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August 2, 2009
Dear Friend,
Greetings! We are women from DMZ Aloha ‘Aina Womens’ Voices Women Speak and Women for Genuine Security, organizations that have come together through the International Women’s Network Against Militarism (IWNAM). Our goal is to include women’s herstories of demilitarization in planning for sustainable communities. We are sending delegates from Puerto Rico, Hawaii and San Francisco to Mangilao, Guam for the 7th IWNAM meeting, focusing on “Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights.” Guam is facing a huge military build up for an island that is only 212 sq. miles.
Since 1898, countries like Puerto Rico, Hawaii , Guam and the Philippines were taken by the United States as a result of the Spanish-American War. During WWII, Hawaii was bombed by the Japanese. In response, soldiers and artillery were deployed from San Francisco’s Presidio, to attack their enemies in the Asia-Pacific. The use of militarism for a sense of security has developed societies dependent on the exploitation of women, children and the environment to support the violent conditioning of soldiers and war making economies. Because of the ways that militarism has connected many countries, it is important that we dialogue and collaborate in developing strategic actions to demilitarize lands and decolonize our memories.
The 7th meeting of the IWNAM, in Guam, is the continuation of a strategy that builds solidarity between women from South Korea, Japan, Okinawa, Philippines, U.S., Guam, Hawaii, U.S. and Puerto Rico. The upcoming meeting this September 2009 will include women from Northern Mariana Islands and Australia. Since 1997, the women in this network have shared stories and histories of violence against their lands and bodies due to military occupation, budgets, and operations. Through breaking the silence of rapes, near-genocides, and land poisonings, we are able to draw connections between the violences that have occurred in communities in the network. Since 1997, the network has been expanding and creating a multicultural, multi-issue transnational women's movement.
We are raising funds to |
Brief History of EA-US-PR-WNAM/IWNAM |
- Purchase airfares to send experienced and new grassroots women activists to Mangilao, Guam for the Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights meeting.
We pledge to
- Listen to issues in our communities, and share this information with others at the meeting.
- Report back on issues stated by other country delegates
- Participate in developing strategies to work toward a demilitarized, peaceful and sustainable future for the Asia-Pacific, U.S. and beyond.
Please support us by
- Making a tax-deductible donation online www.genuinesecurity.org/donate.
In the Gift section, write “WGS Guam Delegation”
- Mailing a check or frequent flyer donation written out to
Women for Genuine Security
with “Guam delegation” on the memo line
Mail to:
965 62nd Street,
Oakland, CA 94608
$25 will buy a box of mini DVs to document the meeting
$50 x 5 will support the Guam community to host one delegate
$100 x 10 will send an indigenous or immigrant woman activist from Hawaii to Guam
$500 x 3 will send a woman activist from Puerto Rico or Vieques to Guam
Mahalo and with deep gratitude,
Ellen-Rae Cachola, Terri Keko’olani of Womens’ Voices Women Speak &
Gwyn Kirk, Annie Fukushima and Debbie Lee of Women for Genuine Security www.genuinesecurity.org
www.dmzhawaii.org
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1997 – 1st Meeting in Naha Okinawa to bulding connections among women activists in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Philippines and the U.S..
1998 – 2nd Meeting in Washington D.C., to raise U.S. Congressional leaders’ awareness of the impacts of U.S. bases in East Asia.
2000 – 3rd Meeting in Okinawa to redefine national security around the G-8 Conference. Activists from Puerto Rico and Vieques join network.
2002 - 4th Meeting in Seoul S. Korea in response to impact of U.S. policy of “war on terror” on Asia and Carribbean.
2004 – 5th Meeting in Manila, Philippines to make connections on impacts of militarism across lines of class, gender and nation. Activists from Hawaii join the network.
2007 – 6th Meeting San Francisco, USA to connect impacts of militarism in the Bay Area, Asia-Pacific and Puerto Rico. Activists from Guam join the network
2009 – 7th Meeting in Mangilao, Guam themed: Resistance, Resilience and Respect for Human Rights. Activists from Marshall Islands, Palau and Australia will participate for the first time. |
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