Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 8, 1 August 2004 — Hawaiian government necessary with or without Akaka Bill [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian government necessary with or without Akaka Bill

Aloha nui kākou. Another month has gone by, and as time marches on we fast approach the end of the congressional session and, perhaps, the Akaka Bill. There are those who are suing OHA that would cheer the bill's demise and there are those who join them from the other end of the spectrum who are seeking complete separation from the United States - seemingly an unholy allianee but one united for a eommon objective: stop Akaka. With the session coming to an end we have the media reporting the bill DOA thus fueling speculation and generating a puhlie perception that the bill will fail for the third time in a row. This, however, is as close as the bill has ever eome to being passed and our congressional delegation to a man has worked long and hard to pass this bill and won't cease their efforts. Senator Akaka and Senator Inouye have done

all we ean expect and the fact that a Senate procedural rule would allow one or two senators from other states to deny Hawaiians long overdue recognition and threaten the potential loss of our identity as Native Hawaiians despite support by more than 60 other senators, is a sad eommentary on fairness in politics. Nevertheless, where there is a will there will be a way, and our senators have the experience, expertise, seniority and friendships to preclude us from counting the bill out just yet. Along with the support of our delegation, governor, Legislature and most all mainstream Hawaiian organizations in Hawai'i and on the mainland - including the only elected body to represent all Hawaiians, OHA - this bill has the legitimacy and justification to be moved over or around the unjust hold that has been placed on it in the Senate.

And so what happens if it doesn't pass this year? We try again next year, having bought ourselves extra time by winning motions in the U.S. District Court this year. Again, why Akaka? In one word, Arakaki. We need Akaka to help us prevail in court. We need also a government entity and that's where Kau Inoa comes in. Except for OHA's underwriting of the costs to establish and conduct an election process for some kind of government, OHA is not involved in Kau Inoa. True, OHA has published materials and will be sending out more, but only in an effort to help create a base of voters who will ultimately be able to express their desires first, as to who should be selected to create the organic documents and kind of government that will represent Hawaiians, and, second, to elect Hawaiians to lead their government. Kau Inoa has nothing to do with Akaka. Kau Inoa is not run by OHA

and its trustees. A group open to all Hawaiians, the Native Hawaiian Coalition, gathers regularly to make decisions regarding Kau Inoa and the process of creating a government. Hopefully they will be able to eome to some reasonable consensus someday soon and allow the rest of us to move forward to choose delegates to a constitutional convention and then on to the creation of a Hawaiian government. And so, with or without Akaka this year, Hawaiians need to press on with the creation of a government whieh will be something rather than nothing to add to our argument before the Supreme Court against the Arakaki plaintiffs. In the meantime, OHA will continue to defend Hawaiian rights in court and to seek passage of the Akaka Bill, whieh despite criticisms against it, is still the best and most reasoned hope for Hawaiians to secure their future, not tomorrow, but today. ■

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Boyd P. Mossman Trustee, Maui