Palau islanders fight U.S. nuclear blackmail

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Since 1979, through seven plebiscites and two elections, the citizens of the tiny island archipelago of Palau in the Western Pacific have told the United States: "Keep your nuclear weapons and waste off our islands, please."

After eight years of pressure and threats, Washington has not persuaded the 13,500 residents of Palau to knuckle under and abandon their goal of a nuclear free zone in the Pacific.

Palau is part of the vast region of islands and atolls known as Micronesia. It consists of 1100 islands scattered over three million square miles in the western Pacific. Only 100 of the islands are inhabited, and the total population is only 78,000.

Since 1683, various islands of Micronesia have been ruled successively by Spain, Germany, Japan-and now the United States. Colonialism was in bad repute after World War II, so the Micronesians were designated as temporary wards of the United Nations while they were prepared for independence.

With no consultation with the Micronesians, the United States was appointed the "administrative authority." The responsibility of the U.S. was "to transfer all powers to the people of these territories, without any conditions or reservations, in accordance with their freely expressed will and desire...to enable them to enjoy complete independence and freedom."

"Absolute power to rule"

The U.S. government, however, does not see their mission in Micronesia as preparing anyone for independence. American policy was expressed in 1946 by Secretary of State James F.Byrnes. He said:

"Acquisition of Micronesia by the United States does not represent an attempt at colonization or exploitation. Instead, it is merely the acquisition by the U.S. of the necessary bases for the defense of the security of the Pacific for the future world.

"To serve such a purpose, they must belong to the U.S. with absolute power to rule and fortify them.

They are not colonies; they are outposts."

As "outposts" of American imperialism, Micronesians have suffered 40 years of colonial poverty, oppression, and more nuclear pollution than any place since World War II.

Bikini Island was the site of 66 nuclear explosions, as the U.S. military tested nuclear weapons with no regard for the environment. The island is now a nuclear desert, uninhabitable for the next 30 to 60 years.

Thousands of Micronesians have been exposed to deadly nuclear radiation. Like the survivors of Hiroshima, the islanders and their offspring are suffering lingering deaths and deformities. For decades, these victims have tried to get adequate compensation for their suffering.

Washington has resisted, stalled, and procrastinated. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court dashed all hope for the islanders. It ruled that the sued for nuclear injuries.

Kwajalein atoll is a shooting gallery pounded by missiles fired from Vandenberg Air Base in California, 4200 miles away. Nine thousand islanders have been moved from Kwajalein to the island of Ebeye, where they are crammed into a dirty, arid community often referred to as the "slum of the Pacific."

Plans for a naval base No nuclear projects have yet been established on Palau, but the residents have observed the fate of Bikini and Kwajalein. They know that the U.S. plans to establish a huge naval base on Palau. They also know that the military would seize one-third of Palau's land for bases and firing ranges.

The Palauans knew this was not the way they wanted to go. In 1979, they included in their constitution a clause that prohibited the use, testing, storage, or disposal on Palauan territory of "harmful substances such as nuclear, chemical, gas or biological weapons" without the express approval of 75 percent of the voters in a referendum.

Palauan voters approved the world's first nuclear free constitution by 92 percent. But the U.S. government had no intention of accepting the democratically expressed will of the people of Palau. Washington said the anti-nuclear clause was "unacceptable."

Again in 1980, the voters rejected a pro-nuclear constitution presented by Washington. Seventy-six percent of the voters said "no," and reiterated their demand for a nuclear-free zone around Palau.

A new name for colonialism The U.S. administration saw it had problems. It isolated Palau from the other islands of Micronesia. Three groups—the Marianas, the Marshall islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia-were established to negotiate with Washington separately. The U.S. did not want a united front of all Micronesians confronting the American collossus.

Secretary Byrnes' crude expression of American intentions in 1946 clashes with international sensibilities in 1980. "Outposts" and colonies are out of style. It was necessary to find a new name for a relationship that would give the United States complete military hegemony over Micronesia.

The new formulation that Washington favors is "A Compact of Free Association with the United States."

The Compact severely curtails freedom for the Micronesians. They have to accept all the military bases, missile sites, and nuclear weapons Washington cares to pile on them. There is no provision for terminating the Compact if the Micronesians prefer complete independence. The degree of sovereignty is purposely left vague.

To secure a favorable vote on the Compact, the U.S. dangled the carrot of economic aid and jobs. Since unemployment runs as high as 50 percent on many of the islands, this was a strong lure. The three federations What they did not know was that they had been committed to a $32 million debt for a huge plant that would generate five times as much electricity as Palau could possibly use. They can't even afford the fuel to run it. It sits idle most of the time, while the citizens use oil lamps and candles. The Navy has taken their generators away.

Distressed Palauans are told by U.S. officials, "Vote for the Compact by 75 percent, and we will take care of your money problems." They do not add that the oversized generator will be just right for the massive military base they plan for the island.

Assassination and frame-up

In 1985, President Haruo Remelik was prepared to expose the whole scheme to the citizens. At that moment he was assassinated—the first political killing on an island where murder is almost unknown. There were no witnesses, but the son and nephew of another anti-nuclear politician were arrested.

They were tried and convicted in a non-jury trial solely on the testimony of a woman who reported she "had heard a conversation." Sensing a serious miscarriage of justice, the American Civil Liberties Union has sent out lawyers to defend the two young men.

The assassination eliminated one antinuclear leader, and the arrests put a second leader out of action. The way had been opened for a pro-nuke, pro-American politician, Lazarus Salii, to become president in August 1985. Salii had negotiated the pro-nuclear Compact in Washington behind the backs of the citizens.

With Salii exerting pressure through power cuts and layoffs, and the U.S. dangling a promise of a billion dollars in aid, the voters trooped to the polls again last June. It was their fifth vote on the Compact, and the eighth on the nuclear-ban issue. Again they voted for a nuclear free zone, and for keeping American weapons and bases out.

Washington should get the message by now. But more likely the government is preparing even heavier assaults on the heroic people of Palau. They can't let this tiny Pacific island defy the mightiest nuclear power on earth. As one U.S. official put it, "If Palau gets away with being a nuclear-free zone, everyone else will want to do it, too."

The vast majority who want to end the nuclear nightmare cannot let the people of Palau go down to defeat. American citizens have the heaviest obligation to force our government to accept the decision of the people of Palau-and to leave Palau alone.

San Francisco Forum

"Nuclear Peril in th Peril Pacific DIYARSHAU Speakers:

Walden Bello, author, "The American Lake Hayden Perry, writer, Socialist Action newspaper Friday, August 14 at 8 pm 3435 Army St, Suite 308 S.F.

SOCIALIST ACTION AUGUST 1987