Opposition against the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) at the summit of Mauna Kea continues as residents on the Hawaiian Big Island maintain their protests.
Activists from across the Hawaiian Islands have begun blockading roads leading up to the giant telescope's construction site in the hopes of halting workers of the TMT Observatory Corp. from continuing the project.
The residents believe that the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope is in direct violation of their rights as the project is being built on what they consider as sacred ground.
The Board of Land and Natural Resources approved the project's proposal in 2011 despite receiving strong opposition from various groups such as the Mauna Kea Anaina Hou and the Hawaiian Environmental Alliance.
Opponents of the project have a filed a lawsuit against the approval of the Thirty Meter Telescope, requesting for the court to block the project on the basis of protecting tradition with regards to sacred lands.
The TMT proposal, however, was approved in July 2014, and the construction of the giant telescope officially began in October.
In response, local groups started protest rallies in and around the construction site near Mauna Kea. Several activists have even launched cyberattacks on the official websites for the Thirty Meter Telescope and the Hawaiian government on April 26, causing both sites to be temporarily shut down.
Amid growing unrest from the residents of Hawaii, Gov. David Ige issued a moratorium, effectively putting the building of the giant telescope on hold.
In his statement, Ige thanked the TMT in agreeing with the moratorium, stating that the group is "respectful and sensitive" not only to the residents of Hawaii, but also to the people's culture and sense of place.
"It's a significant project and this will give us some time to engage in further conversations with the various stakeholders that have an interest in Mauna Kea and its sacredness and its importance in scientific research and discovery going forward," the governor added.
As of the moment, there are no definite dates given as to when the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope will resume.
Kahoʻokahi Kanuha, a local resident opposed to the TMT project, explained the importance of the protest movement to the Hawaiian people.
"I am not quite sure our people have seen a movement like this in their lifetime and I think it's a testament to the fact that our people have been ignited and are ready to move forward and resolidify ourselves throughout the world as a people and a country," he said.
Photo: Kashif Pathan | Flickr
