Nai Aupuni releases strange, defensive statement regarding protesters

The statement has no attribution and insinuates that protesters like Walter Ritte, who held a press conference about his own decision to abstain from the Nai Aupuni aha process and withdraw as a candidate this morning, are refusing to participate because they are afraid that they won’t get their way. Here is the statement:

RESPONSE FROM NA‘I AUPUNI REGARDING THOSE WHO PROTEST THEIR PROCESS


HONOLULU – Na‘i Aupuni encourages Native Hawaiians to voice their opinion on the election process because the voters and delegate candidates should hear all voices.

However, the fact that some Native Hawaiians protest because they are concerned that their desired outcome will not be accepted emphasizes the need for a Native Hawaiian convention. Without a process where elected leaders can discuss various options and issues to find a consensus, the Native Hawaiian community will never proceed forward in unity. The outcome of the Na‘i Aupuni process, which involves 90,000 potential voters and 200 candidates, cannot be predetermined but it will be an important first step toward achieving Native Hawaiian solidarity.

In fact, protesters like Ritte and Andre Perez, have repeatedly said that their concern stems from the use of the Kana‘iolowalu roll, which did not come close to including even a majority of possible Hawaiian registrants and which, as a roll controlled by the State of Hawaii, is inherently another form of U.S. control and occupation over Hawaii.