THE REPUBLIC OF PALAU PEOPLE’S PETITION

We, the people of Palau, hereby petition our Government, the Government of the Republic of Palau, to secure a separate agreement with the Government of the United States in relation to Section 312 and
352, Title III of the Compact Agreement between Palau and the United States, by which the entire civilian population would be safe should a military attack reaches Palau’s territory or its vicinity.

Whereas, the first and foremost aim of a national security framework of any nation shall be to ensure full protection of the nation’s civilian population at any given time against any form of natural disasters,
catastrophic accidents, or foreign military aggression; and

Whereas, the threat against peace and security of Palau’s civilian population came about upon entry into force of the Compact Agreement between Palau and the United States, as acknowledged in Title III of the same agreement, despite the agreement’s security intent for both parties; and

Whereas, besides general terms of defense responsibilities of the United States for Palau as provided in Title III, there are no specific terms in the Compact aimed at protecting civilian lives in the event of an attack; and

Whereas, having experienced the horrors of WW II as a result of Japan’s military buildup in Palau, the threat of being attacked despite US military presence in Palau is very real in our minds; and

Whereas, the sights and sounds of powerful US military assets taking part in unannounced US military exercises in and around Palau, compounded with recurring news of arms race and territorial disputes in the region raise public fear of the possibility of reliving the horrors of WW II; and

Whereas, Palau’s habitable land area is less than 177 square miles, surrounded by the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, with the devastating power of today’s weapons of war, the threat of turning civilian population into collateral damage in time of war is very real in our minds, and we, the people, cannot have peace until an agreement with the United States specifically to safeguard Palau’s civilian population in the event of armed conflict in or around Palau is secured; and

Whereas, Title Three, Article V, Section 351 provides for semiannual consultation between Palau and the US on any matter relating to the Compact Agreement, and Title Four, Article II, Section 421 of the
Compact Agreement provides a legal avenue for any of the parties to confer promptly with the other on matters relating to the provisions of the Compact or of its related agreements.

Now, therefore, we, the undersigned People of Palau, in exercising our fundamental right prescribed under Article IV, Section 3 of the Constitution, and in performance of our civic duty to safeguard the
people, the very existence of this country, and Palau’s healthy continuity as a nation-state, hereby petition the Government of the Republic of Palau to secure an agreement with the United States by
which specific plan of action would be undertaken to protect Palau’s civilian population in the event of an armed conflict where the Palauan population would eminently be in harm’s way. Because this agreement seeks to protect the people and the nation from existential threat, we, the people, would not have a sense of peace and security until such an agreement is secured.