Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 2, 1 February 1992 — Drake comments on Broken Trust report [ARTICLE]

Drake comments on Broken Trust report

The following is the statement of Mrs. Hoaliku L. Drake, chairman of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, concerning the Civil Rights Advisory Committee report, "Broken Trust."

The Hawaii Advisory Committee to the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights has made a number of recommendations aimed at ensuring that native Hawaiians receive the benefits that they are entitled to under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, 1920 as amended.

We concur with the primary findings of the advisory committee's report, that the federal government has failed, and is failing, to recognize its obligations under the act. We find it noteworthy and encouraging that a federal agency recognizes that the practices of the federal government have been discriminatory against the Hawaiian people. Our recent difficulties in getting the federal government to release funds for DHHL programs underscore

the need for federal advocacy, support and action. We expect this report to advance the agenda of the Hawaiian people at the federal level. We agree with the advisory committee's finding that breaches occurred during territorial days, for example, when Lualualei lands were illegally taken for military uses.

The advisory committee s report recommends a number of actions to right the wrongs that have existed for too long a time. We do not disagree with the objectives of those recommendations. In fact, we are giving priority to attaining many of the same objectives, although our approach may differ from that of the committee. Gov. John Waihee's action plan to address controversies under the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust provides many of those remedies referred to in the advisory committee's report. In particular, concerted efforts are being undertaken to present to the next session of the

state legislature a resolution of land claims as well as deficiencies that began in territorial days and eonhnue today. The state should and will do its share to make the trust whole; the federal government must recognize that it should be responsible for those breaches that occurred before statehood.

In his State of the State address earlier this year, Gov. John Waihee raised the question of the appropriate governance mechanism for the Hawaiian Homes Lands Trust. The advisory committee has also reported on this eoneem and has given its perception of what should be done. While we may disagree with some of the institutional and programm3tic changes the advisory committee recommends, we do agree with the intent and purpose of the advisory committee's report, and that is to move the program forward so that all of our beneficiaries will be served.