Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Number 1, 1 September 1981 Edition 02 — OHA'S POSITION [ARTICLE]

OHA'S POSITION

F i-^ighty-eight years ago, President Cleveland recognized American involvement in overthrowing the Hawaiian monarchy and proposed that the United States help restore Lili'uokalani to the throne. Today, it may be too late to restore the monarchy, but it is not too late for the United States to acknowledge the role it played in the events of 1893 and to make meaningful reparations to the Hawaiian people. Here at OHA, we see the Native Hawaiian Study Commission as one, but only one, step in the reparations process. The Commission has been mandated to study and report on the "culture, needs and concerns" of the Hawaiian people. Next month, the Commission will hold hearings in Hawaii. Our task is to fully tell the story of Lili'uokalani's overthrowand

to present the facts and case clearly. We think it is important and that the Commission understand that the overthrow of the monarchy was not an isolated event in Hawaii's history, but has had a eontinuing effect on Hawaiians. We hope to demonstrate to the Commission that a substantial wrong was committed in 1893 and that Hawaiians, as a people, have been economically, socially, politically, and culturally disadvantaged as a result. We encourage you to testify at the hearings and tell of your situation as a Hawaiian. While the Native Hawaiian Study Commission hearings give us an opportunity to present our case, we do not believe that reparations will be easily won. It may be many more years before a just solution is reached, but OHA iscommitted to reaching that solution.