Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 10, 1 October 2006 — OHA seeks assurances from Army regarding Schofield cultural sites [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OHA seeks assurances from Army regarding Schofield cultural sites

By Derek Ferrar Public lnformation Specialist OHA officials have asked the Army to provide assurances that it will take adequate steps to protect a heiau and other cultural sites in an area at Schofield Barracks that is slated to heeome part of the training range for the new Hawai'i-based Stryker Brigade. In late September, OHA officials met with Col. Howard Killian, commander of the U.S. Army Garrison in Hawai'i, to ask him for an explanation of how the Army plans to safeguard the sites, and to inform him that the agency is prepared to seek a court injunction to stop

work in the area if necessary. Earlier, OHA's Board of Trustees approved up to $250,000 to ensure that the sites are protected. In July, cultural observers hired by the Army reported that an unexploded-ordnance eleanup crew had bulldozed through a buffer zone near the ancient Hale'au'au Heiau in the area traditionally known as Līhu'e. The eleanup work was temporarily halted, but has reportedly since resumed. OHA Administrator Clyde Nāmu'o told The Honolulu Advertiser that he explained to Killian that "we're not looking to litigate this if we ean avoid it. Our preference is to have the Army assure us there is eomplianee with

the agreement" that OHA and other Hawaiian groups have signed with the Army covering the protection of eultural sites within the Stryker Brigade areas. Earlier, the anti-militari-zation group DMZ Hawai'i/

Aloha 'Āina had called on OHA to sue the Army to stop the work in the area. "Sites have been destroyed and are being destroyed," Kyle Kajehiro, a spokesman for the group, told Ihe Adverli.ser. "That's why we need some

sort of preliminary injunction." Nāmu'o said, however, that Killian appeared receptive to OHA's concerns, and that he was hopeful an agreement could be reached without resorting to court action. E3

NŪ HOU - NEWS

OHA is seeking assurances from the Army that cultural sites at Scholfield Barracks will be protected as training areas are prepared for the new Stryker vehides. - Photo: Sterling Kini Wong