A judge has ordered officials of a Honolulu church to stop construction of a multipurpose center until the building site, formerly used as a cemetery, is cleared of all graves.
Circuit Judge Edwin Nacino ruled Friday that Kawaiaha`o Church could not continue the work until all burials are removed and the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs decertifies the site as a cemetery, the Honolulu Star Advertiser reported Saturday.
Decertifying a cemetery involves clearing all human remains from the site, then advertising and holding a public hearing, the newspaper said. The church is also required to excavate at least 4 feet in search of remains.
The ruling is another setback for the leaders of Hawai`i's oldest church over the controversial project, which was delayed for two years after initial discoveries of human remains were made in early 2009.
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