The 30th Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC exercise, ended last week, but many Hawaiʻi residents are still protesting the presence of the international military exercise in the state.
Dozens of advocates across anti-war groups, including the Hoʻopae Pono Peace Project, Democratic Socialists of Hawaiʻi and Anakbayan Hawaiʻi, gathered at the State Capitol yesterday to protest military action across the islands. They spoke about the impacts on communities, marine life, climate and Hawaiʻi's sovereignty.
The group also delivered a letter, which gained over 500 signatures from across Hawaiʻi, the continental U.S. and several countries, condemning RIMPAC and asking state leaders to terminate the event immediately. Copies were given to Gov. Josh Green, U.S. Senators Brian Schatz and Mazie Hirono, and U.S. Representatives Ed Case and Jill Tokuda.
“These war games bring increased human rights violations, violent assaults, murders and other crimes, often with no consequences. Communities become magnets of large scale warfare and conflict, putting them at risk of invasion and annihilation,” the letter stated. “RIMPAC is not a game. RIMPAC is war: ongoing war on Hawaiˈi, war on our planet, war on humanity and all of our future generations. It is time to end RIMPAC forever, and build real peace built upon human rights, planetary protection, and aloha.”
Ifit Hoppe-Cruz, with the Young Democratic Socialists of Oʻahu, said Hawaiʻi has been abused under military action without reaping any benefits.
“The people of Hawaiʻi are not benefited by the war that America is stoking the flames of across the globe — our tax dollars are going to it, and the land that is in the service of the working masses of Hawaiʻi is going to those evil interests,” Hoppe-Cruz said. “We fight for national liberation and we fight for just and lasting peace, because you cannot have peace without justice. That's silence.”
RIMPAC was held in and around Hawaiʻi from June 24 to July 31. Thirty countries and more than 30,000 military personnel participated in this year's event.
