NO REST FOR THE AWAKE - MINAGAHET CHAMORRO

Testimony to the Fourth Committee of the United Nations From Michael Lujan Bevacqua, Ph.D. Co-Chairperson, Independence for Guam Task Force October 3, 2017 Buenas yan håfa adai todus hamyo ko’lo’ña si Maga’taotao Rafael Ramirez Carreño i gehilo’ para i kumuiten Mina’Kuåtro, gi este na gefpå’go na ha’åni. Magof hu na gaige yu’ guini på’go para bai hu kuentusi hamyo yan kuentusiyi i taotao Guåhan put i halacha na sinisedi gi islan-måmi. (Hello to all of you on this beautiful day. I am grateful to be here now so that I can speak to you, in particular H.E. Rafael Ramirez Carreño, Chair of the C24, and speak on behalf of the people of Guam about recent events that transpired in our island home.) My name is Michael Lujan Bevacqua and I am a professor of Chamorro Studies at the University of Guam. I am also the co-chair for the Independence for Guam Task Force, a community outreach organization tasked with educating our island about the possibilities should

The Chair for the committee of 24 is Rafael Carreño Ramirez who is the permanent representative to the UN from Venezuela. He opened the seminar in St. Vincent with a statement, but soon had to leave the conference, with one of the committee’s vice-chairs, from the Russian Federation taking over. This regional seminar is taking place in the seventh year of the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. The United Nations sometimes sets large goals for itself or its programs, hoping to achieve substantive results or progress within a generous time period. The UN attempted a similar thing with regards to decolonization, establishing ten year periods during which is was to work towards achieving significant progress with regards to eradicating colonialism from the world. Over the past 17 years, no territories have moved closer in any measurable ways towards self-determination or decolonization. The last territory to be removed from the li

Each regional seminar for the Committee of 24 begins with a reading of a statement by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The Secretary General himself would probably never attend the seminar itself, as he is a busy person with many things to do, and in the UN hierarchy decolonization issues are a very low priority. This year the statement was read by Rie Kadota, who is the officer-in-charge for the UN Decolonization Unit. The statement from the secretary general, like the press release, both of which I've attached below, don't change much from year to year, at least not recently. Part of this is because decolonization is one issue where the UN can claim a great historical victory, but over the past few decades, has not been able to accomplish much. There are 17 non-self-governing territories that remain officially considered to be colonies in need of decolonization. They are a diverse group in political, economic, cultural terms, however most tend to be small island

Colonialism isn't supposed to exist anymore, which is why it is intriguing every time I hear someone use it and its imagery in order to make their point today. People who are trapped in relationships call them colonial. People who feel exploited name it colonial. People who feel oppressed refer to it as colonial. I have even heard it used in positive senses, as in moving into a place and changing the way it operates, for the better, as being colonial.  The colonial mention of the day comes from a group of Latin American leaders from countries who have long resisted United States hegemony in the region. The United States is trying to play is very su'anu with regards to the Edward Snowden scandal. They want to pretend like its nothing, like he's lint you just brush off your shoulder. It is no big deal. But at the same time they are applying very real pressure throughout the world in order to punish him and take away his options. The issue is not Snowden himself of cour

FOR MORE INFO ON EVENT, HEAD TO Latin American Solidarity Coalition . ***************************** Call: Day of Action to Confront US Militarism in the Americas October 11, 2010 Our organizations urge you to join us in a National Day of Action to Confront US Militarism in the Americas on Monday, October 11, 2010. October 11 is the day the United States “celebrates” the beginning of the European invasion of the Americas and when indigenous peoples mark as the 518th year of resistance to invasion and colonialism. We represent Latin America solidarity and peace groups. We are initiating and urge others to undertake the formation of local and regional coalitions – across movements for indigenous rights, immigrant justice, fair trade, peace, human rights, labor rights, gender justice, drug policy reform and other urgent goals – to confront the growing militarism of our culture and budget, the increasing propensity to commit national resources to wars of aggression, and the milita

I know I'm supposed to be posting the 2007 testimonies to the United Nations on the question of Guam this week, but when I saw this on commondreams.org, I couldn't resist. This letter, which is from a minister in the Venezuelan government to the Washington Post is rich in terms of teasing out the ways in which the media, while supposedly being an antagonistic institution in relation to the government, in reality regularly serves as its voice box. For instance, as this letter shows, even the so-called "liberal" media of the Washington Post is perfectly willing to accept the US government's talking points when it comes to Hugo Chavez, Venezeula and their neighbor Columbia. Venezuela is run by a thug and a dictator who is recklessly trying to cling to permanent power, while in Columbia the president is making similar moves yet somehow these actions don't merit the same attacks. Furthermore, the idea that the media is supposed to be creative of critical about the