Doris Flores Brooks

The Mariana Islands were peopled some 3,000 years ago, and over centuries, developed the unique Chamorro culture. But for more than 100 years, Guam has been politically separated from Rota, Titian, Saipan and the other islands in the Marianas.

After nearly 400 years of Spanish occupation, the split occurred when the United States decided after the Spanish-American War that it needed only Guam as a coaling station for its Pacific fleet. Germany took possession of the other Mariana islands. After World War I, Germany was succeeded as colonialist by Japan.

After World War II, the northern islands were a district of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands until 1976, when the Northern Marianas was made a U.S. commonwealth with a better status than Guam, vis-a-vis the federal government.

Despite the colonial turnovers, the Chamorros to the north have maintained an affinity for their Chamorro neighbors in Guam.

Poll: Should Guam and the Northern Marianas unite politically? Poll closes at 5 p.m. July 30, 2017.

Past attempts

According to Don Farrell, a respected author of several books and articles on the Mariana Islands, as early as 1957, the people of the northern islands and the Guam Legislature opted for political unification of the Marianas. The people of Saipan voted 63.8 percent for unity.

In a resolution in 1958, the Guam Legislature, said: “Despite this unfortunate and perhaps accidental division of one race, the people of the Marianas have never lost hope that a day will come when all Chamorros once again will be reunited within a homogeneous political and economic union under one government administration.”

The pleas of the islanders fell on deaf ears in Washington.

The issue was revisited in 1963, 1966 and 1968 when leaders of the islands, including Speaker Carlos Taitano of the 8th Guam Legislature, urged the political union of the Marianas. On Nov. 4, 1969, Guam voters rejected unification, 3,720 to 2,688. Five days later, the people of the Northern Marianas still voted in favor of joining Guam in one political entity.

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Over the years, many have endorsed political union, among them Ricky Bordallo in 1983, during his second term as governor; Guam Del. Tony Won Pat; and even Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Congress contemplated unification in 1980 when it passed a law, codified at 48 USC Section 1844, providing that if the islands are politically unified that there be: "no diminution of any rights or entitlements" then available to Guam and the Northern Marianas; no adverse effect on funds authorized or appropriated to either; and that no federal agency take action "that would in any manner discourage such unification."

Stronger together

Now, when Guam's political status is a hot topic, it's time to seriously consider joining Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as one political entity. Whether you're for independence, free association, statehood, commonwealth or even status quo, it's time to recognize that our islands would be stronger together than they are as separate entities. There are definite economic and cultural advantages to be had.

In 1994, during my last term as a Guam senator, I introduced Bill 882 to create a joint commission to explore the benefits of unification. I hoped a companion measure would be adopted by the CNMI Legislature. Unfortunately, nothing came of my effort.

But that doesn't mean the idea should be abandoned. It's time for fresh thinking on unification and political status for the Mariana Islands. As the slogan for the just completed 73rd observance of Liberation Day put it, there is “Strength in Unity.”

Doris Flores Brooks is Guam's elected Public Auditor and a resident of Piti.