The following letter from the 7th President of the Federated States of Micronesia, His Excellency Emanuel “Manny” Mori, was posted on the Chuuk for Unity Facebook page on July 17, 2018.
Fellow Chuukese and Friends of Chuuk,
I present my warm greetings and best wishes to everyone. I start off with hopes and prayers that our God, the God of compassion and wisdom, continue to hold us together in warm embrace and shines his light on us, both the leaders and the general public.
Fellow Chuukese, as once a leader of this nation and especially, out of deep reverence for Chuuk, I have the obligation to forewarn and reiterate my position on the secession. I truly believe the Chuuk Political Commission is pursuing an act that will have detrimental impact on the lives of every Chuukese citizens.
To simplify, severing of our friendship and leaving the Federated States of Micronesia and to de-establishing the harmony and partnership with the people of America boils down to self-destruction for ourselves, the people of Chuuk.
Recently, United Ambassador Robert Riley released a statement to clarify the position of the US, not to interfere in the internal processes of Chuuk, but to clarify relevant aspects of our special Compact partnership.
Meanwhile, let me share with you the following highlights:
Under the immigration provisions of the Compact between the US and the FSM, the FSM citizens, including those from Chuuk, are free to reside, go to school, and work in the US. Once the desire to secede prevails at the polls, the validity of the FSM passports held by the Chuukese people will cease after Chuuk becomes ROC. This means that the approximately 8,000 to 12,000 Chuukese in the US and in the American Armed Forces, face the specter of being order to leave the US. What shall we do for our people left stranded in the US?
In light of the reiteration by the US Government that the Compact is between the US and the FSM, inclusive of all the four states, Chuuk’s exit or withdrawal from the Compact is tantamount to forfeiting its eligibility for Compact sectoral grant assistance. Does the Republic of Chuuk have the absorptive capacity to make up for the gigantic loss of assistance? I have spoken long and hard about this plaque. Getting out of the Compact and leaving the FSM are a suicidal act of juvenile impulsivity!
The US federal programs and technical assistance schemes extended to the FSM are an immense support to all, including Chuuk. Will the Chuuk Republic have the wherewithal to provide assistance to families in times of natural disaster, for instance? Will Chuuk have the means to buy out the FSM Government from the College of Micronesia or the FSM Telecom, which we received with US help?
The FSM Compact Trust Fund was intended as a “safety net” once the well of annual grant assistance was dried up. By seceding, Chuuk has forfeited itself from this possible source of support.
While the center of emphasis and technologies of national defense and security may shift from time to time, the imperative simply does not disappear in the middle of a sound moon-lit night. At least some semblance of it must be preserved. Will the Republic continue to remain under the American defense umbrella? In as much as we do not wish to ask, we must ask: if it seems that its security is at stake, will the US simply stand up and leave?
My fellow Chuukese, I appeal to you again to put, above everything else, the welfare of our children and future generations when you go to the polls. I also call upon the leaders of Chuuk to avert us from this voyage of self-destruction and steer us back to our Promised Land. (or maybe we can say something like, call upon the leaders not to support the secession.)
God bless the State of Chuuk.
Dr. Vid Raatior
Dr. Vid Raatior is a proud Chuukese parent, educator, citizen blogger, and social entrepreneur living in the US.
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