COFA Citizens & Healthcare Advocacy

The following letter was sent by Clark Graham on January 4, 2015 to Dr. Rachel Wong, Director of the Department of Human Services (DHS) for the State of Hawaii advocating for decent health care for citizens of the Compact of Free Association entities.

Dear Dr. Wong:

I only learned of the January 5th Hawaii hearing concerning health care for COFA Citizens a few hours ago. I am writing this evening and hope it will reach you and become part of the record. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak on behalf of COFA citizens residing in the State of Hawaii.

I am a U.S. citizen and long time resident of Chuuk, Micronesia. I came with the first Peace Corps group in 1966 and have lived, worked, raised my family in Chuuk.

Just this week an article in USA Today discussed the sad reality that middle income Americans were deferring medical examinations and procedures because their deductible was too costly. These hard working average American citizens have decided to roll the dice, waiting to get advised medical exams and treatment because of the high cost they incur. They simply cannot afford it. Today health care is a problem for everyone.

In the 1800’s my Irish ancestors decided to leave their native land. With no hope of a job, no land, famine, and other issues, they were left with no choice but to seek a better life in America. So too did individuals of Japanese, Chinese, European and American ancestry venture to Hawaii for similar reasons.

Imagine now you are a COFA citizen who came to Hawaii, and other U.S. states seeking opportunity: a job, better education for their children, perhaps better health services, a chance to start over. A COFA citizen has a legal right to be in the United States. He is not an illegal immigrant. His right is guaranteed under a Compact of Free Association (COFA).

She arrives in Hawaii, like other nationalities have for so long, and like all other immigrants before her, she struggles with the language, they often have entry level unskilled and lower paying jobs with little status, and they are in need of assistance.

These COFA citizens are in need of health care, which should be a right, and is one of the Rights of a Child promulgated by the United Nations. But they are, like the middle income Americans and others, faced with the extremely high cost of medical services.

While these COFA citizens reside in Hawaii, their COFA relatives and friends serve in the U.S. Armed Forces and have the highest percentage of deaths and injury in recent U.S. military engagements: higher than Guam, Hawaii or the other 49 states.

We permit and welcome them to shed blood for America, but Hawaii may not provide needed health care to the parent of a COFA child, thereby threatening the well being of a minor.

I am certain I speak for many when I say that I find this unacceptable and in contrast to
the inscription that appears on the Statue of Liberty, that greeted my ancestors who entered the United States via Ellis Island.

At the same time I sympathize with Hawaii residents who feel the burden of health care for COFA citizens is high. Every Hawaiian congressperson needs to raise this issue with the President, the House and Senate. This challenge being faced by Hawaii is a national matter and Hawaii requires the support of the national government.

But, the State of Hawaii must not deny fair and reasonable health coverage to these COFA mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who have come to America for a better life. They are entitled to reasonable health care and this problem cannot be solved by denial of basic human rights.

If I might paraphrase a comment made in The Newsroom TV series. “These people who come to our shores seeking a better life, deserve a label better than ‘COFA citizens’, and talked about like we speak of gum on our shoe.”

I ask that you consider this: what is one to do who is legally able to come to Hawaii, or Texas, Oregon, Washington, Arkansas or Missouri, only to find themselves unable to provide for basic services such as health care?

Certainly the COFA people are treated by many as the least among immigrants to Hawaii. My late son, a Chuukese who grew up in Chuuk, graduated from Xavier High School (XHS) at 15, then attended and graduated from Punahou in Honolulu, and later the College of the Holy Cross. His first job after college was in Hawaii where he taught at a middle school attended by many COFA and other Pacific Island students.

While living there he found it impossible to rent a decent apartment. He finally realized that he was being treated differently because he was a Chuukese. When I advised him to use two good family friends as references, both well known lawyers in Honolulu, he refused saying, “I will not do it Dad. I have a right to rent a decent place, but I will seek no special treatment. I am a Chuukese and a Chuukese has the right to live in a decent apartment!”

He never did get that apartment… He was treated differently!

Later when training for the 2012 Olympics in Honolulu, a photo was taken of him at Koko Head standing on the metal grating at the very top, where he and other wrestlers ran to get in shape. That was his Facebook photo. Next to that photo he wrote a statement well known here in the islands. He said, “I am Chuukese, and I am disliked by those who are ignorant!”

Chuukese and other COFA citizens are often treated as the least important members of the community in which they live. But, “in that ye do it unto the least of these my brethren, ye do it unto me.”

I ask that those responsible for health care in Hawaii find a way to extend reasonable health care to COFA migrants. We will all be better for such a decision! Thank you very much for not treating COFA citizens differently.

Respectfully written,

Clark Graham
Acting Director
SHIP-HOOPS, Inc.
P.O. Box 1704
Chuuk, FM 96942
(691) 330-4070
(691) 933-3300 cell
Web Site: www.ship-hoops.org
Email:
rekiichuuk2@gmail.com
clark@ship-hoops.org