War Reparations Petition

Petition Drive to Congress for War Reparations Continues

September 10, 2010

For Immediate Release

Hagåtña, Guam – In an effort to ensure Guam’s World War II survivors finally receive war reparations, the people of Guam are being urged to sign an online petition to Congress by the end of next week.

In the weeks ahead, the US Senate will begin their process on the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act. The House of Representatives approved the Act with an amendment that adds to the bill the text of the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, granting reparations to the island’s war survivors. However, there is a threat that some senators may not allow the reparations to remain in the final version of the bill that the Senate will vote on later this year. If that happens, Guam’s war survivors will have to continue to wait for justice.

The Office of Senator Frank F. Blas, Jr. launched the website www.guamwarsurvivorstory.com on August 31, 2010 that includes an online petition to Congress urging senators to keep Guam’s war reparations in the final version of the defense bill, and to approve the bill when it is voted on. Thus far, the petition has garnered about 200 signatures, but many more are needed to make Guam's voice loud and clear, and to grab the Senate's attention.

The people of Guam are being asked to visit www.guamwarsurvivorstory.com today and click on the “Petition2Congress” link at the top of the menu on the left side of the home page to sign the petition. It takes only one minute to sign and could make a tremendous difference for Guam’s war survivors, many of whom have died before ever receiving restitution for the atrocities they suffered during World War II. There were more than 22,000 people who lived through the war on Guam. Of that group, less than 1,000 are alive today, and more continue to die.

“When we started our war survivors series entitled ‘Real People. Real Stories,’ 29 of our featured 30 war survivors were alive,” said Senator Frank F. Blas, Jr. “Since our series launch in November 2009, we have lost three of our featured man'amko (Dr. Rosa Carter, Mr. Jesus Perez Sablan, and Mr. Juan Unpingco). How many more will pass away before they receive their just and deserved recognition?”

For more details, please call Senator Blas on his cell at 687-1483, or his office at 472-2527.

Information on War Reparations

War Reparations is once again an issue in the US Congress. The National Defense Authorization Act is being debated in the conference committee, and is currently part of the House version of the bill, but not the Senate version. In the next day or so, a decision will be made about whether or not Chamorros get war reparations this time around, or have to wait once again.

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H.R. 2647 EH
TITLE XVI -- THE GUAM WORLD WAR II LOYALTY RECOGNITION ACT
111TH CONGRESS
- TITLE SUMMARY -

 On December 8, 1941, just after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Imperial Japanese forces attacked, invaded, and seized control of the island of Guam, a United States Territory. The island of Guam, inhabited by 22,000 U.S. nationals, was occupied for nearly three years. During this difficult and painful period, the people of Guam remained steadfastly loyal to the United States. For their loyalty and patriotism to the United States, they were subjected to public beheadings, beatings, rape, forced labor, and forced marches. In the closing days of the occupation, all residents were forced into concentration camps.

 Congress passed the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 within weeks after the termination of hostilities to provide “immediate relief to the people of Guam.”

 The 107th Congress passed the Guam War Claims Review Commission Act (P.L. 107-333) to establish a Commission to determine whether there was parity of war claims paid to the residents of Guam as compared with awards made to other similarly affected U.S. citizens or nationals during World War II.

 The Commission reported to Congress with findings and recommendations in 2004. The Commission found that:

o Congress was misinformed when it excluded Guam from coverage under Title II of the War Claims Act of 1948, further amended in 1962.

o The people in Guam did not receive the same compensation as other similarly affected U.S. citizens and nationals.

o The United States Government has a “moral obligation” to provide redress to the people of Guam.

 Title XVI is based upon the recommendations of the Guam War Claims Review Commission.

 In the 110th Congress, the House of Representatives passed the corresponding bill to Title XVI (then H.R. 1595) with over a two-thirds majority, with a recorded vote of 288 yeas to 133 nays. The Senate was unable to pass it before adjourning for the year.

 Congresswoman Bordallo reintroduced the bill in the 111th Congress as H.R. 44. The bill has the support of 88 bipartisan cosponsors. Prominent co-sponsors include the Chairman and past Ranking Members of the Committees on Natural Resources and the Judiciary, members of the leadership on both sides of the aisle, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

 H.R. 44 passed the House of Representatives with strong bi-partisan support on February 23, 2009. The final vote was 299 yeas to 99 nays.