The 65th anniversary of the opening of the Honouliuli Internment Camp will be marked at a free event March 2 at the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i.

"Never Again: E.O. 9066 to Honouliuli" is sponsored by the cultural center and the Japanese American Citizens League-Honolulu Chapter.

The title refers to Executive Order 9066 signed by President Franklin Roosevelt on Feb. 19, 1942, that allowed 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry to be removed from their homes on the West Coast and detained in camps across the country.

The Honouliuli Internment Camp was opened March 1, 1943, for the detention of approximately 300 Hawai'i residents.

By war's end, an estimated 1,440 people had been detained or interned statewide.

The March 2 commemoration, from 1 to 3:30 p.m., will feature a video presentation and speakers including National Park Service archaeologist Jeff Burton, who has studied 35 World War II internment sites and will share his most recent findings on Honouliuli.

Another National Park Service official, Frank Hays, will share his experiences and involvement in the preservation of the World War II Manzanar National Historic Site in California.

Gail Honda will discuss her research on the experiences of Hawai'i internee Otokichi Ozaki, and University of Hawai'i law professor Eric Yamamoto will talk about his legal work and scholarship on civil rights and reparations for historic injustices.

Other sponsors are the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce, the Honolulu Japanese Junior Chamber of Commerce, the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawai'i and the American Friends Service Committee Hawai'i.

The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai'i's Community Gallery will host an exhibit titled "Dark Clouds Over Paradise: The Hawai'i Internees Story," March 1 through April 11. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

For information call 945-7633, or visit www.jcch.com.