ANTONIO T. ARTERO TESTIMONY ON GUAM'S COMMONWEALTH BILL
PRESENTED TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INSULAR AND INTERNATIONAL
AFFAIRS INTERIOR AND INSULAR AFFAIRS

100TH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES
IN HONOLULU, HAWAII

Honorable Ron de Lugo, members of your committee, and staff,
greetings once again. My name is Antonio Torres Artero. I
appear before you in support of Guam's Commonwealth Act.

As a concerned citizen, I have been privileged and have served
proudly for 20 years in the submarine force protecting our
freedom and world peace. As a Realtor now, I offer my testimony.
World history shows that Guam and its people have always been
more than accommodating to people from various countries. But
the people from the various countries including the U.S. have
demonstrated their superiority over us and have exercised total
dominance and control on us. As a people, we have lost our
rights even to our private property.

We are not questioning the United States' right to own, operate,
and maintain property on Guam. What we're questioning is the
manner in which the properties were taken and the misuse of the
properties taken. Private property rights is deserving the
protection of the military but the military does not have the
right to oppressive property takeover.

45 years after WWII, the so-colled "Land Claims Compensation"
that Congress authorized in 1977 had turned into a fiasco of a
settlement proposal wherein the people involved were pitted
against each other in seeking their fair share of a forced
settlement and yet, still, another unjust amount.
The
mishandling of the claims has broken-up the class action suit
into three separate options due largely to the manipulation of
facts to cover up the wrong doing of the government. Or could it
be that it's a deliberate application of the "divide and conquer"
routine. At any rate, it clearly shows the unwillingness of the
U.S. to render justice for us on Guam. You can count in one hand
the number of times Judge Peckam or his replacement came to Guam.
There are many property owners who have not been compensated even
to this day.

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THE INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE FEDERATION THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS THE GUAM BOARD OF REALTORS

Although Guam had been flying the American flag for 91 years, and
the economic condition today is good for the privileged few, the
situation we're in is, in one word, vulnerable. It is vulnerable
primarily because America's stewardship of Guam centers on
selfish interest to the extent of total neglect of private
property rights clearly a violation of the Constitution.

If the problem with private property rights on Guam is not going
to be solved soon, then we are all wasting our time because you
can not legislate greed. In addition I am questioning why this
hearing has to be conducted in Hawaii instead of on Guam. The
Commonwealth Bill hearings must be on Guam because it concerns
the people of Guam and their participation is impaired by plane
fares and hotel fees.

We can only hope that the removal of the Berlin Wall will serve
as an eye opener for America to acknowledge that the time is
overdue for America, to practice that which it preaches,
"Democracy." With democracy is freedom. America must allow
total and unconditional political, civil, and human rights to the
people of Guam who are shackled with military oppression since
WWII by:

1) Passing the Guam's Commonwealth Act Bill;

2) Return the lands that can be returned to the rightful owners;
3) Justly compensate the land owners;

There's nothing we would love better than to see the Reagan
Regiment for freedom that becomes the Bush Brigade, similarly for
freedom, to be a freedom in reality for us on Guam USA.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to be heard.

Jony tilew

Tony Artero, Realtor

Member Real Estate Commission

USN Submariner Retired

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THE INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE FEDERATION THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS THE GUAM BOARD OF REALTORS

Mr. DE LUGO. Next, we have Maria G. Iglesias.

Ms. IGLESIAS. Thank you. I salute you, all your wonderful panel here, and may I just say something. My speech is very short and I am not well prepared, but I will do my very best.

Mr. DE LUGO. You will do fine.

Ms. IGLESIAS. Yes sir. In some parts it is kind of strong, but like maybe anti-American feelings, but truly it is not. I am basically Caucasian too, myself. My grandfather is from Vermont and Spain. So I grew up in a business world, my parents were in business. I have a beautiful home in California. I live in luxury.

I am a business woman now. I am the only woman Chamorro in contract engineering, and I took a recent test, and I earned a high score in my written test. So I am very glad and it is a very competitive world. I compete with Koreans, and statesiders and whatever in Guam.

I love my Guam. As I said, I have a beautiful home, luxury, live in the United States, but I don't know, I still love Guam. It cannot be compensated. So I think I will die in Guam. I travel a lot, too, but I am worried about the young generation. So I would read my speech now and I hope you understand.

Like the title implies "Commonwealth" would make the Guam Chamorro more wealthy and wise. As common people we have come a long way, I must say, educated and disciplined in all walks of life. We have accredited university, written language, well matured leadership-judicial, legislative, and executive. We have capable citizenship in the professions. For example, doctors, lawyers, newspaper, bankers, even a recent Pulitzer Prize winner in photography.

In other words, our quest for commonwealth status is really overdue. We, the Chamorros, want to be the drivers of our destinies and not be dictated to by Washingtonians, who, to begin with, have no empathy and understanding of our basic human rights and values.

As Chamorros and Pacific Islanders, we are totally different in values, culture, and outlook in life from the Caucasians from the mainland. We are brown people, with sensitive feelings and our mentality with the white people is as different as night and day. Also, decisions made in Washington are far fetched, not practical and different as night and day, from the Pacific people. As the word "pacific" implies, we are a gentle people in nature. We are loyal Americans. We are law abiding and God fearing people. Our culture is basically based in Christianity, a population of 90 percent Catholics. We live and honor the Ten Commandments, but because of our diversified backgrounds and education, most Chamorros know three languages.

We are highly expectant of a better government. The commonwealth status. We are so ably matured. We want to develop and direct our destinies and children's destinies. This is our quest and birthright. Uncle Sam has treated us as little children and the little children are breaking out of their breeches. Uncle Sam has not been a wise and fair father for the Chamorro of Guam. We have been killed and slaughtered in World War II, Korean and Vietnam Wars, wars not of our own making.

Set us free from the love-hate, parent-child relationship with the United States. Set us free. Sacrifices and sacrifices. We want better legacy for our children and children's children. To manage our destinies with better government. We don't want yokes and shackles any more. Give us commonwealth status so we can be fully members of the American family. We deserve this. It is our right. Give us commonwealth status, for it would eradicate all the past/ present injustices and pains imposed on these Pacific Islandersthe Chamorro people.

Mr. DE LUGO. Thank you very much.

[Prepared statement of Ms. Iglesias follows:]

"COMMONWEALTH"

Like the title implies

Commonwealth" would make the

Guam Chamorros More Wealthy and Wise! As common people we have come along way; I must say educated and disciplined in all walks of lives. We have accredited university, written language, well matured leadership,-Judicial, Legislat tive and Executive. We have capable citenship in the professions, example.-Doctors, lawyers, newspaper, bankers, even a recent Pulizer Winner in photography. In other words, our quest for commonwealth status is really overdue! We the Chamorros want to be the drivers of our destines and not be dictated by "Washigtonians "-- who to begin with, have no empathy and understanding of our basic human rights and values As Chamorros and Pacific Islanders, We are totally different in values,cultures and outlook in life "Caucasions." from the mainland. We are brown

as the

people, with sensitive feelings and our mentality with the white people is to different as night and day. Also decisions made in Washington are far fetched, not practical and different as night and day, with the Pacifis people. As the word PACIFIC- implies; we are a gentle people in nature. We are loyal Americans. We are law-abiding and God-fearing people. Our culture is basically based in Christ ianity, population 90% Cathics. We live and honor the

ten commandments; but because of our diversified backgrounds and education-Most Chamorros know three languages! We're