 percent of the island as dubbed “the Guam Killer,” capable of fortified and highly controlled bases. striking Guam (pdn, 13 May 2016). The US military now proposes adding North Korea appears to be developing 5,000 marines and 1,300 dependents intermediate-range Musudan missiles, by 2022 and requiring the construc- which it threatens would be capable tion of housing and a live-fire train- of striking US bases in Guam (gdp, ing range near an ancient village, 24 June 2016). Litekyan, that is culturally significant China is threatening to increase its to Chamorros (pdn, 1 Sept 2015). bomber and fighter flights in the con- After years of delay, in October tested South China Sea, so the United 2015 the US Congress authorized the States is adding to its own aircraft first release of funds for its plans in firepower in the region. For the first Guam, more than $300 million for time in a decade, the United States sta- infrastructure projects primarily con- tioned b-1b bombers on Guam (pdn, nected to improving the wastewater 29 July 2016). In May 2016, a b-52h facilities (pdn, 4 Dec 2015). The envi- bomber crashed at Andersen Air Force ronmental activist group Our Islands Base in Guam, but all seven of the Are Sacred wrote to Governor Calvo crew survived (pdn, 20 May 2016). expressing concern over potential With North Korea regularly conduct- negative impacts; as group member ing missile tests as shows of force, a Moñeka de Oro put it: “regardless of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense whether this is good for Guam or bad (thaad) mission was established on for Guam . . . the biggest (problem) Guam in 2013. South Koreans visited is we never were really asked if this is Guam’s thaad mission in July 2016 something that we wanted” (pdn, 22 to assess environmental risks, as the Sept 2016). Calvo met with represen- United States plans to install a similar tatives of Our Islands Are Sacred, later mission in South Korea in 2017 (pdn, saying that they had convinced him of 19 July 2016). the need for self-determination, espe- US military spending is one pillar cially prior to any further increases in of Guam’s economy; tourism, another the US military presence (State of the pillar, experienced a record-breaking Island Address 2016). year. More tourists visited Guam in Guam is oftentimes referred to 2015 than in any other year in the as the “tip of the spear” by local island’s history: 1,409,033 tourists politicians, military commanders, put 2015 well above Guam’s previous and national media, as its geographic record of 1,381,513 in 1997 (Pacific location makes it key to US strategic News Center, 15 Jan 2015). The interests in the Asia-Pacific region Guam Visitors Bureau (gvb) noted (Fifield 2016). Guam is beset by that 2016 could easily break this rumors of wars and a regular shuf- record, however, with Guam hosting fling of military assets. Throughout several large-scale events, most nota- 108 the contemporary pacific • 29:1 (2017) bly FestPac and the annual summit of 2015, plans were announced to build the Pacific Asia Travel Association. two residential towers, comprising Japanese tourists are overwhelm- more than three hundred condo units, ingly the largest market for Guam on Pågo Bay, the site of an ancient tourism; however, in 2015, their Chamorro village and already a rural numbers declined by 4.7 percent, residential area for several hundred with other markets performing above people (pdn, 24 Dec 2015). Although expectations. A record was set in 2015 local media and leaders initially for highest number of South Korean celebrated this development, called tourists—427,900—a 38.9 percent the Pågo Bay Marina Resort, from increase from 2014. Chinese tourists a Chinese group, Guam Wangfang also experienced a significant increase Construction Ltd, public sentiment to 23,698, a 45.6 percent increase soon soured. Concerned residents from 2014. Mark Baldyga of the gvb referred to the plans in public meet- noted that the banner performance ings as a “monstrosity” that could of the tourism sector in 2015 and incur environmental damage. More the record-setting monthly arrival than one hundred citizens attended numbers in the first half of 2016 all a public hearing in January 2016, indicate that the island is on track to and all those testifying opposed the reach the goal of two million tourists development, citing concerns with a year in 2020, set by Governor Calvo infrastructure, traffic, alteration of the in 2014 (gdp, 28 April 2016). Despite currently residential/forested land- these increases, there is skepticism scape, and environmental degradation that Guam can reach that goal, as (pdn, 10 Jan 2016). the island’s colonial status prevents Despite loud public outcry, the con- it from controlling its own immigra- struction was approved by the Guam tion and visa system. China’s out- Land Use Commission. Residents bound tourist market is massive and opposed to the development formed relatively close to Guam, but tensions the group Save Southern Guam, which with the United States make it difficult filed petitions for judicial review and for Chinese citizens to obtain visas to injunctive relief in May 2016 (kuam, visit Guam. Local officials have lob- 6 June 2016). Save Southern Guam bied for decades in Washington dc for proposed legislative measures to a Guam-only China visa waiver, with allow for more community oversight no success (pdn, 27 April 2016). in the future, including requiring the The steady increases in tourism approval of municipal planning coun- have been a result of new investment cils for proposed projects under review in the island, with new hotels such by the Guam Land Use Commission. as the first luxury resort to open on Several Guam senators have taken up Guam in over fifteen years, the Dusit this cause as well. Thani, and also the increase in flights One possible economic venue for to Guam by carriers around Asia (pdn, Guam, though mired in regulatory 6 July 2015). Not all new develop- issues for the past year, is medical ment, however, has been celebrated marijuana. Guam residents voted by the local community. In December to legalize medical marijuana in political reviews • micronesia 109

November 2014, with the Joaquin the healing of wounds. Guam’s public KC Concepcion II Compassionate hospital has been plagued by budget Cannabis Act. The initial regulations overruns and other scandals. Oper- were developed by the Guam Depart- ating the new hospital has proven ment of Public Health and released for difficult, as work visas for skilled public comment in July 2015 (pdn, labor have been denied or delayed, 18 July 2015). According to feedback forcing the pediatric unit to shut received, the public noted that the down for three weeks (kuam, 10 May regulations did not allow for home 2016). growing, were too strict, and outlined In sports, Guam made history with steep fees for growers and distribu- its first Asian Rugby Championship tors (gdp, 3 July 2016). In July 2016, in a decade with a win over China in Senator Tina Muña Barnes proposed the Division 3 East. This earns Guam’s bills to create a climate for the use team a promotion to Division 2 status; of medical marijuana that would not Guam had been ranked in Division 3 lead to conflicts with existing rules. In since joining the Asian Rugby Foot- August, her bills lapsed into law (gdp, ball League in 2004 (Guam Sports 8 Aug 2016). Network, 11 June 2015). Guam’s The past year saw a rift in one of paddling clubs Taotao Galaide and the most powerful social and cultural Tátasi earned spots at Va‘a World institutions on the island, the Catho- Sprints in Australia, described as “the lic Church. A new group called the Olympics for paddling” by coach Neocatechumenal Way drew concern Josh Duenas (pdn, 26 March 2016). as it seemed to receive preferential Guam made its eighth overall appear- treatment from Archbishop Anthony ance at the summer Olympics when it Apuron. There were frequent public sent five athletes to the 2016 Olympic protests over the archbishop’s treat- Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ment of priests critical of the group Benjamin Schulte and Pilar Shimizu and his alleged gift of over $20 million competed in 100-meter breaststroke in Church assets to “the Way” (pdn, events, Regine Tugade and Joshua 19 Aug 2016). In June 2016, Apuron Ilustre in track and field, and Peter was placed on leave by Pope Francis Lombard in mountain biking (Guam after several men came forward claim- Sports Network, 17 June 2016). ing that Apuron had sexually abused In September 2015, the island them when they were children. Savio mourned the passing of author Jose Hon Tai-Fai of Hong Kong is now the Mata Torres, who died at the age of acting archbishop (Scammell 2016). eighty-eight. In the final year of his Guam Regional Medical City, a life, Torres published his memoir, new 130-bed private hospital opened Massacre at Atåte, in which he dis- on Guam in July 2015, offering highly cussed his participation in an uprising specialized services and equipment for against Japanese forces in his village conditions including heart attacks, of Malesso' during the closing days of diabetes, strokes, and cancer (gdp, World War II in Guam (pdn, 30 Sept 4 July 2016). The hospital has two 2015). His account is one of the few hyperbaric chambers, used to hasten records of this scarcely documented 110 the contemporary pacific • 29:1 (2017) portion of recent Guam history. In society, workforce, career paths, and response to systematic massacres being education. The discussions were ham- conducted by the Japanese, a group pered in many ways, however, due to of men under the leadership of Jose the island’s political status and uncer- “Tonko” Reyes rose up to attack their tainty over whether self-determination captors and liberate themselves. could be possible. In a January 2016 In February 2016, the island speech, the governor highlighted the mourned a pioneer in the movement need for a decolonized outlook when to preserve and revitalize the Cha looking to the future: “Imagine Guam morro language when Dr Bernadita is—at its heart—self-determination. Camacho-Dungca passed away at We are determining the course we the age of seventy-five. She was the will take. We do so because of our first and only Chamorro thus far to love of Guam and the confidence that earn a PhD in linguistics, a coauthor is growing that we can take control. of the Chamorro-English Dictionary, And why should we be so confident in and a leader in developing the first this modern era, when we’ve spent so classroom courses for Chamorro. She much time believing we were inferior guided multiple generations of Cha in this vast world? The rest of our morro-language instructors. She was country pushes against the American also the author of the “Inifresi,” the borders of the Pacific. But we’re at the Guam pledge, which is recited each world’s economic frontier. It’s not sim- day by tens of thousands of Guam ply a magnet for industry, but for the public-school children (gdp, 24 Feb larger, more brilliant, and more attrac- 2016). tive fruits of life that breed sustainable In November 2014, Governor futures” (pdn, 30 Jan 2016). Calvo launched his “Imagine Guam” michael lujan bevacqua initiative, meant to be an extended community-wide conversation on what Guam could be in 2065 (pdn, 10 References July 2015). The Speaker of the Guam Legislature, Judith Won Pat, had told Calvo, Governor Eddie. 2016. State of the the Governor’s Office in July 2015 Island Address. 31 March. Transcript at that its initial vision was too focused http://www.guampdn.com/story/news/ on the economic elite and did not have 2016/03/31/transcript-gov-calvos-state enough representation from cultural, -island-speech/82458092/ [accessed 28 Aug 2016] educational, and health sectors (pdn, 17 July 2015). The Governor’s Office Fifield, Anna. 2016. Some in Guam Push expanded the roster of participants for Independence from U.S. as Marines to more than a hundred, divided into Prepare for Buildup. Washington Post, seventeen discussion teams. 17 June. Over the course of three conven- Gallo, William. 2016. US Presidential Elec- tions, the Imagine Guam attendees tion Ends at the Conventions for Territo- focused on elaborating the possibilities rial Citizens. Voice of America, 28 July. for Guam in land, capital improve- gdp, Guam Daily Post. Tamuning, Guam. ments, tax-code revision, government, http://www.postguam.com political reviews • micronesia 111

Guam Sports Network. Hagåtña. spanned several decades and included http://www.guamsportsnetwork.com accomplishments such as being elected kuam, kuam.com: Guam’s News Net- repeatedly to the Congress of Micro- work. Hagåtña. http://www.kuam.com/ nesia, serving as minister of education under the late President Amata Kabua pdn, Pacific Daily News. Hagåtña. http://www.guampdn.com/ and subsequent administrations, and acting as the longest-serving RMI Pacific News Center, Sorenson Media ambassador to the United Nations Group. Hagåtña, Guam. http://www (mij, 29 Jan 2016). .pacificnewscenter.com/ Other deaths included Kuwajleen Scammell, Rosie. 2016. Pope Puts Guam Aḷap (lineage head) and former Sena- Archbishop Accused of Sex Abuse on tor Sato Maie, former Arṇo Senator Leave. USA Today, 6 June. Katip Paul Mack, and Rien Morris, who represented Jālwōj in the Nitijeḷā for twenty years. The Kōle/Pikinni/Ejit (kbe) community also lost two lead- Marshall Islands ers. Nishma Jamore, kbe mayor and For the Republic of the Marshall outspoken advocate of relocating the Islands (RMI), the period under review kbe community to the US continent, saw the passing of several traditional died of apparent complications from and political leaders and distinguished kidney disease in August 2015, while community members. Most notable Marilyn Lokebol succumbed to cancer was the death of Iroojḷapḷap (Para- in June 2016, just a few months after mount Chief), Senator, and former her first-time election as kbe council- President Jurelang Zedkaia, who woman. Two respected religious lead- suffered a fatal heart attack in Octo- ers also passed away: United Church ber 2015. In addition to overseeing of Christ (ucc) Pastor Wendell landholding across Mājro (Majuro) Langrine of Tucson, Arizona, died in Atoll as its traditional leader, Zedkaia August 2015 during a church confer- served in the Nitijeḷā (Parliament) for ence in Mājro, and Jone Masivou, twenty-four years and as the nation’s who came to the Marshall Islands president from 2009 to 2012 after from Fiji as an Assembly of God he was elected to replace Litokwa missionary and founded the Morning Tomeing, who had been removed Star Church in Mājro in 1995, died from office by a vote of no confidence. in April 2016. Other beloved commu- Zedkaia was honored with a month of nity members who were lost include national mourning and a state funeral Neimon Philippo, wife of former Lae attended by thousands (mij, 16 Oct Atoll Senator Tipne Philippo; former 2015). Several other high-ranking v7ab radio announcer Waston Attari; irooj (chiefs) and former members of Majuro Middle School special educa- the Nitijeḷā also passed during this tion teacher Asmon Langidrik Jr; and period. Among these was Mājro Irooj Youth to Youth in Health Director and former Senator Wilfred Kendall, Aluka Rakin. Robert Reimer’s only who died in January 2016 after a daughter Minna Pihno, who managed long illness. Kendall’s political career key aspects of Robert Reimers Enter-