Defending the Waters: The Pacific Islanders Artful Protest against RIMPAC

Naval vessels from participating nations sail in formation during RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific) exercise

During the pandemic, billions of people were confined at their home and governments reallocated funds for emergency Covid-19 relief. Despite this, thousands of navy personnel and 42 ships are en route to Hawaii for RIMPAC. RIMPAC, the Rim of the Pacific Exercise, is the worlds largest international maritime warfare exercise conducted every two years. Hosted by the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet, it involves more than two dozen nations. They come together to strengthen collective defense capabilities, enhance regional security, ensure the free flow of trade in the Pacific, and promote an open Indo-Pacific (U.S. Pacific Fleet, 2022).

Nevertheless, RIMPAC has been criticized for its environmental impact, contributing to ecological damage and exacerbating the climate crisis in the Pacific. It has also faced opposition from Pacific Islander communities (Price & Norimatsu, 2022). This essay will explore the differing views on RIMPAC and how the Pacific Islanders protesting RIMPAC using artworks.

RIMPAC strategic role is undeniable, Kenney (2020) highlights the role of RIMPAC in deterring and defending against formidable adversaries, notably China. Vice Admiral Michael Boyle, the 2022 RIMPAC Commander, emphasizes a broader narrative. According to Boyle, by coming together as “Capable, Adaptive Partners,” RIMPAC represents a deep commitment to fostering and maintaining relationships crucial for the safety of sea lanes and the security of the worlds interconnected oceans (Boyle, 2022).

In contrast, Pacific Islanders perceive RIMPAC as a marketing tool, promoting the idea that the U.S. military is both a force to be revered and feared. This “re-fear” campaign stands in opposition to genuine security (Compoc & Muneoka, 2014). Case (2020) suggests that RIMPAC might also represent a rise in militarism. Such a perspective views the exercise as a means that justifies violence under the guise of “safety”, potentially overshadowing underlying settler-colonial processes and related violence (p.53).

The concerns Pacific Islanders raise are well-founded. U.S. Military bases cover 5.7 percent of Hawaii landmass. Historically, these lands belonged to the Hawaiian Kingdom Government and Crown lands. Some were seized through a U.S. Presidential Executive Order in 1964, while others are leased to the military by the state of Hawaii for a token sum of one dollar (Cachola et al., 2019). Such actions have significantly bolstered the sex industry, contributing to a surge in sex trafficking exacerbated by the military tourism industry (Kaholukula, 2018). Furthermore, the RIMPAC Sink Exercise (SINKEX) is implicated in the discharge of highly toxic chemicals into marine waters, just 50km from areas frequented by Kanaka Maoli families for fishing and beach activities (Zippel, 2013).

Opposition to RIMPAC dates back to 1982 when native Hawaiians sought to stop the bombing and shelling of Kahoolawe Island. For Hawaiians, Kahoolawe holds profound religious and cultural importance due to the ancient temples and shrines that once graced its terrain. Sadly, many of these have been obliterated by the bombs and artillery. (The New York Times, 1982). In todays modern battlefield of activism, groups like The Pacific Peace Network, Youngsolwara, and Women Voice Women Speak challenge this RIMPAC behemoth in a scenario reminiscent of David against Goliath. They express their dissent using petitions, artistic displays, poetic verses, chants, and musical showcases.

Through exhibition called “Cancel Rimpac Virtual Exhibition” Youngsolwara exhibits artwork from artist across the Pacific. One of them is Naek Flores from Guåhan, she made two paintings for this exhibition. Her artwork, named “She Will Breath… and We Will Breath… Free, Freely, Freedom” really captivates me. This artwork which shown below captures the essence of the Pacific Peoples deep-rooted relationship with the ocean, their resilience, and their unyielding spirit.

“ She Will Breath… and We Will Breath… Free, Freely, Freedom “ painting (Flores, 2022)

The heart jellyfish in Flores painting symbolize the heart of the ocean, a poignant representation of the Pacific community heart and soul. The heart, ever pulsating and alive, reflects the undying spirit of the Pacific people, who despite adversities, remain inseparably linked to their maritime heritage. Their relationship with the ocean is not just of survival but of identity, reverence, and respect (Flores, 2022). This is juxtaposed with the backdrop of RIMPAC, which Pacific Islanders view as a manifestation of colonialism and militarism in their sacred waters and lands. The swirling patterns and cascading droplets in the artwork further emphasize the fluidity of the ocean, suggesting a continuity and unity among the Pacific community.

Cancel RIMPAC — A Collective Poem(Cancel RIMPAC Coalition, 2020)

Apart from the visual arts, there is a collective poem performance featuring thirteen indigenous poets from Oceania, including Hawaiʻi, Aotearoa, and Guåhan (Cancel RIMPAC Coalition, 2020). The poets passionately voice their community aspirations for a world that is free from both militarization and colonization. The recurring line “in a world without…” serves as a striking refrain, drawing a clear distinction between the natural calm of the Pacific region and the disruption brought about by foreign intrusion.

Phrases such as “in a world without war games on a watery blue body there is no place for hungry egos” and “chanting my body is not your playground” illustrate the Pacific as a vital part of the Islanders identity, with any harm inflicted upon it being a direct attack on their soul. The poem also honours the Islanders deep connection to their environment and ancestry, portraying their surroundings as sacred and intertwining elements of history, tradition, nature, and spirituality. The poem ultimately stands as a call to action, envisioning a world where the Pacific, in all its grandeur, can “breathe free freely freedom”.

In a world seeking unity, RIMPAC presents both a bridge and a barrier. While it fosters international maritime cooperation, it remains at odds with the sentiments of Pacific Islanders. Through evocative artworks like Flores and the stirring words of Cancel RIMPAC collective poem, the Pacific community plea for understanding, respect, and preservation of their sacred ties to the ocean resonates powerfully.

This article is part of my research essay for the PASI1012 class during my exchange period at The Australian National University, funded by the Indonesia International Student Mobility Awards.

References

Boyle, M. (2022). RIMPAC 2022 Officially Begins . US Navy Press Release . https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3079745/rimpac-2022-officially-begins/

Cachola, Grandinetti, & Yamashiro. (2019). Demilitarizing Hawai’i‘s Multiethnic Solidarity: Decolonizing Settler Histories and Learning Our Responsibilities to ‘Āina. Critical Ethnic Studies, 5(1–2), 68. https://doi.org/10.5749/jcritethnstud.5.1-2.0068

Cancel RIMPAC Coalition. (2020, July). Cancel RIMPAC — A Collective Poem. Cancel RIMPAC Virtual Exhibition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGmMOiLXBoI&t=68s

Case, E. (2020). Militarism. Counterfutures: Left Thought and Practice Aotearoa , 10, 46–62. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.26686/cf.v10.6939

Compoc, K., & Muneoka, S. (2014). Enough of RIMPAC, End the War Games! Honolulu Civil Beat. https://www.civilbeat.org/2014/06/enough-of-rimpac-end-the-war-games/

Flores, N. (2022, August). SHE WILL BREATHE…. ANDE WE WILL BREATHE… FREE, FREELY, FREEDOM. Cancel RIMPAC Virtual Exhibition. https://www.youngsolwarapacific.com/visual-art1.html

Kaholukula, L. (2018). Demand For Prostitution Increase in Honolulu While RIMPAC Is In Town. Island News KITV4. http://www.kitv.com/story/ 38525684/demand-for-prostitution-increases-in-honolulu-while-rimpac-is-in-town.

Kenney, C. M. (2020, July 20). At Reborn RIMPAC, A Clear Mission: Deter China, Defend Taiwan . Defense One. https://www.defenseone.com/threats/2022/07/reborn-rimpac-clear-mission-deter-china-defend-taiwan/374722/

Price, J., & Norimatsu, S. O. (2022, July 26). Pacific Peace Network challenges RIMPAC. Canada Dimension. https://canadiandimension.com/articles/view/pacific-peace-network-challenges-rimpac

The New York Times. (1982, April 25). HAWAIIANS TRY TO STOP SHELLING OF SACRED ISLAND. https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/25/us/hawaiians-try-to-stop-shelling-of-sacred-island.html

U.S. Pacific Fleet. (2022). RIMPAC. https://www.cpf.navy.mil/RIMPAC/

Zippel, L. (2013). A Sinking Ship: EPA Regulation of the Navy Training Program SINKEX under the Ocean Dumping Act and the Toxic Substances Control Act. In Washington Journal of Environmental Law & Policy (Vol. 3, Issue 2). https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wjelphttps://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wjelp/vol3/iss2/5