OHA considers legal action to protect cultural sites against Army Stryker vehicles
MOLOKAI—The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is using a “balanced approach” to hold the Army accountable for protecting cultural sites from further desecration on its Stryker Brigade locations, according to OHA’s CEO Clyde Namuo at a board of trustees meeting on Molokai yesterday.
A member of the community complained that the letter OHA sent to the Army on August 13 had no legal teeth because no clear-cut demands or timelines were made.
The OHA letter only states that the Army “promptly evaluate the historic properties identified” as a result of the 2008 settlement between the two groups. It concludes by asking “in the spirit of cooperation and in good faith ... a continued collaboration between our office and your agency.”
Namuo disagreed.
“I do believe it does have teeth because it states the Army is not fulfilling substantially [sic] the Programmatic Agreement,” Namuo said.
But Namuo thinks that OHA should connect with new Army personnel first. Colonel Mulberry, U.S. Army Garrison Commander, has only been on the job a few months and doesn’t know the issues. Namuo believes OHA should first reach out to him. There’s a chance he could be very receptive to concerns in the Native Hawaiian community.
“Past garrison commanders were sensitive,” Namuo said.
Nonetheless, Namuo believes the Army’s negligence in recent months, particularly with the unearthing of iwi at Schofield Barracks at Lihue in May, is telling.
“The spirit of the Army is not what we had hoped,” Namuo said.
In the event that the Army shows no evidence of working to protect the sites, OHA is expecting to decide within the next two months whether to seek an injunction to halt Stryker Brigade activities.
Namuo also stressed that, before legal action is taken, OHA should make sure it has a solid case that sites are threatened.
“A restraining order is not something that should be done lightly,” Namuo said. “There needs to be eminent danger, and we haven’t established that.”
A failed first attempt at an injunction could make succeeding attempts more difficult.
“The judge is going to say, ‘You were just here,’” Namuo said.
At the Molokai meeting, OHA trustees also discussed if there were other people who could intervene on behalf of the Hawaiian community.
OHA chairperson Haunani Apoliona questioned the role of Annelle Amaral, who is the liaison between the Army Garrison and the Native Hawaiian community. Amaral was instrumental in forming the Native Hawaiian Advisory Council, which signed a covenant with the Army in May to facilitate cooperation between the two groups.
“The liaison is paid for by the Army,” Namuo responded. “It’s a compromising position.”
“Her role needs to be sticking up for Hawaiian issues,” Apoliona responded.
“It should be Annelle at the forefront of this,” said Machado. “She needs to be put in her place. She needs to be doing more.”
As for the advisory council, Namuo said they have no legal pull in forcing the Army to follow their advice.
“I have no doubt they want to do the right thing,” he said, “but can they force the Army? No. Legal action is the only way.”
Machado then expressed urgency.
“I encourage (OHA) staff to look very hard at this,” she said. “If we need to take legal action, I suggest we do it.”
Note: After readingthis I couldn't resist the temptation of posting this on Maoliworld for comments!
Replies
This was a weak moment on my part, mahalo for the strong words.
"I can hardly wait till the Army receives their license to posses DU and use it in their live fire training." This was not smart to say.
The Army should not receive a license ever! To receive a license to posses and use DU in the live fire training excercise should not ever come to our Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific. We don't have these type of uranium therefore it shouldn't exist. Much aloha
U.S. President Obama
entity State of Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle
entity OHA/Office of Hawaiian Affairs
entity Royal Order of Kamehameha
entity Ahahui Kaahumanu Society
entity Hale o Na Alii
other entities claiming to have alii or standing in our Hawaiian Society, etc.
Royal bloodlines, true bloodlines of Kamehameha, Kamehameha III, Kahekili, Kaumualii, et. als. exist. True landowners including the Crown Land owners exists.........the true trustees of Queen Liliuokalani's trust, etc. exists with stories of genocide, etc.
The entity State of Hawaii FAILS to protect the lives, safety, health of the people - kanaka maoli/aboriginal Hawaiians, their U.S. citizens, foreigners, visitors..........therefore are inept and truly illegal even under their own Constitution..........
The true bloods are here, and the signers of the "covenant " with the military has no standing and oppositions have been documented by the true bloods.......not the phoney oldies who are NOT alii claiming to sign something that they nothing about.......they are and remain ignorant to the facts and are NOT related to our Royal families.... and they have no authorization to work with the belligerent occupiers to bomb the hell out of of Hawaiian Islands, with the intent to exterminate our good peoples.
OHA is a significant lame ass entity created which utilizes the title "Hawaiian" for any one born in the islands which is a misrepresentation of the true bloods, the true land owners, etc. They are Hawaiians betraying everyone who live, eat, drink off of our Islands..........they are conspirators or co-conspirators against all humankind in our Hawaiian Islands.....and claim to represent our people when they are just an entity created by the belligerent occupier giving "color of law" to their criminal entity that cannot exist due to the premeditation of assuming our Hawaiian Kingdom, our Queen, and support those who defended the international lawbreakers, foreigners (U.S. , England, and the bankers) who did break Permanent Friendship Treaties, and the Laws of Nations ......
They are a mockery to nations who claim Peace..........they do not belong here, are not authorized to use any kind of weapons, toxins, etc. and are in the business of extermination campaign against our good people.
The entity State of Hawaii, OHA/Office of Hawaiian Affairs, City and Counties merely support their moves to kill off all of our good people in the islands...........so, they are not fit to have any kind of government here and legally, morally, can be usurped by their own citizens, etc. The countering moves by their citizens, et. als. includes human rights violations, terror activities, genocide, etc. can also be piggy-backed on claims with our Hawaiian/ aboriginal Hawaiians/kanaka maoli as well. Tourists, all other innocents claims will also be added with the intent to document the U.S. as a terrorist nation along with the Sandanistas, etc. who have taken their case to the World Court and have documented that U.S. is indeed a terrorist nation.
Yes, OHA is in deep kim chee..........Amaral, Apoliona, et. als. have not protected the lives, safety, health of our people in the Hawaiian Islands and will be listed on the genocide activities list, along with all the participants of the illegal document "Covenant/covenant" created by the belligerent occupiers.
Once again, these are the documents showing Premeditation to assume our Hawaiian Islands, Pearl Harbor, our government, our Queen via the following which was found by Shane Lee, a researcher:
The U.S., along with England, and the bankers owes the Hawaiian Kingdom, and our Royal families 500 Trillion dollars per year in gold coins retroactive to 1893....This is also a notice of debt due.
Aloha,
Amelia Gora, a Royal person, Acting Liaison of Foreign Affairs, Royal Families House of Nobles, Hawaiian Genealogy Society Representatives, Hawaiian Kingdom
cc: interested others
My children took me to Aloha Tower to listen to J-Boog, Green, Kolohe Kai and two other bands (senior moment). I wanted to make it home so I drank water for most of the night, but I danced my booty, my che che, my whole body and spirit the whole night long. I couldn't get enough of it.
It was an amazing night, my children all grown-up were so beautiful in the night skies.
I had lots of daughters all around me after they learned that I was their mom. I kept kissing my daughters and didn't realized people were watching and curious. Once I explained that I was there mom, I had hani a whole buch of daughters.
I was so blessed last night because even the singers noticed us and threw love back. I am so blessed at my age to be able to dance my okole the whole night long.
I spoke with Roman --he so beautiful. I told him Joshua my five year old sings his songs to me each time that we are on the car.
thanks with all my heart for having the sister connection on maoliworld. Much love!!!
I'd like to see how this will materialize; I'm not holding my breath on this. As far as the subject of Annelle Amaral, It sounds they are jealous of her status which seems to detract from OHA's self-imposed, self-aggrandized status. The kettle calling the pot black. Ho-humm!
I don't agree with that elitist's covenant nor do I agree with OHA's standing as representing native Hawaiians, especially when they are voted in b the community -at-large rather than just native Hawaiians. This tete-a-tete are the foxes fighting over who controls the hen-house!
Where have they been for about 32 wears and what have tthey been doing?
Tane
Will delet as soon as I see that you have read this piece. I couldn't resist the posting for your eyes to see.
I can hardly wait till the Army receives their license to posses DU and use it in their live fire training. Maybe only than will everyone wake up to the real confrontation. But, I still feel that an exit is the only solution for Waianae. So very sad!
Control fires paid for with federal dollars does not prevent the toxic chemicals from military installations or reserve that are trucked into Waianae from reaching our childrens playgounds. Our children in Waianae are so contaminated already that we should see the results very soon. It takes seven years tops for toxicity to begin rear it's ugly head and to take it's toll on children.
Will I be here to see this phenomenon--not sure.
OHA seems to be pretending that they haven't known all these years what the military have been doing in our Waianae community. I do believe they never showed up at any of our meetings.
I doubt if the OHA female advocates have what it takes to care enough to call Annelle on the carpet on Oahu. Molokai is an all different environment and really as someone from Oahu, do I believe the OHA trustees really care? Not for a minute! 700 thousand macaroons tells it all.
Ten hard long years confronting the military in my backyard, I don't think so that they care beyond their careers and paycheck deals. Maybe someone else has a better sense of things.