Water Contamination & Militarism in Hawai‘i Panel, after the screening of ‘‘Nuchi Nu Miji''
Channel: APECEpic
Date: 2023-03-07

Details for Nuchi Nu Miji @ https://www.jonmitchellinjapan.com/
After the film screening, co-director of the film Jon Mitchell is joined on the panel by Dani Espiritu, O‘ahu Water Protectors, Professor Chihiro Komine, Okinawa Christian University 沖縄キリスト教学院大学 and Erwin Kawata, Deputy Manager of Honolulu Board of Water Supply. 

“Nuchi nu Miji” portrays Okinawans' struggle for justice in one of the worst environmental catastrophes in modern Japanese history. Since 2016, the drinking water for 450,000 residents has been contaminated with military PFAS "Forever Chemicals" but the Japanese and US governments have refused to resolve the problem. Produced by Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting, this documentary uncovers the truth about what has been happening on Okinawa and reveals why so many residents feel abandoned by Tokyo and Washington.

From HOA’s facebook page’s description of the night “well over a hundred+ shimanchu and allies turned out for solidarity between LūChū/Okinawa and Hawai`i at Church of the Crossroads, Honolulu united for safe water, peace & indigenous human rights! Jon Mitchell shared the nightmarish contamination by forever chemicals (PFAS) in Okinawa's aquifer, while Erwin Kawata, Deputy Manager of Honolulu Board of Water Supply updated the ongoing threats by military toxins in O`ahu, and wahine warriors Dani Espiritu and Chihiro Komine spoke truth and aloha `aina to power as indigenous water/`ohana protectors (2/25/23).

A citizen's group in Okinawa challenging military and governments (US & Japan) and obtaining blood testing sent us a solidarity photo from one of their rallies (which they had held another one in Ginowan, Okinawa the same day), so we sent one back!

The First Nations of Moana Nui, Pasifika are united by our love for our ancestors, children & island/shima!” tinyurl.com/bdd9bk7e   

the event was co-sponsored by Hawai‘i Okinawa Alliance, Hawai‘i Peace and Justice,Sierra Club Hawai‘i, Oahu Water Protectors, Wai Ola Alliance and the Environmental Caucus, DPH, Shimanchu Wai Protectors, Shut Down Red Hill Coalition, Ukwanshin Kabudan, Church of the Crossroads, Environmental Justice Club at the University of Hawai‘i