Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 9, 1 Kepakemapa 1996 — Native Hawaiian Vote led by "gadoots" [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Native Hawaiian Vote led by "gadoots"

By Samuel Kealoha Trustee, Moloka'i and Lāna'i One more time, for those who have missed the eanoe and are still confused conceming the "plebiscite/Native Hawaiian Vote," and the reasons why this is a ffaudulent SCAM! "Fair, Open and Democratic" is an outright lie, the facts are clear, the outcome has been predetermined. "Voting" binds our people to the state's process. It is to block anv future attempts of our people

in resolving the "sovereignty question." International law expert, Professor Francis A. Boyle, of the University of Illinois at Champaign, has concluded that, by going forward with the OHA/ HSEC'S scam, "the odds are quite high," that we will be unjustly deprived of our right to a plebiscite or referendum, and thus ultimately deprived of our 'rights to selfdetermination' as required by intemational law and as recognized by the Apology Resolution.

In response to Prof. Boyle's mana'o, HSEC requested that Prof. Jon M. Van Dyke reply. It should be noted Prof. Van Dyke is a long time paid consultant to OHA. He asseits that the U.S. Indian model, and not intemational law, is applicable in this instance. In support of his position he cites his own law review article in whieh he concludes that through the "plebiscite" HSEC and OHA ean become the new Native Hawaiian nation and that federal recognition would follow to "allow OHA and HSEC to deal with the state and federal govemment on a govemment-to-govemment basis." In 1995, two federal bills were secretly introduced in the U.S. Congress for this purpose, unbeknownst to our people. The bills seek to limit the sovereignty rights of our people by recognizing Native Hawaiians as an "Indian tribe," whieh would relegate "Native Hawaiians" to wardship status under the U.S. federal govemment and the recognition criteria under the law would set back our right to sovereignty, self-determination and the right to our land! HSEC states that a disclaimer is placed on eaeh ballot whieh reads: "The Native Hawaiian Vote does not surrender any elaim against the U.S.A. or the state including but not Umited to lands, historical social-economic-cultural injury, sovereignty or any right of self-determi- | nahon." But, this disclaimer does not address the true i purpose of this vote! Nor does this vote seek the immei

diate relinquishing of our sovereignty claims, but rather it seeks to insure that our people have relinquished eontrol over to a process approved of and controlled by the state and the federal government! Whether our people vote "yes" or vote "no" the state and federal govemment wins and we lose. It assures that thc legislature framework, process and control will be maintained, and that the state has the "right" to reinstitute a new or similar process in the future. Given the track record of America, it will be used to limit the options of our people to the controlled

process of the state. rather than one eonsistent with intemational law. The state "plebiscite" and the Federal recognition bills are part of a plan to insure that OHA as the new "Native Hawaiian nation" that functions as a "gadoot" govemment. This is the real purpose "shake and bake" status quo i polkieal organization, in the likes of "Hui Kalai'āina," say "you have the power to make OHA pono." ^ HSEC realizes that they are supposed

to comply with intemational law, "decolonization" is mentioned in their literature, but they fail to comply with the most basic aspects of decolonization. HSEC declares that the word "plebiscite" has been changed to "Native Hawaiian Vote." But the definition of the word plebiscite, is "a vote of the people." This further exposes why HSEC is not "independent" from the state, and why they purposely misled our people and the general public by using the term "Native Hawaiian Vote." The state has a direct interest in controlling the process, approximately 95 percent of the lands under the control of the state are "ceded lands," lands originally belonging to the Hawaiian Kingdom that are supposed to be retumed to our people. For this reason our honorable legislative bozos waived the conflicts of interests law, even though our people largely remain uninformed of the nature and consequences of this vote. The state "plebiscite/Native Hawaiian Vote" is being led by HSEC "gadoots," and is consistent with the practice and policy of the U.S. government to promote "plebiscites," and variously named elections and votes in countries around the world whieh purport to be "fair, open and democratic." These elections, however. are strategically designed to result in an ouleome ffh-orable , to the U.S. govemmen; po]itical. eeonomie and mili- ( tary interest!