Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 24, Number 10, 1 October 2007 — Controversial civil rights panel wraps up recognition hearings [ARTICLE]

Controversial civil rights panel wraps up recognition hearings

By Crystal Kua | Directur uf Communicatiuns Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees eame out in full force to testify in support of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act before the Hawai'i State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, whieh wrapped up meetings across the state last month. The committee traveled to Honolulu, Hilo and Llhu 'e in September to take public testimony, and at eaeh meeting, OHA trustees were there to tell the eonmiihee why it should not overtum its previous support of the measure also known as the Akaka Bill, whieh seeks federal recognition of Native Hawaiians as an indigenous people. Trustees also continued to voice eoneem over the integrity of the coimnittee, whieh has been criticized for being "stacked" with members who are opposed to the bill, some of whom have also sued to abolish Hawaiian programs as being illegalfy "race-based." "I would ask those of you who sit on this committee that have a direct conflict of interest regarding Hawaiian programs to declare your conflicts and recuse yourselves from voting on this matter," Trustee Oswald Stender told the advisory committee when it met on Sept. 12. Stender, who was a member of the committee before he was elected an OHA trustee, added: "In my opinion, the only reason these hearings are being held by this 'stacked' committee is because the commission wants to erase the stand that has already been taken by the committee's previous members." The panel, whieh met in August at the state Capitol and on Maui, retumed to Honolulu on Sept. 5 for an all-day session at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Members listened to a presentation by three OHA representatives - Chairperson Haunani Apoliona, Trustee Boyd Mossman and board counsel and fonner Hawai'i Supreme Court Iustice Robert Klein. "Passage of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act will finally give official and long overdue recognition to Native Hawaiians, many of whom still suffer from the adverse social, eeonomie, environmental, spiritual and cultural impacts of the United States' overthrow of our world-recognized sovereign Hawaiian goveinment more than a century ago," Apoliona told the committee. The coimnittee also heard from independence advocate Kekuni Blaisdell and Grassroot Institute associate Iere Krischel, who spoke against the bill. On Sept. 12, the committee went back to the state Capitol to take public testimony and the next day went to Hilo. There, fonner OHA Trustee Moanikeala Akaka, while criticizing the Akaka Bill for being "watered down," also denounced the make up of the advisory eommittee and said the issue of federal recognition has nothing to do with race. "This Civil Rights Commission has become a sham," she said. OH A Tmstee for Hawai 'i Island Robert Lindsey said that the Akaka Bill is about fairness and protection of Native Hawaiian programs and justice. "Native Hawaiians, with their unique culture, values, history, assets and institutions ean best detennine and implement solutions to solve programs specific to Native Hawaiians," Lindsey said. The last stop was on Kaua'i, where the panel heard from Kaua'i Trustee Donald Cataluna and OHA Administrator Cfyde Nāmu'o.