Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 1998 — Justice for Mākua [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Justice for Mākua

By Joyson H o r p e r ON OCT. 10, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairperson A. Frenchy DeSoto anei other members of the Wai'anae 'ohana gathered at the gates of the Mākua Valley Military Reservation. They were there to hear the announcement of a lawsuit filed in federal court against the U.S. Army by the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund on behalf of the community group Mālama Mākua. The complaint charged the U.S. Army with failing to prepare an environmental impact statement for training and related activities on the reservation. Mālama Mākua is composed of Wai'anae Coast residents who, over the past six years, have held rallies and vigils opposing live-fire training in Mākua. "The people of Wai'anae hve every day with the military in our community and in our hves. WTiat goes on at Mākua

affects our famihes, our eulture, our oeean and the entire food ehain. We have a right to know what is going on," said Sparky Rodrigues, president of Mālama Mākua. In October 1997, members of Mālama Mākua, led by Chair DeSoto, forced the eaneellahon of an amphibious landing and live-fire training exercise at Mākua. That incident served as yet another rahying cry, and the recent discovery of Ukanipo Heiau on Mākua's northeast flank renewed interest in protecting the valley. "There's no question that live fire training continues to cause many fires in Mākua," remarked Paul Achitoff of the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund. A huge fire caused by a mortar in late September has exposed numerous Hawaiian rock walls within the 660-acre site used for training in the 4,200-acre valley. Also, 'ihs have been discovered in the valley and petroglyphs have

been found. The valley is home to thirty endangered plant species and endangered O'ahu tree snails, according to the Federal Register. Under the National Environmental Policy Act, federal agencies are required to analyze and publicly disclose the direct and indirect environmental, eeonomie and social impacts of their actions. So far, the U.S. Army has not complied with this law as it concems Mākua. "In bringing this lawsuit, Mālama Mākua seeks full disclosure of the environmental, social and cultural impacts of military training in Mākua," said David Henkin, staff attorney with the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund. Like the many protests and vigils that have been staged at Mākua over the years, this lawsuit should, at the very least, serve to remind the U.S. Army that the people of Wai'anae want their valley retumed and its beauty restored. ■

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OHA Chairperson Frenchy DeSoto is joined by members of the Wai'anae community to support recent court action taken by the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund on behalf of Mālama Mākua.