Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 1, Number 6, 1 August 1984 — A Joint Statement [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A Joint Statement

(Editor's Note: The following press release was issued jointly July 13 by the flve trustees named during a press conferenee on the grounds of Kawaiahao Church at whieh time it was also disseminated to members of the media covering the event. The five trustees have requested that the press release serve as a joint eolumn by them for this issue.) The time has eome for the trustee majority of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to issue a statement regarding our position on the mueh publicized case of trustee Walter Ritte of Moloka'i. Therefore, I am presenting this statement on behalf of trustees Tommy Kaulukukui, Moses Keale, Piilani Desha, Gard Kealoha and myself, Rockne Freitas. At the May 16th board meetingin Hilo, we were the five trustees who voted against the resolution to retain Walter Ritte in his seat based on the argument th«t OH A is an autonomous organization outside the jurisdiction of state law. Our belief at the time was that we took an oath upon entering office whieh we would uphold. We still believe that, although we realize that mueh confusion exists and we need to clarify our position relative to Walter Ritte's status as a board member and the autonomy of OHA. Trustees Desha and Keale formed a delegation that met this morning with acting Attorney General Miehael Lilly to request confirmation of certain questions that would allow us to get on with OHA business in a normal fashion. He eonfirmed that the AG's opinion #84-3, whieh OHA received on June 19, 1984, has the force and effect of law. As of the date of his sentencing, Walter Ritte has no status as a trustee and the Molokai seat is presently vacant. The AG will also submit to OHA documents to the effect that

there is no longer a basis for legal payments to Ritte. To satisfy a second question that needs to be answered, we are forwarding a memo to the Lieutenant Governor to ask if there will be an acceptance or rejection of Ritte's nomination papers for the Molokai'i/Lana'i seat. We also need to clear up misunderstandings created through recent publicity that the OHA board decides when and how a vacancy exists among its members. We need to assure our many, many constituents and beneficiaries that we were elected to OH A with full knowledge that certain rules were in effect, and we will stick with our promise to uphold those rules, just as you expect us to do. At this point in time, therefore, we do not elaim any immunities from the law through autonomy. We do not see that question as the issue here. In summary, we recognize that we are in the position of living in one culture while respecting and valuinganother..But the fact remains that our ancestral culture invoked laws through a kapu system that was very harsh, with appropriate punishments and penalties for lawbreakers. That concept remains today, and we believe it applies here. We want to extend our appreciation to those of you who wrote letters, sent personal messages and telephoned your support and encouragement during the past few weeks. Y our belief and prayers helped sustain our strength in doing what we feel is right. So from trustees Tommy Kaulukukui, Moses Keale, Piilani Desha, Gard Kealoha and myself, Rockne Freitas — we assure you that we intend to fulfill our sworn oath and commitment to this office under the laws by whieh we were elected. Mahalo nui loa.

Sometimes I look at my family and what we have been doing for Hawaii. We are fighting for our right to our freedom and sovereignty. Sometimes I think

to myself that it would be easier to just be proud to be an American or at least just īet it go and go along with the crowd. Why should we care about history and what happened to our ancestors. That's all in the past and now is now.

But, 1 care. My ancestors fought for our nation and they did it not just for themselves but for us, too. We owe them something. We owe ourselves something, too. We owe ourselves the righttodignity in our own nation. We need to feel pride in who we are, something that doesn't just eome with position and money. But pride that comes with being able to respect ourselves for what we are and not put ourselves down for what we aren't or for what other people want us to be. America is probablya wonderfulcountry and many people love and respect it. But it is not right for us. It can't give us what we want — our freedom to be Hawaiians in our own land.

Four of the five trustees at the press conference, reading from left to right around table, are Moses Keale, Piilani Desha, Rockne Freitas, Thomas Kaulukukui.

Pua 'Ena Burgess