CHANGE.ORG PETITION - PETITIONING U.S. MILITARY AND 15 OTHERS Stop the Military Plans! Save Pagan Island! Save Pagan Pagan Island, the "Crown Jewel" of the Marianas, is again slated for certain environmental devastation, this time by a proposal from the U.S. Military to use it for "live-fire training" which includes everything from artillery to bombing. Pagan is a small island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It is one of the most biologically and geologically diverse islands in the archipelago, and is home to many threatened and endangered species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Aside from its stunning beauty and rich ecological resources, Pagan is also one of the most habitable of the northern most islands in the CNMI. In fact, this island has supported the ancestors of Pagan islanders for over 3,000 years, as evidenced by Chamorro stone ruins found skirting its beautiful beaches. The U.S. Military plans to occupy ALL of Pagan Island for live-fire training and military exercises, ignoring the indigenous rights of Pagan Islanders, and the devastating environmental impacts that such activity will certainly cause. For more information visit : savepaganisland.org LETTER TO U.S. Military Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific United States Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan CNMI Governor Eloy S. Inos CNMI Lt. Governor Torres, Ralph DLG CNMI Senator Ray N. Yumul CNMI Senator Pete P Reyes CNMI Senator Francisco Q. Cruz CNMI Senator Joaquin H. Borja CNMI Senator Francisco M. Borja, CNMI Senator Jovita M Taimanao CNMI Senator Victor B. Hocog CNMI Senator Jude U. Hofschneider CNMI Senator Juan M. Ayuyu CNMI Congressman Francisco S. Dela Cruz CNMI Congressman Joseph Pinaula Deleon Guerrero, Pagan is a small island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It is one of the most biologically and geologically diverse islands in the archipelago, and is home to many threatened and endangered species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Aside from its stunning beauty and rich ecological resources, Pagan is also one of the most habitable of the northern most islands in the CNMI. In fact, this island has supported the ancestors of Pagan islanders for over 3,000 years, as evidenced by Chamorro stone ruins found skirting her beautiful beaches. The U.S. Military plans to occupy ALL of Pagan Island for live-fire training and military exercises, ignoring the indigenous rights of Pagan Islanders, and the devastating environmental impacts that such activity will certainly cause. The clearing required for live-fire training, and the ballistic disturbances resulting from such actions (which could include everything from artillery to bombing) will most certainly jeopardize Pagan and cause, disturbances to its rich agriculturally and ecologically valuable topsoil, an increased risk of fire during dry summers, erosion and consequent destruction of Pagan's coral reefs, and would risk extinction of Pagan's unique flora and fauna. These disturbances, combined with the unexploded ordinance and toxins that are sure to be left behind, will render this island uninhabitable for centuries to come. This is unacceptable. The US military has a long history of destroying Pacific islands. U.S. atomic testing on and around Bikini rendered numerous Pacific islands uninhabitable until today. Kaho`olawe, an island of comparable size and environmental sensitivity in Hawai`i, was used for "live-fire training exercises" (predominantly bombing) and was left barren and littered with unexploded ordinance. Essentially all of the unique flora and fauna of Kaho`olawe are gone forever. The U.S. Military has already destroyed Farallon de Medinilla, another island in the CNMI, which it used for bombing and military exercises. In addition, large portions of Guam and Tinian are currently occupied for Military purposes. This U.S. Military's Proposal to use Pagan Island is unethical on all accounts. We will not allow the destruction of another island and the consequent disenfranchisement of more indigenous people of the Pacific. Pagan is a small island in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). It is one of the most biologically and geologically diverse islands in the archipelago, and is home to many threatened and endangered species, some of which are found nowhere else in the world. Aside from its stunning beauty and rich ecological resources, Pagan is also one of the most habitable of the northern most islands in the CNMI. In fact, this island has supported the ancestors of Pagan islanders for over 3,000 years, as evidenced by Chamorro stone ruins found skirting her beautiful beaches. The U.S. Military plans to occupy ALL of Pagan Island for live-fire training and military exercises, ignoring the indigenous rights of Pagan Islanders, and the devastating environmental impacts that such activity will certainly cause. The clearing required for live-fire training, and the ballistic disturbances resulting from such actions (which could include everything from artillery to bombing) will most certainly jeopardize Pagan and cause, disturbances to its rich agriculturally and ecologically valuable topsoil, an increased risk of fire during dry summers, erosion and consequent destruction of Pagan's coral reefs, and would risk extinction of Pagan's unique flora and fauna. These disturbances, combined with the unexploded ordinance and toxins that are sure to be left behind, will render this island uninhabitable for centuries to come. This is unacceptable. The US military has a long history of destroying Pacific islands. U.S. atomic testing on and around Bikini rendered numerous Pacific islands uninhabitable until today. Kaho`olawe, an island of comparable size and environmental sensitivity in Hawai`i, was used for "live-fire training exercises" (predominantly bombing) and was left barren and littered with unexploded ordinance. Essentially all of the unique flora and fauna of Kaho`olawe are gone forever. The U.S. Military has already destroyed Farallon de Medinilla, another island in the CNMI, which it used for bombing and military exercises. In addition, large portions of Guam and Tinian are currently occupied for Military purposes. This U.S. Military's Proposal to use Pagan Island is unethical on all accounts. We will not allow the destruction of another island and the consequent disenfranchisement of more indigenous people of the Pacific. Petition Signers The petition closed with 6,528 supporters. When signing, petitioners were asked the question, "Why is this issue important to you?" "In Mariana Islands, land is scarce. Saving it means everything to the people. Please help me Stop the Military Plans! Save Pagan Island!" - Gus M. Kaipat, May 15, 2013 "Pagan is my childhood home. Allowing the military to destroy this beautiful island and deprive the former residents and their descendants from ever returning home is unacceptable. Free Pagan from the Miliatary. Return her to her people NOW!" - Cinta Kaipat, May 15, 2013 "Because this is part of Northern Marianas Island.and It belongs to some of my families out there.keep pagan alive and leave it as it is.I ask this in a repectful way and peace.this Island is so beautiful.so please leave it as it is.thanks for your understanding." - 0, May 15, 2013 "It's important to me for a lot of reasons; first of Ask yourself this question. What are the values of Chamorro and Carolinian? Our land and Pagan is part of us, our land where our ancestors came from, second value is our c ulture, Pagan has all the culture that our future generation will see and learn from it and the list can go on and on." - Angelina Fitial, May 15, 2013 "Enough with FMD, Tinian, Marianas Trench and the other 2 precious islands way up north. Leave Pagan alone." - gus litulumar, May 15, 2013 "Respect us all and leave Pagan Island.why not use the states? you got bigger Lands to do your thing." - Martin Nepaial, May 15, 2013 "It is my families home island and my ancestors then." - alex mettao, May 15, 2013 "We need ALL our Northern Islands protected. Are they not enough with one island that is left barren already?" - Victor Cabrera, May 15, 2013 "No island should be a dumping groud." - Fedora Camacho, May 15, 2013 "We need to protect whats ours and it natural beauty. For a country that so wants to preserve the natural resources yet wants to destroy an island, is unacceptable. As long as it's not within the 52 states of the U.S., then it does not matter." - dora taitingfong, May 15, 2013 "If the U.S. wants to trial run their bombs, they should use their own territory!! Arizona has an abundance of deserts use those areas!!!!" - Celine Orsini, May 15, 2013 "Land is at a premium in the Mariana Islands, and any desecration of the islands will further destroy their culture and the land where their ancestors came from. No to a military site!" - Pam Sypniewski, May 15, 2013 "Haven't we destroyed enough of our natural environment, devastated enough of our wildlife. Leave this stunning island in peace. I'm sure there is somewhere else we can go to"practice" bombing and shooting at other people." - Kelly Peters, May 15, 2013 "I fear this island could become another Kahoolawe and ask the question,"Why do we have to use live fire for training?" Surely our military can find a way to fire same weight blanks that are numbered to see how well their troops perform. Also, surely there are other places this could be done besides Pagan where we have such cultural and ecological richness." - Charlotte Vick, May 15, 2013 "Our military should not be destroying other people's lands. if they must do this, do it in California or Better yet, Texas" - Richard Litvin, May 15, 2013 "This land is cherished by my dear friend and her dear friends and the family of them all.