Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 2, Number 1, 1 Ianuali 1985 — Matsunaga to Introduce Reparations Bill [ARTICLE]

Matsunaga to Introduce Reparations Bill

U. S. Sen. Spark M. Matsunaga of Hawaii will introduce legislation in Congress next year asking some kind of paymenttonative Hawaiiansforthe 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy. In his weleome address at swearing-in ceremonies for four recently elected trustees Nov. 28 in the Senate chambers, Office of Hawaiian Affairs Chairman Joseph Kealoha said Matsunaga's bill also calls forthe U. S. to acknowledge the "illegal and immoral overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani." "I ean assure you that OH A will be at the forefront of the effort to ensure a favorable reception for this immensely important pieee of legislation," Kealoha said. "I eall on the Congress of the United States to right a 91-year-old blot on the honor of this country," he continued. "Sparky informs me that the first draft of the bill is just about completed. After review by Sen. Daniel K.

Inouye and Reps. Cecil Heftel and Daniel K. Akaka, the draft will be submitted to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and other Hawaiian organizations for comment. If all goes according to plan, the final draft will be introduced into the Congress by mid-February of next year," Kealoha explained. Inouye, who was among guests at the swearing-in, said afterwards that the legislation will reflect the recommendations of the Native Hawaiians Study Commission minority report whieh calls for eompensation for both the overthrow of the monarchy and the ceding of lands to the federal government. This means that supporters of the bill will have to go up against the conclusions of the NHSC majority report whieh last year rejected the idea of reparations. An educational trust fund or a land trust are other possible forms of compensation, Inouye noted. Kealoha called on every member of theOHA board, every Hawaiian organization, every individual

Hawaiian and everyone who is Hawaiian at heart "to join in the struggle to restore to the Hawaiian people the pride and dignity whieh were taken from them by force of arms." On another matter, Kealoha reflected on the fouryear history of OHA and admitted the organization has "made some mistakes." He explained, however, that OHA ean point "with considerable pride to a number of accomplishments, despite our extremely limited financial resources." Among the accomplishments, he pointed to: • OHA's native Hawaiian land title project, whieh he said helped native Hawaiian families win back legal title to millions of dollars worth of property. • Providing seed money to groups and individuals seeking to become self-sufficient. • Helping to preserve the Hawaiian language and culture through the funding of language learning centers and other projects.