Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 14, Number 9, 1 September 1997 — Con-Con a threat to native rights [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Con-Con a threat to native rights

by Manu Boyd Registered voters head for the polls again this December to decide whether the state should hold a constitutional convention (Con-Con). In last November's general election, 163,869 voters supported a Con-Con to propose amendment to the state constitution while

160,153 were īn opposition — a difference of only 3,716. Thestate Supreme Court ruled that 45,245 blank votes and 90 spoiled ballots counted as "no" votes. So the "nos" had it by a margin of more than 41,000 votes. U.S. District Judge David Ezra overturned the Supreme Court ruling this July and ordered the state to hold another election this year because of the ambimiitv of the

blank/spoiled ballots. At the urging of State Chief Election Officer Dwayne Yoshina, Judge Ezra extend-

ed the eleehon deadline from Sept. ■ 9 to Dec. 2. H According to Yoshina, the H special eleehon will cost tax payers $2.1 million. Including the ||g| Con-Con question on the 1998 *>• General Election bal!ot, would cost $276,000, a savings of more than $1.7 million. Many fear the controversial ConCon could reverse significant strides

made by and for Hawaiians two decades ago. While the 1959 Admission Act guarantees native rights, it was not until the 1978 State Constitutional Convention that dormant issues were raised and ratified to protect the rights of the "Kānaka Maoli," the indigenous people of Hawai'i. 'Olelo Hawai'i (Hawaiian langauge) was recognized as the official language of the state, along with Engli^h Hawaiian hari

been banned 80 years earlier. Instruction in Hawaiian history and culture in the state educational system was

mandated as well. The most significant feature called for the payment of revenues owed to Hawaiians from ceded lands — lands taken by the U.S. government in the 1898 annexation and returned to state control in 1959. Since 1980, the recipient of ceded land revenues, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, has provided services to thousands of Hawaiians through business loans, grants, educational programs and more. OHA resources also support the Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation, Alu Like ine. and many other entities whieh cooperatively serve Hawaiians. Hawaiian entitlements are protected by the state constitution. Attempts to amend the constitution at a Con-Con will open the door to all-too-familiar assaults on native rights and entitlements. E ala, e alu, e kuilima\ (Rise up together, join hands!).

Attempts to amend the constitution at a ConCon will open the door to all-to-familiar assaults on native rights and entitlements.

Ka Wai Ola o OHA