Palacios comments on peaceful protest against DoD activities 

06/17/2025—A presentation by a U.S. Department of Defense official was interrupted by a peaceful protest last June 12 at the 32nd Pacific Islands Environmental Training Symposium, as local activists voiced opposition to ongoing and expanded U.S. military activities in the Micronesian region.

Anufat Terlaje-Pangelinan, a recent graduate of Northern Marianas College where he received the Excellence in Service Award, led a small group that included Salam Castro Younis—a Chamorro and Palestinian activist—who denounced U.S. support for Israel and called attention to the broader impacts of military expansion on indigenous and colonized peoples.

“...This constant influx of money through warfare is perpetuated so that they can continuously take advantage of the people that they have sovereignty over, including the Marianas,” Terlaje-Pangelinan told Marianas Press in an interview after the presentation.

Terlaje-Pangelinan added that the U.S. claims DoD activities within Micronesia are meant to boost national security. However, he said his group is strongly opposed to that.  “We do not believe at all that there is any national security felt within Micronesia with DoD's presence. They claim to stand here in opposition against aggressive nations. However, the U.S. has proven time and time again that they are the most aggressive nation within Pasifika. There is no threat from overseas within Middle Eastern Asia.”

Terlaje-Pangelinan said, in actuality, the only threat that they see is the aggravation that is perpetuated by the constant influx of U.S. military bases in the Micronesian islands.

The protest, which saw Terlaje-Pangelinan’s group carry signs that read “US OUT OF THE MARIANAS,” “WE DON’T WANT DOD’S REPI-RATIONS,” “KEEP NATIVE LANDS IN NATIVE HANDS,” and “THE US MILITARY KILLS OUR SACRED LAND,” took place during a session led by Mark Cruz, regional environmental coordinator from the Joint Task Force Marianas, who was presenting “Department of Defense Activities in Micronesia.”

Gov. Arnold I. Palacios said the protestors were just exercising their First Amendment rights, which include freedom of assembly and the exercise of free speech.

“We live in a democratic society, so obviously those folks are exercising their rights and that's what, and so I have nothing negative [to say]. We welcome dialogue from every corner of our community and every member of our community. So, you know, they're exercising their rights and I congratulate them for participating,” he said in an interview with Marianas Press last June 14.

Palacios added that even though he may not agree with some people and their issues and their positions, they still have the right to express themselves and their perspective. 

He said the U.S. military is seeking inputs from everyone on the revised CNMI Joint Military Training proposal.

“When we first started this dialogue with the military, obviously there was a lot of voids and there were a lot of gaps. But we continue to address that. I think the communications now with DoD is much more open and much more robust than it was in the past...Obviously, our interest is to protect and to advocate for the interests of the Commonwealth. And DoD also would advocate and look at the interests of the nation in terms of defense. So, you know, the fact that we're having robust discussions and robust communications with each other is something that is very valuable. And we need to continue that. You know, we're going to be reviewing the CJMT. That's going to be a very involved [process] and it's going to take a lot of [our] effort and time.”

Edward Camacho, special assistant to the governor for Military Affairs, said the protest came as a surprise to him.

“I did not expect to see any protester. But then again, we live in the freest part of the world that our military sacrifices so much to protect and ensure we maintain our rights and freedom, including the right to peacefully assemble and protest like the young innocent folks who entered the briefing room with their signs to let everyone there know about their concerns,” he said in a text message.

He, however, said Cruz’s presentation is a testament to DoD actually reaching out to local communities to let them know about their plans in the region.

“JRM/JTF-M (Joint Region Marianas/Joint Task Force-Micronesia) was invited to participate and contribute to the training symposium, and the very reason that the briefing was presented was to share the information on the DoD activities in our region, and to showcase the good environmental stewardship by DoD, putting mitigations in place to protect the people, culture, historical sites, environment, and wildlife in and around the area.”

He added that the area covering the CNMI and Guam is the forward-most part of the U.S. homeland and it is in the best and vital interest and obligation of all of the U.S. agencies, including all in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches to be vested in the protection of everyone and everything in the homeland.  

“The U.S. national defense mechanism has the obligation to protect this area, as it is the highest priority it has, and that is homeland defense.”

Despite the interruption, Cruz delivered a detailed presentation on the U.S. military’s infrastructure investments across Micronesia, including major runway and airfield upgrades on Tinian, radar facilities and backup range control installations on Saipan, and port improvements on Rota in the CNMI, a strategic radar system, airstrip improvements, and pre-positioned equipment storage facilities in Palau, and continued use of existing Compact-related facilities and future infrastructure development linked to Indo-Pacific security in the Federates States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. 

Cruz emphasized that all projects are being implemented in partnership with host governments and include environmental impact studies, community consultations, and regional training benefits. He said the DoD views the Micronesian region as “a vital strategic anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.”

Marianas Press reached out to him for a comment on the peaceful protest that interrupted his presentation, but he has yet to respond on the query.

By Mark Rabago