Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 9, 1 September 1999 — A house united [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A house united

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TRUST EE MESSAGES

CHAI RPERSON'S M ESSAG E

AFTER MONTHS of hard work, intense preparation, and an unwavering team effort, I want to extend a heartfelt mahalo to the following people and organizations that filed amicus eunae briefs supporting OHA and the State of Hawaii's position in the Rice vs. Cayetano case: the U.S. Solicitor General's Office and his staflf, Hawaii's Congressional Delegation and their hard-working sta£fs, staff members at the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of the Interior. Our beneficiaries' right to vote was bolstered significantly on July 28, with U.S. Solicitor General Seth Waxman filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting OHA's position in this case. In the brief, he writes about the historical events leading up to the illegal overthrow of our Queen, and that "Congress has concluded that it has a trust obligation to Native Hawaiians precisely because it bears responsibility for the destruction of their government, and their loss of sovereignty over their

land." This was a huge aeeomphshment for OHA, since the brief demonstrated thal the United States, like the State of Hawaii, recognize the special poMeal status of Native Hawaiians as the indigenous peoples of this land. This status is not based on race, as Mr. Harold "Freddy" Rice has argued in his brief. Rather, it is firmly rooted in our history as indigenous peoUiniUlJf OO illUl^UUUUO

ples. As evidenced by the numerous Hawaiian groups

that filed amicus briefs supporting our position, the message is clear that the entire Hawaiian community will not tolerate challenges to our rights and to our destiny as a people. In addition, seven U.S. states joined Rice vs. Cayetano by filing briefs supportive of the State of Hawaii. These states are advocating the State of Hawaii's right to promulgate its own Constitution, and have it ratified by its people. In essence, Mr. Rice is not only taking issue with indigenous rights, but the rights of all of Hawaii's people, since Hawaii's electorate voted at the 1978

Constitutional Convention to create the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. The vote was ratified by the entire state in 1979. I applaud everyone who helped OHA in defending the right of our peoples, while at the same time, asserting our right to selfdetermination. I am proud to be part of this group of people

who are working so diligently for the

betterment of Hawaiians. All this support for OHA's position speaks volumes, and I am eternally grateful for this participation and this show of solidarity. None of this could have been achieved without their kokua. Although the backing OHA has received from the numerous groups and governmental departments is monumental, it is not the end of the legal battle with Mr. Rice. The case will be argued Oct. 6 before the U.S. Supreme Court. Please join me in continued unanimity and prayer for a favorable outcome for our people. Aloha pumehana kakou. ■

MAHALO to al oUih^ who, willi (NIA, aipported the State of Hawai'i and Hawaiians bj ing amiciis ewiae briels: • United States Solicitor General • Hawai'i Congressional Delegation • Department of Hawaiian Home Lands • Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate • KaLāhui Hawaii • Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs • Council of Hawaiian Organizations • Native Hawaiian Bar Association • Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation • Native Hawaiian Advisory Council • Hā Hawaii • Native Hawaiian Convention • Hui Kalai'aina • Alu Like, ine. • Papa Ola Lōkahi • Alaskan Native Federation • Nahonal Congress of Araerican Indians • State of California • State of Alaska • State of Alabama • State of Nevada • State of Oklahoma • State of New Mexico •Stateof Oregon • Territory of Guam • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

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