Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 5, Number 10, 1 ʻOkakopa 1988 — Inouye: Reparations Possible in6-8 Years [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Inouye: Reparations Possible in6-8 Years

By Ed Miehelman Puhlie Information Officer U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye convened his Select Committee on Indian Affairs at the East-West Center in Hawaii at the end of August to find out what Hawaiians think about the subject of reparations for the Hawaiian people.

What he heard ranged from recommendations for a commission appointed by Congress or the President to restudy the events surrounding the 1893 overthrow. . .to a rejection of the whole idea of reparations and a demand for Hawaiian sovereignty now. Most of those testifying favored a new independent study commission whieh would make recommendations to Congress on reparations. ThenOHA Chairman, Moses Keale, testified that if a study commission is necessary, "The most appropriate new body to examine our claims would be one comprised of some individuals appointed by the national government and some appointed by the Hawaiian people."

Keale toid the Committee, whieh included Representative Daniel Akaka, the Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs feel that the United States must acknowledge the wrong done and apologize for the role it played in the events of 1893. He urged the return of lands and natural resources to native Hawaiians through the Office of Hawaiian Affairs as well as an appropriate monetary payment by the United States through OHA.

Senator lnouye, in his opening remarks, stated "There is no question in my mind that the Hawaiian people suffered a monumental injustice when their own government, the monarchy under the reign of Queen Liliuokalani, was overthrown in 1893 with the assistance of United States government personnel."

During a break in the proceedings, reporters asked the Senator his reaction to the laek of unanimity by Hawaiians on the reparations issue. He replied "I think this is part of the community process. I would have been horrified if they all spoke in one voice on an issue of this importance." Asked how long he feels it will take for Congress to pass legislation granting Hawaiian reparations,

Inouye said it would be reasonable to expect legislation within six to eight years. As far as sovereignty for Hawaiians is concerned, Inouye called it "a legitimate issue that must be considered by this Committee and the Congress." However, he said, "It may take a year, it may take ten years, it may take a hundred years See Reparations, page 2

OHA trustees Moses K. Keale, Sr., A. Frenchy DeSoto and Moanikeala Akaka testified atthe hearing on reparations for Native Hawaiians.

or it may never eome. No one knows, because Congress is very jealous of its jurisdictions."

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Reoarations Possible

lnouye suggested that a "pragmatic approach" to Hawaiian sovereignty would be to look at the Indian model. "The lndians have limited and eonditional sovereignty. For example, if you should commit a felony, a murder on an lndian reservation, the state government wouldhave jurisdiction. If you committed a misdemeanor such as speeding on a reservation against a posted mileage of the

Indian eouneil, you would be arrested by Indian security and forced to face an lndian court. . .so it's very limited. It's a mixed bag of trust relationship on one hand, and on the other hand self-determi-nation. So it's not a clear case of sovereignty such as the government of New Zealand has sovereignty." "Anything ean happen" lnouye said. "Congress could in its wisdom and judgement decide to set aside the Hawaiian Home Lands in Waimea as the loeale of the sovereign nation of lahui Hawaii (the Hawaiian nation)."