Akaka Bill: Office of Hawaiian Affairs OHA Trustees Vote Unanimously to Support Recent Changes to Hawaiian Recognition Bill
Hawaiians overwhelmingly oppose the Akaka Bill aka the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (NHGRA) yet the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Trusteesignore the will of the Hawaiian people.
On July 15, 2010 the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) posted a press release that details their unanimous decision supporting the Akaka Bill which was made without the input of Hawaiians:
An excerpt:
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustees voted unanimously today to support the changes to the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (NHGRA), which were recently agreed to by Senator Daniel Akaka, Senator Daniel Inouye, Governor Linda Lingle and Attorney General Mark Bennett.
“This timely and unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees places OHA, the Constitutional entity representing Hawaiians, at the lead position in supporting these important changes, which will allow all of us to move forward with this landmark bill,†said Haunani Apoliona, Chairperson, Office of Hawaiian Affairs. “This bill is good for Hawaiians and will bring beneficial outcomes to all residents of Hawai‘i. This is an opportunity for Native Hawaiians to unite and move forward together with a collective voice. I encourage ALL Hawaiians, wherever they may reside, to participate in the process for it will take all of us working together to make a difference for years to come,†Apoliona said.
You can view the press release by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supporting the Akaka Bill unanonymously while ignoring the will of the Hawaiian people here:
Hawaiians are not an American tribe. We are not “Native Americans.†Hawaiians are people of islands far removed from the North American continent.
Hawaiians are in fact an inclusive group consisting of diverse peoples of many races and ethnic backgrounds.
The Akaka Bill is being put forth without input or consent of the people of Hawai`i which would allow those affected to present testimony on the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act.
In 2000 only two days of hearings were held on O`ahu island. All other hearings were cancelled.
The current and past bills addressing the United States relationship with Native Hawaiians to provide a process of recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity were subsequently redrafted and amendments were added with no input or testimony from Hawaiians.
No hearings have ever been held in Hawai`i on the current legislation before the 2009 Congress.
The Hawaiian people seek the right to a fair and democratic process that includes hearings on these bills throughout the islands that comprise the state of Hawai`i.
For 9 years, Hawaiians have requested that island wide hearings be rescheduled so that the hundreds of Hawaiians who want to testify can be included and their concerns heard.
The current effort being pursued in the United States Congress violates the most fundamental principles of democracy and human rights.
The Administration of President Barrack Obama came to office promising open government dedicated to truth and justice for all peoples.
We call upon the Obama Administration and the Congress to fulfill that commitment.
We call for Congressional committees to hold hearings on the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act in Hawai`i to provide Hawaiians their right to make their views and opinions known.
In contrast to the Akaka Bill, we demand a free, fair, impartial “Lahui” process of self-determination to decide what form of reconciliation is acceptable to the majority.
THEREFORE WE THE UNDERSIGNED STRONGLY OPPOSE the Akaka bill in any of its forms (HB.862, HB.1711, HB.2314, SB.381, SB.708, SB.1011,) until Congressional hearings are scheduled and held in Hawai`i on all islands, and in all states on the US continent where a significant population of Hawaiians reside, in order to provide them the right to a democratic fair, free, and impartial process of self-determination and to empower them with the ability to determine the culturally appropriate mechanism for their own self-governance and future.
Akaka Bill: Another Example of Some People Using the Akaka Bill to Single Out and Target Hawaiians Based on Their National Origin, Ko Hawai’i Pae Aina
Conservative American News recently posted a diatribe about the Akaka Bill. In it they state some racist things about Hawaiians based on their national origin. This should never be tolerated for ANY group of people.
An excerpt:
There is the additional complicating factor that it’s not clear just who is a Native Hawaiian. Racial intermarriage has been common in Hawaii for a century and a half, and some have estimated that there are only a few hundred people left all of whose ancestors were Native Hawaiian. The Akaka bill provides that a federal commission determine who qualifies for inclusion in the new tribe. Anyone see an opportunity for political favoritism here?
Courtesy of someone in Hilo and reposted with his permission, this letter from Senator Dan Akaka epitomizes how Senator Akaka is not listening to the will of the Hawaiian people as in Kakou or “all of us” — not just a select few — when it comes to the Akaka Bill.
An excerpt:
Please be assured that 1 respect your views. Although we do not share the same views, I will continue to support legislation that will provide federal recognition to Native Hawaiians. Thank you for taking the time to share your views with me.”
Akaka Bill: Response from Senator Akaka
Akaka Bill: Senator Daniel Akaka’s Response to the Akaka Bill
It is obviously that Senator Akaka is not listening to the will of the people when it comes to the Akaka Bill.
Hopefully the Republicans will put a stop to the Akaka Bill. In the last 10 years it has appeared in the Senate twice and both times Republicans shot it down.
Hopefully the Republican party will be the one who actually LISTENS to the will of the Hawaiian people as in “Kakou” or “ALL of us” — not just a select few.
Hopefully the Republican party will put a stop to the Akaka Bill once and for ALL. Literally.
* Senator Dan Akaka’s response regarding the Akaka Bill reposted with permission by the recipient
Akaka Bill Panel Debate Video – February 16, 2010 Video 3 of 3
Video #3 of the Akaka Bill Panel Debate of February 16, 2010 is comparably shorter than the previous two. It expresses the seriousness and subsequent consequences of half-truths, lies, and BETRAYAL!
I mentioned that I would be posting the latest vote of the Akaka Bill. Here it is.
On December 16, 2009 the House Natural Resources Committee meeting approved the “Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act of 2009″ (H.R. 2314) also known as the Akaka Bill, introduced by Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), by a vote of 26-13:
Power. Balanced. The Akaka Bill stall = Courtesy of some Republicans so if you are Republican and oppose the Akaka Bill please write to your senator and let him or her know to put an end to the Akaka Bill.
Please refrain from racist comments about Hawaiians when it comes to the Akaka Bill.
I notice so many racist statements being said about Hawaiians. Those racist statements about Hawaiians when discussing the Akaka Bill are unnecessary.
The Akaka Bill is in big trouble. Earlier this week, Republican Senator Jim DeMint placed a ‘hold’ on the bill, which in essence freezes the bill from moving forward. This is the newest setback in a series of catastrophic hits over the past six weeks that took the bill from certainty of passage by Christmas, to certainty of passage by February, to being dead in the water.
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How did this happen? Let’s go back about eight weeks… the Akaka Bill was literally days away, closer than it’s ever been, to passing…
 AKAKA BILL – SNEAK ATTACK PROTEST
Monday, December 14, 2009, independence protesters assembled at the corner of Beretania and Punchbowl to protest an attempt by Hawaii’s US senators Daniel Akaka and Daniel Inouye to sneak the Akaka bill into one of the large US federal appropriations bills while congress and the nation were distracted by the epic battle over the huge healthcare reform bills.
 INOUYE’S DENIAL
Senator Inouye in Washington, D.C. hurriedly issued a strong denial, but it was way over the top, like that of someone caught with his hand in the cookie jar. No one believed his denial as everyone knows sneaky back-door deals is his specialty, his modus operandi.
 STATE WITHDRAWS SUPPORT
Our SNEAK ATTACK protest triggered inquiries by Governor Lingle, and uncovered a scheme (brokered by Robin Danner) between Akaka and the White House to amend the Akaka bill in two days. State Attorney General, Mark Bennett, sent a scathing letter to Akaka and the members of the house and senate committees, strongly objecting to the unexpected changes and withdrawing the state’s support of the bill. He also suggested that public hearings be held in Hawaii before Congress takes further action on the bill. This constituted a major blow to the Akaka bill, as the State of Hawaii is the most vital player in the scheme of things.
 OBAMA ASKS QUESTIONS
The demand for ‘congressional-hearings-in-Hawaii’ grew to a clamor coming from many diverse quarters. Even President Obama caught the hint from protestors at the entrance to his vacation compound while in Hawaii over the holidays. Of course it was hard to miss the huge banners and signs for ‘congressional hearings in Hawaii.’ Sources tell us that upon returning to DC, the White House asked questions about why there had not been hearings in Hawaii.
 OHA CAUGHT OFF GUARD
Apparently the Office of Hawaiian Affairs was also caught off guard by the amendments. OHA was strangely silent about the crisis for quite some time. Eventually OHA responded with yet another dog-and-pony TV forum. Their purpose? To squelch the growing demands for congressional hearings in Hawaii and assure everyone that everything was still on track. The OHA show was unbelievably shameful and pathetic.Â
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[Ironically, the day of OHA’s televised forum hyping the Akaka Bill, Senator Akaka was on Maui holding a “public hearing†for Maui veterans for a proposed vet complex (as they deservedly should get). This insult by Senator Akaka (the vets get a hearing, Hawaiians don’t) has not been lost on the people of Hawaii.
 CONGRESSIONAL SUPORTERS CAUGHT OFF GUARD
Co-sponsors of the bill like Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski, were also kept in the dark about the amendments. Murkowski has hedged her support.
 INOUYE’S DAMAGE CONTROL FALLS FLAT Trying to regain composure, Inouye arrogantly tells the press that the governor’s balk was just a matter of miscommunication and that he would get it straightened out over the holidays, and the bill will pass by mid February.
 OHA and STATE TEAM UP On January 20, the State AG and OHA submitted a list of 30(!) changes they would like to see made to the Akaka Bill, in essence crippling any chances of it being passed any time soon, certainly not “by mid-February.â€
 SHIFTS IN SENATE KILLS BILL
The surprise upset by Scott Brown in Massachusetts left Democrats in the US Senate one short of the 60 needed for a super majority to dislodge a ‘hold’ or stop a ‘filibuster.’ Sure enough, Senator Jim DeMint placed a hold on the Akaka bill. For all intents and purposes, the bill is dead.
 INOUYE/DANNER PLOT EXPOSED
One of the bonuses of the last six weeks is that the long, unholy alliance between Inouye and the Danner sisters has been exposed. The last-minute amendments (that caused the eventual collapse of the bill) would have contracted CNHA (the Danner’s non-profit corporation) to be the interim administrator of the Native Hawaiian tribe, until such time that negotiations were ever completed for the creation of a Native Hawaiian Governing Entity.
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In a supreme display of poor judgment, Robin Danner has been sent out into the Hawaiian community to put out the wildfires of growing opposition to the Akaka bill. But Hawaiians are ma’a to what’s going on and Robin’s presence is like pouring gasoline on the flames. The more she tries to extinguish the fires, the larger the conflagration gets.
Akaka Bill: Local Hawai’i Press Colludes with Some Politicians
Yesterday the editors of the Honolulu Starbulletin came out with a biased editorial. So much for being fair and balanced about the Akaka Bill. Unfortunately they posted their opinion about the Akaka Bill… even though most Hawaiians do not want it:
Stop the Akaka Bill. Photo credit: FreeHawaii.info
Akaka Bill: The Akaka Bill In the News Again
Today KGMB9.com covered the Akaka Bill posting in part:
“The Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, a.k.a. the Akaka Bill, got the official endorsement it had been waiting for from the Obama administration Thursday.
Senate Bill 1011 would allow the creation of a Native Hawaiian governing body to work with the United States and the State of Hawaii. That group can negotiate over transfer of lands, civil and criminal items and grievances by the Native Hawaiian community.
It will not change existing laws and will not allow gambling. Senator Akaka says it will not allow private lands or businesses to be taken, create a reservation, or give land back to the Native Hawaiian group without the legislature’s approval.
Today before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian affairs the Obama administration spoke up.
“The Department of Justice strongly supports the core policy goals of this bill and I am very pleased to testify on this historic legislation today,” said Sam Hirsch, Deputy Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice. “Despite numerous obstacles, Native Hawaiians have a sustained history of acting collectively and creating institutions to preserve Native Hawaiian forms of social organization, religious practice, family and cultural identity and other distinctive cultural practices.”