We do want to go back to Pagan
This is a response to a Mr. Jim Brooks, who responded on Facebook regarding the Los Angeles Times article about Pagan. Mr. Brooks wrote: “How can the island of Pagan oppose it? No one lives there.” Here was my response:
Dear Mr. Brooks: I hope you read this. Thank you for this opportunity to update you and share these accurate information about Pagan. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Pagan or how familiar you are with my childhood island home, but please allow me to just share these few thoughts with you.
I know from personal knowledge that members of families who have deep-rooted ties to Pagan have never completely left the Island. Some of these people I am talking about are my own nieces and nephews and their parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They still live there and come back and forth to Saipan. This is nothing unusual. Our folks from Rota and Tinian do the same thing—where they split their time living on their respective home islands and have a home here on Saipan as well.
The former residents want to return home to Pagan to resettle there. How do I know this? Because in 1998, the former residents voted me as president of an organization called United Northern Islanders Association, formed to assist them to return home to ae you weren’t at home at the time someone else tried to claim your home and property, despite years of efforts to return home, does not mean that you have no right to speak up against what the military wants to do or has done to your home and property—does it? Just try for a moment—no matter how far-fetched or ridiculous you may think this scenario may be—to place yourself in our shoes. Now, how does that feel?
Please help us save our inhabited island homes of Pagan and Tinian from destruction. God bless you and your family.
Cinta M. Kaipat
Former and future resident of Pagan
Buenas Ioanes,
To dream about doing things is easy, but the actual of making it possible is the hard part. The Guam group had probably instilled their hopes on our people in the CNMI to break away from the United States. Guam made the list of the United Nation that needs to address their self determination and “in the name of half-cocked cultural values,” our people are using such scam to try to scare away the most powerful country on earth. The United States of America would not fall for such scam and Guam would still be in the possession of the United States and Pagan would be the most sophisticate training ground for the United States Armed Forces.
It all started from a pipe dream, but it is up to the individual to follow through with such goal. Future residents of Pagan in the making, sailboat and small crafts are being survey in the United States for such pipe dream. If there is a will, there is a way.
Si Yu’us Ma’ase
Mrs. Kaipat, I truly can relate. I have properties in Saipan and can’t even fathom the thought of someone coming in to drop “inert BOMBS” claiming they are safe etc. Not the place I spent my childhood and most of my adolescent life. A place I call “home.” I fully understand and support your cause. @ loanes, better a “wonderful pipe dream all in the name of half-cocked cultural values” than none at all. You are such a Negative Nancy. LOL!
Can you elaborate?