Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 15, Number 2, 1 February 1998 — Autonomy act hits wall of Hawaiian opposition [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Autonomy act hits wall of Hawaiian opposition

Bill dies before reaching floor

When Rep. Eel Case sat down and typed out House Bill 2340, also known as the Native Hawaiian Autonomy Act, he was about to leam a valuable lesson. It was the simple lesson that Hawaiians must be included in the fonnulation of any legislation that affects their future. Within days after the bill's initial distribution, Hawaiians, Hawaiian organizations and nonHawaiians throughout Hawai'i were pointing out the devastating flaws of the bill. As OHA Chairperson A. Frenchy DeSoto put it in her commentary published in the Honolulu Advertiser and in this month's Ka Wai Ola, the hill was a "patronizing insult" to the Hawaiian eommunity. If successful, the hill would have swept OHA's portfolio, DHHL's homesteads and trust assets the state currently holds for Hawaiians into "one autonomous entity," a Native Hawaiian Trust Corporation run by 13 elected trustees. It would have effectively ended any eontracts that the state has to Native Hawaiians in terms of ceded land entitlements. "There is a dangerous element of this proposed legislation," said DeSoto in her commentary. "It attempts to use plenty of pohtically correct terms, such as "autonomy," that appeal to many. Yet it actually does the opposite by continuing to plaee our lands under the state's regulatory control as well as further reducing the state's constitutionally required and court-ordered obligation to Hawaiians." Virtually every major Hawaiian organization agreed with DeSoto's strong opposition to the bill. Together with 'īlio'ulaokalani, Ka Lāhui Hawai'i, the Anti-Annexation Federation, Ka Pākaukau, the Hawai'i Eeumenieal Council, the Council of Hawaiian Organizations, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, the State Council of Hawaiian Homesteaders Associations, the Nahon of Hawai'i, the Ahupua'a Action Allianee and many others, OHA trustees and staff participated in a 24-hour vigil followed by more than 10 hours of testimony opposing the bill at the state capitol. The gathering drew more than 1,100 Hawaiians and non-Hawai-ians who stood together in opposition to the autonomy act. Keiki from immersion schools, college students paying their way from Hawai'i, kupuna from throughout the state and every other age group and walk of life were at the vigil. At the end of the vigil, hundreds of participants marched from the capitol rotunda down to the auditorium

where testimony was being given on the bill. The walls shook as Rep. Case sat quietly and listened as the entire room erupted with the tradihonal eanoe chant used for rallying: I kū maumau, I kū wā I kū maumau, I kū huluhulu I ka lanawao, 1 kū wā I kū lanawao, I kū wā I kūwā huki, I kūwākō lkūwāa mau, A mau ka eulu E huki ē, Kūlia! The chant was among other mele oli, messages, tears, letters, faxes, phone calls, ealm discussion, demands and anger — all directed at the autonomy bill that could have taken away so mueh from Hawaiian entitlements. Tbe voice of the Hawaiian community was too mueh for Case's hill to bear, as Case decided to hold the autonomy bill and House Bill 235 1 (a bill that would have regulated native Hawaiian gathering rights) in committee, effectively killing both bills. Chairperson DeSoto and Vice Chairperson Haunani Apoliona related their pleasure that the autonomy hill would die. "If there is a single lesson to be leamed, it is that Hawaiians must be involved in decisions whieh affect their lives," said DeSoto. Anything short of this is wrong and perpetuates the damage done to Hawaiians and their community ----- im ■n ii -i mMmm

more than 100 years ago. "I commend all of our people for the united pohtical strength they demonstrated over the past two weeks, and look forward to us working together to sustain this poliheal effort during the halanee of this legislative session and into the November elections," said DeSoto Feb. 2. "E lauhma pu kākou (Let's all work together)." As for Apoliona, she noted in a recent interview that the autonomy bill "is one of several measures that are very detrimental to Hawaiian entitlements. The session is not over yet." People who are interested in learning about the legislative issues confronting Hawaiians or would like to get involved ean attend any of OHA's Beneficiary Outreach Project meetings this month. See Pages 21 and 22. ■

On Thursday Jan. 22, OHA Chairperson A. Frenchy | DeSoto joined cultural practioners and other activists at the statuc of - : Queen Lili'uokalani on the grounds of the state capitol to protest the f proposed Autonomy Bill (HB Bill 2340) drafted by Rep. Ed Case. This I protest primed the capitol for the 24-Hour vigil held Jan. 30 - 31 . I

PHOIO: J AYSON HAI?PĒR |