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Walking and Chewing You-Know-What Again
By lindamuralidharan on 2014-09-27 00:18:18
Have you ever heard of the Marshall Islands? Have you ever heard of Chuuk? Have you ever heard of the Federated States
of Micronesia? Have you, in fact, ever heard of COFA? Until I moved to Hawaii (island of Oahu), I don't remember hearing
of any of these places other than the Marshall Islands. To make it as simple as possible, the Federated States of Micronesia
include the regions known as Chuuk, Yap, and Kosrae. The Compact of Free Association (COFA) essentially is a treaty
among the United States and three countries: the FSM, the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau. They are all located
in the South Pacific far south west of Hawaii and relatively near Papua New Guinea. [caption id="attachment_6277"
align="alignleft" width="505"] 1 Micronesian
craft[/caption] These countries are also near - Bikini and Eniwetok atolls where the United States conducted nuclear tests
which caused radioactive fallout to damage these countries. Agricultural and environmentally sensitive sources of
employment were decimated as were the numbers of accompanying jobs. In addition to any sense of guilt and responsibility
the US has felt in regard to folks to whom we caused harm, the US wants to continue positive relationships with these
countries as a militarily strategically useful area.
PACIFIC
OCEAN
Hawaiian Islands
PHILIPPINE
SEA
MICRONESIA
Of course, the more sensitive
might question whether or not bases in the current age would add more damage....here in HI a high school in a nice
residential neighborhood began rebuilding the track around its football field only to discover it was built on a former
military munitions dump. We are now wondering what is under the football field itself. And in another lovely residential
area, leaking military fuel tanks (underground) serving our current installations are being inspected to see if the leaks are
getting into ground water needed for the drinking supply. In any event, the US negotiated the COFA which permits residents
of these places to emigrate to the United States legally and to live and work here legally. Many have come to Hawaii.
Insofar as I can tell the largest concentrations are on Oahu and in the Hilo region of the Island of Hawaii. Originally the
Federal Government provided Medicaid, subsidized housing and some other tax supported benefits. From 1996 onward, the
Federal Government has refused to fund Medicaid for these former recipients and since then the State of Hawaii has refused
also. After court contests, this state decision was upheld. (I live near Pearl Harbor and the Blue Angels are currently
practicing over my head for a show there tomorrow....very loud.) I am not certain of the precise mechanisms...even before
the Affordable Care Act Hawaii had a very high percentage of health insurance covered residents as a result of state
policies...Hawaiian taxpayers (including these immigrants to the extent that they can acquire well paid jobs and who pay
excise taxes like everybody else)....are footing the bill for medical expenses for COFA children, pregnant women, the aged,
the blind and disabled, and certain other adults. An Honolulu Star Advertiser feature article (4/27/14) said that the cost for
this in 2013 was 43 million dollars. [caption id="attachment_6278" align="alignleft" width="300"]
= Palm frond baskets[/caption] Other adults are not covered and also many life
saving treatments such as dialysis are not covered, thus many people are very worried for themselves or for their loved
ones. Some homeless people from the above countries are trapped in shelters almost permanently because no one will cover
the types of medically supported living situations they need. Food stamps are not covered at all and any of the currently
covered safety net and settlement services that the Federal government does contribute to will no longer be covered after
2023. Some of the folks from these areas...it is estimated that the largest numbers come from Chuuk and the Marshall
Islands...hit the ground running when they get here. Quite a number joined the military years ago as opportunities dried up
in their homelands and these individuals have a head start on dealing with a modern industrialized society. Otherwise it is
tough sledding for these folks and many are resented by Hawaiian residents who have been living here for years or for
generations. There are few open positions for unskilled workers with little or no English to start off with, and this seems
rather different from all those earlier Polish and Italian and German immigrants of bygone years. [caption
id="attachment_6280" align="alignright" width="300"] Palm scene in
Micronesia[/caption] Many of these families are very poor as a result, needing to depend on taxpayers for basics. Many
must go through elaborate socialization and adjustment problems...some are common to all generations of immigrants but
these folks have extra challenges. At home, the men and women ware something like modified sarongs or modified skirts.
Upper bodies are bare. Here they actually need to learn to wear pants as well as about the necessity for women not to bare
their breasts. One woman who has made great progress and has steady employment said for the first three months she was
completely flummoxed by and lost among the skyscrapers in Honolulu since the dwellings she was used to in Chuuk were
huts thatched with palm leaves. She also said it was strange to have to work for money and on a schedule. In her islands,
you gather the fish and bananas and other food and you do it at your leisure. Another woman understands that she will
gradually work her way into better employment with better English and more experience. Right now she is doing hotel
cleaning and rides two hours by bus to work daily and then two hours back home at night. [caption id="attachment_6284"
align="alignright" width="300"] Travels by bus two hours to work[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_6281" align="alignleft" width="155"] 2s ; Skyscrapers in Honolulu[/caption]
Hawaiian schools pay to educate about 7,000 children of COFA families yearly. The children sometimes have adjustment
issues as they come to school at first knowing very little English and may arrive at differing ages and grade levels. Some
families have difficulties helping their kids with adjustments to urban school and community expectations. Budgeting,
socialization, time management, resentment from other Hawaiian residents all add to the challenge these families face in
keeping their kids in school and out of trouble and ready to earn their own livings when the time comes. [caption
id="attachment_6282" align="aligncenter" width="600"]
= Chuuk in Hawaii[/caption]
COFA itself has been enacted in perpetuity. However, existing funding is not sufficient for the people involved and imposes
an undue burden on states such as Hawaii....I think Florida also has a large group of COFA immigrants and there may be
other states as well. And even that is time limited. [caption id=" attachment 6283" align="aligncenter" width="550"]
*
oe.
a
ass
Micronesians in Hawaii[/caption] In
the midst of our essential concentration and advocacy for the big ticket items of the moment..domestic violence, war and
peace in the Mideast, unnecessary levels of gun and police violence....it behooves us as humans to remember to learn about
and take action with relevance to some of the needy folks flying way beneath the radar of our busy lives. Chew,
chew...walk, walk....study, learn (and enjoy new cultures), write act, phone, tweet.....please don't forget about these folks.
Some of whom will be among our most productive citizens some day. Meanwhile everyone of them deserves as good a
level of health care as you or I.
