WATER JUSTICE AT CROSSROADS
Aya Hirata Kimura
Crossroads hosted a documentary film screening and discussion on water justice in February which drew over 100 people. Water justice has been one of Crossroads’ advocacy priorities for the last two years since the Red Hill fuel tank contaminated drinking water for thousands of people on Oʻahu, which highlighted the ongoing threats to water safety from military installments. The forum was opened by Bronson Azama’s beautiful oli and after the film screening, co-director Jon Mitchell was joined by Dani Espiritu (Oʻahu Water Protectors) and Erwin Kawata (Honolulu Board of Water Supply) to discuss intersections of water pollution and militarism. The discussion was moderated by Sam Ikehara and Pete Doktor of Hawaiʻi Okinawa Alliance.
The film discussed how the US military in Okinawa contaminated its water sources and how residents are finding that their blood has much higher levels of PFAS (so-called ‘forever chemicals' and carcinogen) than the residents in other areas. The issue hit close to home as PFAS was what the Navy spilled in Hawaiʻi last year, on top of the jet fuel leaks from Red Hill fuel tanks.
Jon Mitchell has long been reporting on environmental contamination and militarism in the Pacific and has been a long-time researcher on Okinawa's environmental challenges. He had a message for people in Hawaiʻi: “Okinawa lost its aquifer to water pollution. Hawaiʻi has not. It is not too late here.” Oʻahu depends 99% of its municipal water on aquifer. Okinawa used to depend on groundwater too, but its quality has been compromised due to pollution.
The event brought together many community groups including Hawaiʻi Okinawa Alliance, Hawaiʻi Peace and Justice, Sierra Club Hawaiʻi, Oʻahu Water Protectors, Wai Ola Alliance and the Environmental Caucus, DPH, Shimanchu Wai Protectors, Shut Down Red Hill Coalition, Ukwanshin Kabudan. The students from the Environmental Justice Club at the University of Hawaiʻi cooked curry.
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