Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 6, 1 Iune 1990 — OHA challenges Navy's use of Kahoʻolawe [ARTICLE]

OHA challenges Navy's use of Kahoʻolawe

By Ed Miehelman Public Information Officer The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is challengingthe right of the United States Navy to use the island of Kaho'olawe as a bombing and shelling target. Foreign nations have been warned that title to the island is under dispute. Kaho'olawe is among the approximately 400,000 acres of former Hawaiian crown and government (ceded) lands still held by the United States government. The ceded lands were taken by the United States when Hawai'i was annexed in 1898. No compensation has ever been paid for the lands or its subsequent use. OHA says the ceded lands under federal jurisdiction must be returned to Hawai'i for Hawaiian use. Work on federal legislation asserting Hawaiian entitlements to ceded lands continues.

A statement, adopted unanimously by the OHA trustees, April 27, says in part, that the Office of Hawaiian Affairs intends to initiate a formal inquiry with the United States Navy and with Sen. Daniel K. lnouye (D.-Hawai'i) concerning the conditions and terms under whieh foreign powers are granted permission to train on other parcels of ceded land besides Kaho'olawe, including Bellows Field on O'ahu and Mana on Kaua'i. lnouye is chairman of the Senate Military Appropriations Subcommittee. Among the issues to be addressed are the responsibility that is assumed by foreign armed forces for any damage done to historic archaeological sites; the standards imposed for range, accuracy and noise levels of their ordnance (weapons, am*munition,vehicles, supplies); responsibility that participating foreign powers will assume

for removing bombs and ammunition from Kaho'olawe when it is returned to the Hawaiian people; and the fees charged to foreign navies for the privilege of using ceded lands for training exercises. Copies of the OHA trustees' statement are being sent to the President of the United States, the Prime Ministers of Canada, South Korea, Japan and Australia, all members of the Hawai'i Congressional Delegation, chairs of the Armed Services Committees of the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives, the Secretary of the Navy, the Commander, United States Third Fleet, the Governor of the State of Hawai'i, the President of the State Senate and the Speaker of the State House of Representatives, the Mayor and the County Council of the County of Maui and the Protect Kaho'olawe 'Ohana.