Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 7, Number 12, 1 December 1990 — DeSoto on Kahoʻolawe commission [ARTICLE]

DeSoto on Kahoʻolawe commission

Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee A. "Frenchy" De9oto will represent OHA on the Kaho'olawe Island Conveyance Commission. Under terms of legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka and approved by the Senate, the Commission will recommend the terms and conditiohs under whieh the United States is to return Kaho'olawe. In addition, the bill prohibits the use of Kaho'olawe as a bombing range and authorizes the Commission to study the possibility of restoring the island and its potential as a marine sanctuary. The five-member Commission, a part of the

Defense Appropriations Bill, was approved by a joint committee of the U.S. House and Senate. and Senate. The measure calls for two members to be appointed by the Secretary of the Navy, two by the Governor of Hawai'i and one by the Administrator of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The appointment of Trustee DeSoto was made by Administrator Richard K. Paglinawan, in eonsultation with Chairman Thomas. K. Kaulukukui, Sr. Kaulukukui said, "Frenchy, who more than anyone else was responsible for the shaping of OHA during its formative years, and by virture of her continuing efforts on behalf of the Kaho'olawe

movement, was the obvious ehoiee as OHA's representative." DeSoto said, "It's been a long, long struggle whieh is not yet over. I intend to work diligently to make sure that Kaho'olawe is returned to its rightful heirs, and I look forward to working with Emmett Aluli who carried the torch of righteousness all these years, and with Mayor Tavares." Dr. Aluli and Maui Mayor Hannihal Tavares were appointed to the Commission by Governor Waihee. DeSoto said she feels now that the tragic deaths of Kaho'olawe activists George Helm and Kimo Mitchell were not in vain and that "aloha 'aina will be vindicated."

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has long opposed military use of Kaho'olawe and has taken formal action three times since 1986, calling for a halt to the bombing and the return of the island. In Apnl 1990, OHA advised foreign nations not to participate in military maneuvers at Kaho'olawe and warned them that title to the island is under dispute.