What: Unity March

When:  Friday, December 7 — assembly starts at 4:30pm

Where:  Kilili Beach to American Memorial Park

Why:  To protest Public Law 15-108, the new local labor law; to express support for the extension of federal immigration law to the CNMI; and to call on U.S. Congress to retain the provision that would grant improved status to long-term alien residents in the bill to federalize immigration                                                                                    

Who:  All members of the community are invited to join this march

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All members of the community, of all nationalities, cultural backgrounds, religions, and occupations — are invited to participate in the CNMI’s first Unity March on December 7, 2007, beginning with an assembly at 4:30pm at Kilili Beach across from Ada Gym and ending at American Memorial Park.

The Unity March will be a peaceful demonstration of solidarity against the harmful, punitive, and anti-business provisions of the newly-enacted local labor law, Public Law 15-108.  The new local labor law, which will become effective in January 2008, threatens to severely impact the local economy, workers in the private and public sectors, businesses, and families. 

Demonstrators will also march to express support for the extension of federal immigration law to the CNMI, and for improved immigration status for long-term alien residents of the CNMI.  Improved status for long-term alien residents will help create a freer labor market, encourage rising wages and better working conditions, provide a bigger, more stable and more reliable pool of qualified resident workers for businesses, reduce workers’ vulnerability to labor abuses and exploitation, and keep families together.  Improved status for long-term alien residents, combined with a sound and fairly-enforced federal immigration program tailored to local needs, would do much to stabilize the local economy and put the CNMI on a path to genuine recovery. 

All members of the community have a stake in the immigration and labor issues facing the CNMI, whether they are citizens, permanent residents, or aliens, and therefore, all members of the community are encouraged to join in the march.   Supporters in Tinian and Rota are also invited to hold a Unity March in their respective islands on the same date and time.  

Unity March participants are asked to bring water and a flashlight.  Also, as a symbol of peace and hope, please wear white to the event.

For more information about the Unity March, please text or call Boni Sagana at 484-0507, Tina Sablan at 483-3935, Ed Propst at 483-7361, or Steve Woodruff at 235-3872.

We hope to see you there.

– Tina Sablan