Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 7, 1 Iulai 1990 — Democrats adopt three resolutions about Hawaiians into 1990 platform [ARTICLE]

Democrats adopt three resolutions about Hawaiians into 1990 platform

In his unifying speech at the re> ent Democratic Farty convention in Waikiki, Gov. John Waihee brought forward three matters concerning native Hawaiians. One endorsed a ful! and fair resolution of all controversies surrounding Native Hawaiian Trusts, one recognized the inherent rightof native Hawaiian people to a self-determined governance

and the final one urged the United States government to cease bombing the island of Kaho'olau e, restore the island io a safe condition and to retum the island to the state and the people of Hawai'i. Among the delegates at the convention were three trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs: A. Frenchy DeSoto, Louis Hao and Clarence Ching. The resolutions were introduced by Kina'u Kamalii and Patricia Brandt. The full text of the resoltitions follows.

Native Hawaiian Trusts Whereas, the people of Hawai'i have enjoved the benefit and use of nearly 1 .5 miilion acres of the former public, crown and government landsof the Kingdom of Hawai'i whieh were illegally taken with the active intervention of the United States in 1893, subsequently ceded as a condition of American annexation in 1898, and eventually transferred to the new State of Hawai'i at admission in 1959: and

Whereas. title to these lands was conveyed to the State with certain trust constraints, including State Constitutional provision for the Hawaiian Homes trust Congressionallv-created in 1921, for the benefit of native Hawaiians of fifty percent or more native biood and an additiona! public trust described in Section 5 of the Admission Act for public purposes and for the betterment of native Hawaiians: and

Whereas, a new "Article XII: Hawaiian Affairs" to the State Constitution was adopted in 1978, embodying the Hawaiian Homes trust covenant es tablishing the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA). and creating a new public trust for native Hawaiians reflecting a pro rata share of ineome

from certain public lards later determined as twenty percent by the State Legislature; and Whereas a public trust for the benefit of all Hawaiians, regardless of blood quantum, is consistent with the trust intent and puhlie good of the State of Hawai'i; and Whereas, these puhlie native Hawaiian and Ha\* aiian trusts have been surrounded by controversies regarding the management, disposition, and beneficiary interest of the Native Hawaiian people; and

Whereas, under the leadership of Governor John Waihee. the issues surrounding the past due entitlement and future clarification of the OHA trust were successfully negotiated and legislatively implemented this year; and Whereas, the Democratic Party of Hawai'1 wishes to acknowledge the impressive progress whieh is being made and to affirm and to endorse all continuing efforts to address these controversies as vital to the nurturing and realization of a just society; now therefore Be it resolved by the Democratic Party of Hawai'i meeting in convention t h • t it endorses a full and fair resolve of all controversies surrounding the native Hawaiian trusts.

Self Governance Whpreas. the indigenous native peoples of the United States — including American Indians Eskimos, and Aleuts - have properly been aecorded federal and individual state recognition of their inherent right to a self-determined form of self-governance and management of group resources; and

Whereas, this recognition has been extended to a wide spectrum of governance models ranging from traditional tribal councils to corporate structures to democratically-electe'' assemfdies asdecided by the native group; and Whereas, the recognition of such native governanee draws its strength and Constitutional integrity from the historical government-to-

governm' nt interchange with the United States as a nation among nations; and Whereas. the struggle to define self determination and give form to group governance is an on-going and dvnamic pr ces^ among Hawaiians aspiring to affert the nature andqualit\> o< a shared future as a community decision; and Whereas the citizens of the State of Hawai'i aeknowledge the difficulty of this process and its eentral role to the future full empowerment of the Hawaiian people in managing their resources and defining their destiny now therefore Be it resolved by the Democratic Party of Hawai'i that it recognizes the inherent right of the Native Hawaiian people to self-determined governance.

Kaho'olawe Whereas, Kaho'olawe is one of the family of islands now romprising the State of Hawai'i whieh was ceded to the United States in 18^8: and Whereas, the island of Kaho'olawe was set aside by a presidential executive order in 1954, as a practice firing range for U.S naval training exercises: and Whereas, during the intervening thirty-five years a number of significant changes have oecurred in global peaee initiatives and international stability greatly lessening the need for such exercises; oeean activities and population growth on and around the County of Maui has greatly increased the likelihood of civilian accidents related to the exerrises: additional archaeological and biotic surveys have confirmed a richness not previously known on the island and has resulted in the listing of more than 300 sites as eligible for 'he Nahonal Register; and

Whereas. the special spirit and value of Kaho'olawe for the expression of "aloha 'aina," traditional rpligious practice and belief, and as a continuing symbol of the love Native Hawaiians and Hawai'i have for the land; and Whereas, the 1954 executive order anticipated the return o* Kaho'olawe to the people and State of Hawai'i in a safe condition allowing for eontinued public peaceful uses; now therefore Be it resolved by the Democratic Party of Hawai'i meeting in convenhon that it urges the United States government to cease the bombing of the Island of Kaho'olawe, restore the island to a safe condition, and to return Kaho'olawe to the State and people of Hawai'i.