The Alternative Zero Project
The Alternative Zero Project
Sophia Perez
The US Navy intends to convert the islands of Tinian and Pagan (both within the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) into live-fire training and bombing ranges. In response to this existential threat to their ancestral homelands, a cohort of Mariana Islands activists formed the Alternative Zero Coalition; they are currently leading a grassroots resistance movement against the military. The Alternative Zero Project explores their efforts, and the larger indigenous movement against militarization in the Pacific. This interview series is supported in part by the Institute of Journalism & Natural Resources and The Marianas Variety, and edited by Jack Doyle.
Robert Kajiwara
Episode Notes Sophia talks with Rob Kajiwara about the militarization of Japanese Islands and the steps he's taken to fight against it. (Episode delayed due to funding. Update coming soon)
Apr 9, 2019
22 min
Hideki Yoshikawa on the US Military in Okinawa
Hideki Yoshikawa is a native Okinawan, the Director of the Environmental Justice Project, and the head of the Save the Dugong Foundation. In this episode, he shares his perspective on the failed relationship between US Marines and the native inhabitants of the Japanese island of Okinawa, which constitutes less than one percent of Japan's landmass, but hosts over 70% of the US military presence in Japan.
Jan 3, 2019
33 min
The RAND Report with Art de Oro
Veteran and activist Art de Oro offers his insights on a Congress-funded, nonpartisan RAND report that found the US military's activity in the Pacific to be costly and irrational.
Dec 23, 2018
26 min
The Numbers
How many acres of land does the US military already possess for training purposes? Exactly how many bombs does the Navy want to drop on Tinian and Pagan? On Vieques, an island that served as a training range for decades, what percentage of the local population suffers from arsenic poisoning? Pete Perez of PaganWatch offers these disturbing statistics, and more.
Dec 6, 2018
28 min
Yutu Stories: Amber Weston
Saipan resident Amber Weston's roof flew off during Super Typhoon Yutu. She shares her experience preparing for and surviving the storm, and her disappointment with the FEMA representative who was assigned to help her.
Nov 21, 2018
27 min
Yutu Stories: Glen Hunter and Leni Leon
Almost a month after Super Typhoon Yutu devestated Saipan and Tinian, CNMI residents Glen Hunter and Leni Leon tell stories of the storm, its aftermath, and the response they hope to see from the CNMI and US federal government. Photo credit: Leni Leon (IG: @pacific_aesthetics) Donate to Marianas Young Professionals (MYPros) Super Typhoon Yutu Relief Campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/super-typhoon-yutu-relief-campaign
Nov 18, 2018
49 min
David Henkin on Filing for an Appeal
Episode Notes Notes go here
Nov 15, 2018
9 min
Cinta Kaipat
Oct 6, 2018
43 min