Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 18, Number 9, 1 September 2001 — Redress requires more than apology [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Redress requires more than apology

Oz Stender Trustee, At-large

Iwrote the following eommentary that appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser in 1993. My views have not changed and I want to share them with you. Having grown up during a time when my Hawaiian tūtūs believed it was important that I learn to speak English instead of Hawaiian, that I receive a Western education instead

of growing taro, and that I achieve in a non-Hawaiian environment instead of living on our homestead, I am probably the last Hawaiian you may want to ask about Hawaiian sovereignty. I have learned the Pledge of Allegiance and am proud to recite those words. I am honored to have been able to aid my country through

service in the United States Marine Corps. I am committed to our democratic form of government. I participate whenever I ean to be a part of the governance of our state and county. So what do I know about sovereignty? Very little. However, I do have opinions about justice and fairness.

SOVEREIGNTY MEANS THAT all of the lands wrongly taken by the United States must be given back to the Hawaiian people. The question is how and when. On Jan. 16,1893, 162 armed United States Marines and sailors positioned themselves near 'Iolani See STENDER on page 15

STENDER from page 13 Palaee in violation of five treaties between the United States and the Hawaiian nation. This also violated international law.

On Jan. 17, 1893, American and European sugar planters and businessmen, with the aid and support of the United States government, proclaimed abrogation of the Hawaiian monarchy. On Dec. 18, 1893, President Cleveland, in his report to the U.S. Congress, condemned the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and called for the restoration of Queen Lili'uokalani. His report was ignored by Congress. On May 4, 1898, a resolution for annexation of Hawaii was introduced in the United States Congress; it was passed by the House on June 15, 1898 and by the Senate on July 6, 1898. It was signed by President McKinley on July 7, 1898. One of the most important and primary issues underlying all the maneuvering that preceded annexation was land ownership and control. The Mahele of 1848 alienated most of the lands to whieh the chiefs and commoners were entitled. The annexation of the Hawaiian nation completed this alienation of Hawaiian lands through force and by illegal means. Through the Newlands Resolution, the illegal Republic of Hawai'i ceded its self-declared right of sovereignty over the Hawaiian Islands.

Lands and property were taken from the Hawaiian kingdom and ceded to the United States. For its part, the Congress of the United States accepted, ratified and eonfirmed the cession. then annexed Hawai'i as a part of the United States. THE UNITED STATES HAS FORMALLY APOLOGIZED for the illegal overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom, but it must also implement the following: 1. Identify all of the Iands for whieh title was transferred to the United States government at annexation, and between the United States and state governments subsequent to annexation. Title to these lands should then rest in a land trust for the Hawaiian people. 2. The value of all annexation lands sold or transferred to other parties should be reimbursed to the Hawaiian Land Trust. 3. All annexation lands used by the federal, state and county governments should be leased from the Hawaiian Land Trust. Current annexation lands declared as surplus should be transferred to the Hawaiian Land Trust. 4. All benefits from annexed lands shall be used to improve the lives of the Hawaiian people. The repository for these lands and assets should be received and managed by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, an entity whose sole mission is to strengthen and safeguard the welfare of the Hawaiian people. ■

WAIMĀNALO — DHHL's Waimānalo Kupuna Housing Project, funded in part by OHA, expects its first residents in October. Qualified kupuna may still apply for rental units. Call Judy Sakai at Prudential Locations, 7383100, for an application. Parade of Homes open house on Oct. 6, 7, 13 and 14 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. dhhl photo

Source: U.S. Geological Survey summarizing daily fresh water use in Hawai'i for 1995 including both ground water and surface water. Current figures, not yet available, would be impacted by the closing of several sugar plantation in the past six years. Measurement in millions of gallons per day. intormation graphic: Miehaei McDonaid.