May 6, 2011

Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawaii, the Hawaiian Kingdom.

Filed under: Akaka Bill / SB 1520,Bills and Resolutions,Leon Siu,Statements

Ua mau ke ea o ka aina I ka pono.

Leon Siu writes:

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.

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.

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!

May 5, 2011

Amy Brinker in Civil Beat: “Passage of Poi Bill a Major Milestone for Hawaii.”

Filed under: Bills and Resolutions,Media,Uncategorized,Videos

“SB 101 has the potential to be a game changer.”

Read the article here.

Watch “The Bounty of Lono” by Kamuela Vance.

HPU Earth Day event on Fort St. Mall 4.21.11

Photos: Lynette Cruz

Watch “Kaholoku’i” by Pono Kealoha.

May 4, 2011

Lawmakers pass native Hawaiian government bill

Filed under: Akaka Bill / SB 1520,Bills and Resolutions,Media

“…the facts of history will not change, the feelings of the indigenous will not change, and this issue will not go away.”

May 2, 2011

Ke Aupuni Update – May 1, 2011 / Fake State Legislative Update

Filed under: Akaka Bill / SB 1520,Bills and Resolutions

ACTION ALERT:

“Call your legislators. Tell them to respect the right of the native Hawaiians to a government under the Federal oversight or an independent nation as was the case before the U.S. regime change in 1893.”

Leon Siu writes:

Aloha kakou,

SB1520 Akaka clone about to pass. Contact House and Senate members to express your displeasure with the bill.

Despite the House’ attempt to reduce SB1520 to simply recognizing that Native Hawaiians are indigenous to the Hawaii Islands. In conference committee Senators Mlama Solomon and Brickwood Galuteria prevailed to keep SB1520 as fake-state version of the despised Akaka bill.

Here is the story in the Star-Advertiser.

The senate won out and is moving toward their fake-state Akaka nation. The final (conference) draft bill SB1520 CD1 is here.

The final vote is scheduled for Tuesday, May 3. It is almost certain to pass.

However, it would not hurt to contact House and Senate members to express your displeasure with the bill.

At first glance, the bill has some weak spots, and with further scrutiny will probably find many technicalities to undermine and waylay it.

Stay tuned.

A hui hou,
Leon

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Poka Laenui responds:

“It appears the Legislature is on the verge of creating another roll of “qualified” native Hawaiians to elect delegates to form a sovereign Hawaiian entity. Only thing is this one is to be directed to create an entity in the fashion of an Akaka Bill, a government within the Federal government.

“What happened to the State’s commitment to follow-through with the Hawaiian sovereignty elections, the native Hawaiian vote, and the formation of the Native Hawaiian convention? That convention has decided to produce two options for the native Hawaiians, one for an Akaka bill like “nation-within-a nation” and another for independence of Hawaii which would include citizens of all races. This decision is in the style of international law and the commitment made by the U.S. before the United Nations in 1946, especially in the face of U.S. delinquency in invading and overthrowing the independent nation of Hawaii.

“Is the legislature afraid of the outcome of the current Hawaiian convention that it wants to short-circuit the convention’s work by now creating another process? Over $1 million was spent on the earlier process. The Legislature is now considering whether to throw another fist-full of $$$ in hopes of diverting the existing convention’s work, to interfere with the self-determining process of the native Hawaiians.

“Call your legislators. Tell them to respect the right of the native Hawaiians to a government under the Federal oversight or an independent nation as was the case before the U.S. regime change in 1893.”

A hui hou,

Poka

May 1, 2011

Legislative UPDATE: SCR555 Indigenous People’s Day

Filed under: Bills and Resolutions

Re-designating Discoverers Day to Indigenous People’s Day.

Len Siu writes:

SCR55 has passed both the Senate and the House. It now oes to the governor for signature.

It establishes the intent of the legislature (and the governor when he signs it) to re-designate Discoverers Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.

However, because it is just a resolution a bill has to be reintroduced and passed at next years’ session to make the necessary statutory change.

With the intent established, the bill is just a housekeeping matter and should pass quickly in the 2012 session without any trouble.

© 2009 Hawaiian Independence Alliance