MANA challenges OHA on federal recognition

The following statement was edited for style. The message has not been altered:

Between June 23 and July 8, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) held 15 hearings in Hawaiʻi seeking input from Kānaka Maoli on a possible rule change in federal law that would allow for a government to government relationship with Native Hawaiians. Throughout these packed hearings we witnessed an outpouring of love and patriotism as testimony after testimony rejected the proposed rule change, rejected federal recognition and re-affirmed over and over that the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi still exists as a subject of international law. And it is through international law that we expect to move forward to restore justice to our people, lands and government.

We call on the DOI and the Obama Administration to move forward under the principles of democracy, heed the voice of the people of Hawaiʻi and cease any further support for U.S. federal recognition of Native Hawaiians, despite what efforts particular individuals who claim to represent our people may say to the contrary.

The DOI called for hearings in Hawaiʻi after a number of back door meetings with representatives from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) and politicians who were in Washington pushing for federal recognition in violation of their commitment to the Hawaiian people to facilitate a neutral process toward self-governance. OHA tried to be sneaky but unfortunately for them, what they sparked was a unified, democratic Hawaiian voice that sounded a resounding “No! No! No!” to federal recognition.

After weeks of oral and written testimony in nearly unanimous opposition to federal recognition the only moral action for OHA to take is to abandon Act 195, the Kanaʻiolowalu roll and the pursuit of a governing entity. Instead, OHA intends to perpetuate the status quo, proving that they do not truly represent the concerns and hopes of the Hawaiian community. The question then remains, who is OHA working for? Who do they represent? Why have they turned a deaf ear to the many voices of the people? Why have they abandoned their own publicly announced commitment to an open and neutral process; their own commitment to be “hands off?”

OHA might state they are obliged to the 125,000 on the Native Hawaiian roll, also known as Kanaʻiolowalu. We would remind OHA that they are obliged to all beneficiaries, three fourths of whom chose not to sign up for the roll. We must also emphasize that three fourths of the 125,000 names on the roll did not choose to be on the roll but, rather, were hijacked by Kanaʻiolowalu from other Native Hawaiian databases. In addition, many have found the names of deceased relatives who passed away before the roll was ever created and who the roll commission will not allow living loved ones to dis-enroll.

OHA cannot move forward with the corrupt and offensive Native Hawaiian roll and cannot move toward a so-called “governing entity.” Doing so without any mandate or consent of the people is unprincipled and undemocratic. It promotes division and disunity among our people and will only result in calls for escalated resistance, disengagement and direct action.  MANA—the Movement for Aloha No Ka Aina—calls for a process of fair and open dialogue where every voice is heard and all opportunities for education are encouraged and where open, free dialogue and debate is required. We have full faith in our community to truly speak for themselves in a clear, educated and unified voice. OHA’s disregard for our community demonstrates their own fear of the wishes and concerns of an educated lāhui.

In closing, we want to acknowledge and thank everyone in the community who came out to speak at the DOI hearings, no matter what side of the issue you took. Today we stand here as MANA. Our message to the lāhui is to remain steadfast! Heed the call of the Queen and onipaʻa! We call on the lāhui to organize your families, your neighborhoods and your mokus. To hold your own public dialogues and educational forums. Continue to have full faith in yourselves and in your communities and in the lāhui.  We will continue to speak for ourselves in a clear, educated and unified voice. We know who we are. We are Kānaka Maoli; we are Hawaiian nationals. We are not Americans! The U.S. has no legal authority over our nation and we will continue to challenge them to prove otherwise.

But we challenge OHA to have the same faith in our community. We challenge OHA to put resources toward education that will bring to light the full range of options for the restoration of our government and assets that are available to us under international law. And we challenge OHA to a public debate over our pathway forward.

E ola ka aina, e ola Papahanaumoku, e ola Mauna Kea, e ola Moananuiakea, e ola na kupuna, e ola ka lahui Hawaii, e ola ke aupuni Hawaii. E ola! Aloha Aina.