United we stand, divided we act, Part 2

In the first part of my “United We Stand, Divided We Act” letter, I illustrated two groups traveling in one direction but on different routes. Now there is a newly formed group heading in the same direction as the two groups I’ve mentioned in the first part on this letter. I could not distinguish who was traveling along the Beach Road and who was traveling on Middle Road until this new development but I can now possibly identify the three groups’ route on the way to Susupe.

On Oct. 15, 2004, a group of long-time foreign nationals on the island (10 years and above) registered their movement to officially advocate and lobby for improved immigration status for all foreign nationals on the island. A lot registered on the hope that their residency and working status can be improved. Since then, they find themselves as if they have entered a dark tunnel, hoping that at the end, there is light. They were criticized, some indigenous people wanted them to go home, lambasted them for collecting money from members and the latest one, according Mr. Vicente M. Sablan of Kagman in his letter to the editor dated April 25, 2008 (Dekada Movement and Mr. Woodruff) that “this is no small potato.” This is the group traveling along Beach Road, going to Susupe in a straight-ahead route. This group waved to a lot of people along Beach Road to come and join them on their quest to improve the immigration status of all foreign nationals on the island. Some individuals anxiously watching, others simply ignored it because they don’t want to enter a dark tunnel. After three tough years of struggle, the anxious group saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

In July 2007, an individual came to Saipan to interview guest workers from Saipan, Tinian and Rota, most of whom are parents of U.S. citizen children on the island, in her concern for these guest workers. See “The plight of alien workers and their US citizen kids” dated July 25, 2007. She was proclaimed a human rights advocate when the CNMI House of Representatives unanimously passed H.B 15-38, the Commonwealth Employment Act of 2007. The bill calls for the guest workers to leave the CNMI for six months after they have worked in the CNMI for three consecutive years. That was also the time when a scheduled U.S. House hearing on CNMI federalization happened on Aug. 15, 2007. With the help of the human rights advocate, guest workers gathered themselves and advocated for federalization of the island. This is the group that traveled along Middle Road heading toward Susupe.

Here then comes the new group, emerging from somewhere in Dandan and San Vicente area heading toward Susupe and eventually merging near SM Mart intersection with the human rights advocates on their way to Susupe. They formed a coalition, expecting to unite all foreign nationals in the island. That means that, from the original 26 organizations of foreign nationals (according to the UFOs record), it now becomes 27! Wow, what a volume for a small community. I am inviting these three groups to gather at the small but unique pavilion, “the Bicol Pavilion” in Susupe. It is small in size but all six regions in the southern part of the Philippines are well represented and emphasized. The uniqueness of our pavilion stands to unite everyone on the island because it is open to all the people of Saipan, Tinian and Rota and if you are there as one group, call us and we will be there for you in unity. Light at the end of the tunnel is now visible. The Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 and Local Foreign National Workers Act of 2008 is on the way and is inevitable. The movement that started this fight four years ago is now approaching the end of the tunnel where light is waiting to shine on them.

On Federalization and Residency Status

There are now three groups advocating that they are supporting federalization and the local initiative bill, the new Foreign National Workers Act of 2008 legislation that was just introduced by independent lawmakers, together with four other. Why are we focusing on federalization when it is really inevitable? Check out the summary and the background of S. 2739. http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm:

“The federal government owns nearly 653 million acres of land in the United States (28.8 percent). As the owner of these lands, the United States government has the responsibility to protect its value and history for the current and future generation. In order to meet that challenge, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee has packaged a bicameral and bipartisan group of land and water bills into S.2739, the Consolidated natural Resources Act of 2008”

There are major provisions in these packages from Title 1 to 8. The Immigration and Nationality Act to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands S.1634 and H.R 3079 subject for transition period through December 31, 2017.

Please take note that the CNMI federalization issue came out in the last two titles No. 7 and 8. If the Committee of Energy and Natural Resources decided to limit the major provisions to 6, there would be no federalization issue in CNMI. The Summary and Background did not specifically mention anything about human rights and movements of long time guest workers in CNMI so they would consider extending federalization because of their demands and advocacy. Title V111 says “ S.2739 would amend the Compact of Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 in order to improve legal services, infrastructure and Education Services for the associated states of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau.