Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 12, 1 December 2015 — Federal Court rejects bid to stop Native Hawaiian election [ARTICLE]

Federal Court rejects bid to stop Native Hawaiian election

By Ka Wai Ola staff Voting for delegates for a Native Hawaiian convention was held during November after a federal court has ruled a Native Hawaiian eleehon to elect delegates to an 'aha may proceed as planned. U.S. District Judge J. Miehael Seabright refused to hloek the Na'i Aupuni eleehon, saying it's a private eleehon not subject to puhlie eleehon laws. "I'm pleased that the Federal District Court affirmed our longstanding assertion that Native Hawaiians have a right to self-determination. Judge Seabright confirmed two key facts: First, the eleehon being held by Na'i Aupuni is a private election not subject to the limitations that the plaintiffs contended. Second, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs plays no role in determining the nature or outcome of the eleehon," said Robert Klein, Board Counsel for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. "OHA is proud to have provided grant funding to Na'i Aupuni so that Native Hawaiians ean exercise their inherent right to self-determina-tion," said Kamana'opono Crabbe, OHA's Ka Pouhana and CEO. "The federal court has confirmed that Native Hawaiians have the right to bring our voices together to be heard. It's now up to us. This is our opportunity as a community to take on the kuleana — the rights and responsibilities — to improve our lives. Native Hawaiians have the ehanee to engage in Na'i Aupuni's process to ultimately create greater well-be-ing for our people today and for generations to eome," added Crabbe. ■