May 5, 2011
Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom. Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono.
Aloha mai Kakou,
SB1520 Akaka clone passes
On Tuesday, May 3, both the Senate and the House passed SB1520 CD1, "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GOVERNMENT." The bill does two things:
- It adds a new chapter in the Hawaii Revised Statutes to recognize the native Hawaiian people as the only indigenous, aboriginal, maoli people of Hawaii. Although this seems innocuous, it is intended to move in concert with the efforts by Senator Akaka and Hawaii's Congressional Delegation to achieve federal recognition of Native Hawaiians.
- It establishes a process for Native Hawaiians to “organize themselves” as a step toward developing a full-fledged “reorganized Native Hawaiian governing entity” and, ultimately federal recognition.
The bill is meant as a way to prime the pump and to jump start the federal Akaka bill now languishing before the US Congress.
SB1520 contains several major flaws that we can exploit, not only to undermine and waylay it, but to advance our claim as a still existing independent nation. Another good thing is that, unlike the Akaka bill, this battle will take place on our home turf and will be about our home turf! Soon the state legislature will find that they just unwittingly signed up for a MMA match they cannot win.
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SCR55 Discoverers Day to Indigenous People’s Day
Unfortunately, SCR55, the resolution to change the state holiday designation of Discoverers Day to Indigenous People’s Day did not get to a vote on the floor of the house. However, during the process, SCR55 established the intent of the legislature. Next January a bill will be reintroduced to make the necessary statutory change. With the intent established, it should pass the 2012 session without any trouble.
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Next UN Meetings
Continuing to build on the progress we’ve made at the UN, there are several upcoming sessions of UN bodies that I will be attending over the next few months -- beginning next week (I have to leave May 11).
May 16-27 - the 10th Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples (PFII) at the United Nations in New York City. We will be participating in discussions that concern the future of our nation, including resisting classification under World Heritage Areas; maintaining the validity of Hawaiian Kingdom treaties; participatory democracy and self-determination (voting rights, etc); etc. While in NY I will also be briefing the ex-pat community, international organizations and the diplomatic community on progress being made in the restoration of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
On this trip I will also be making a visit to Washington DC to do briefings to help bolster our cause there.
Transportation has been covered, but I am in need of kokua for other expenses: housing, ground transportation, food, etc. Your kokua is greatly appreciated. See below for how you can contribute.
Ho’omaika’i,
I am,
Leon K. Siu
(808) 265-2085
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Any kokua you can provide will be greatly appreciated!
You can get funds to me in the following ways:
- Check/mail – Make check or money order payable to:
Leon Siu and mail it to:
PO Box 22, Aiea, Hawaii 96701
(while I’m away, someone will collect, deposit and notify me of contributions that come in) OR ...
- PayPal – Deposit into PayPal account: leon@hits.net (please notify me by email)
Mahalo!
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