Gabriela Ngirmang

Mirair Gabriela Ngirmang (1922 – 10 October 2007) was a Palauan peace and anti-nuclear activist.

Background Ngirmang was born in 1922 in Palau. Her father is from Airai and her mother is from Koror. Both her parents held high-ranking positions within their clans. She was considered a matriarch of the Ikelau clan and held the title of 'Mirair', the second woman’s title in Koror, for over twelve years.

For fifty years Ngirmang led the women's organisation Otil a Beluad (which can be translated to 'anchor of our land’) and continued to defend the nuclear-free clause in the constitution. Ngirmang's daughter, Cita Morei, was also a prominent member of the movement.

In 1987, when the Palauan government attempted to amend the clause to require a simple majority rather than 75% support, Ngirmang led a group of fifty women elders and took the government to court. During this time, the elders were threatened and Ngirmang's house was firebombed. Seeking support, she travelled to the United States, including addressing the United Nations and United States Congress. However, in 1989 the case was taken back to court and the government unilaterally amended the clause to require only 50% voter support.