To the Forum: The Dec. 10-11 US Interior and Justice “Reconciliation” Hearings for “Native Hawaiians” listed “self-determination” and “political relationship” among the agenda topics. However, these two issues have already been pre-determined by the colonial US and State of Hawai’i
To the Forum:
The Dec. 10-11
US Interior and Justice “Reconciliation” Hearings for “Native Hawaiians” listed
“self-determination” and “political relationship” among the agenda topics.
However, these two issues have already been pre-determined by the colonial US
and State of Hawai’i governments for us Kanaka Maoli people in our
homeland.
The Rice v Cayetano case before the US Supreme Court and US
Congressional legislation define the relationship as two imposed “trusts” that
divide us Kanaka Maoli: (1) “Hawaiian Home Lands trust” and “5(f) ceded lands
trust” for “50+ percent blood quantum” “native Hawaiians” and (2) OHA for all
“Hawaiian” or “Native Hawaiians” as descendants of 1778 island inhabitants.
Each trust has different colonially determined “entitlements,” including
promised “trust lands.”
Both trusts from their inception have been, and
continue to be, abused by the colonial “grantor”/”trustee” US and State
governments to the detriment of Kanaka Maoli “beneficiaries.” Since these
“trusts” were unilaterally imposed, without initiation, negotiation nor consent
by our Kanaka Maoli people and nation, they are violations of our Kanaka Maoli
inherent sovereignty and right to self-determination.
Colonial authorities
argue that the “trusts” are “analogous” to that of “Native Americans” under
Federal Indian Law. We Kanaka Maoli strongly reject such analogies and refuse
to be, as American Indians, “wards” in a “domestic dependent nation” “subject
to the plenary power of Congress.”
The “Reconciliation” Hearings “within
the framework of federal law” also deny us Kanaka Maoli true and full
self-determination as defined by UN covenants in UN General Assembly
Resolutions (UNGAR) 1514 and 2200: “All peoples have the right to
self-determination; by virtue of that right, they freely determine their
political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural
development.”
Since 1946, the US has had a “sacred trust” obligation to the
UN as administering authority to promote Kanaka Maoli self-determination under
UN Charter, Chapter XI. At that time, our homeland Ka Pae’aina (Hawai’i) was
inscribed on the UN List of Non-Self-Governing territories eligible for
decolonization. Instead of promoting this self-determination process for our
colonized Kanaka Maoli people with three options – independence, free
association and integration, the US violated the trust with the 1959 fraudulent
Statehood process.
Therefore, we Kanaka Maoli are pursuing reinscription on
the UN List, for under international law (UNGAR 2625), we “retain full rights
as a people and territory, separate and distinct” from the US.
Meanwhile,
we seek relief from the grave health, economic, social and cultural devastation
of our people. This plight results from the US’s destruction of our government,
taking of our lands, cultural conflict and coercive assimilation, as detailed
in the August 1993 People’s International Tribunal and acknowledged, in part,
by the November 1993 US Apology Resolution (PL 103-150).
“Reconciliation”
cannot be pono (just) unless there is redress. Full redress for US wrongs
against our Kanaka Maoli people and nation requires Kanaka Maoli and US
negotiating as equal powers with mutual consent. This, in turn, requires
oversight by an impartial international body.
E ho’omaka kakou i kela hana
pono (Let us begin this just process).
Sincerely,
Kekuni
Blaisdell
Honolulu, O’ahu
