Receive email updates by entering your email address and clicking submit below:
Privacy
Policy The views and opinions expressed by individuals or groups on or linked to this site do not necessarily represent the opinions of PIC.
Photos in the masthead courtesy of Meleanna Aluli Meyer
|
|
In 1993, one hundred years after the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution ". to acknowledge the historic significance of the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai'i, to express its deep regret to the Native Hawaiian people." 1 The Apology Resolution, as it is commonly referred to, recognized that ".the indigenous Hawaiian people never directly relinquished their claims to their inherent sovereignty as a people or over their national lands to the United States." and urged reconciliation between the U.S. and Native Hawaiians.2 In 2000, Hawai'i Senators Daniel K. Akaka and Daniel K. Inouye introduced a bill to the U.S. Senate to promote Federal Recognition for Hawaiians as a means to staunch mounting legal threats. S. 344, commonly referred to as the Akaka Bill, proposes ". to provide a process for the recognition by the United States of the Native Hawaiian governing entity..." 3 which in essence would affirm Hawaiians' status as an indigenous people. The initiative has elicited strong support as well as opposition within sectors of the Hawaiian community: supporters claim the Akaka Bill represents the best means to protect Native Hawaiian rights while moving toward sovereignty, and opponents say, among other things, that it falls short of complete Hawaiian independence under international law and unjustly classifies Hawaiians as Native Americans. Hawaiian rights opponents believe the Bill is another example of 'apartheid.' The Akaka Bill has gone through numerous revisions and is currently pending in the U.S. Senate. The House version, H.R. 665, was introduced by Representative Neil Abercrombie and co-sponsored by Representative Ed Case in February 2003. On January 22, 2004, the U.S. Senate approved funding for an Office of Native Hawaiian Relations based in Washington D.C., thereby highlighting the special relationship between the U.S. government and Native Hawaiians. President Bush signed the bill into law as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2004. Senator Akaka hailed the move as a significant step forward in the ongoing process of reconciliation initiated by the 1993 Apology Resolution. 1 United
States Public Law 103-150, 103rd Congress Joint Resolution 19, November
23, 1993 . Articles Frank Oliveri and Vicki Viotti, “Amendment to streamline Native Hawaiian bill's language,” Honolulu Advertiser, April 7, 2004. Associated Press. “Federal Hawaiian office gets Bush’s OK,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 24, 2004. “Congress approves Office of Native Hawaiian Relations,” Pacific Business News, January 23, 2004. Stanton, Ron, “U.S. Senate funds office benefiting Hawaiians,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, January 23, 2004. Viotti, Vicki, “Senate OKs U.S. office for native Hawaiians,” Honolulu Advertiser, January 22, 2004. View the Apology Resolution View Federal Recognition aka Akaka Bill Articles on the Akaka/Stevens Bill Viotti, Vicki, "Akaka bill revised to extend deadline," Honolulu Advertiser, May 6, 2004. Viotti, Vicki, "New call for Akaka bill hearing," Honolulu Advertiser, May 5, 2004. Namuo, Clyde, "Misinformation abounds on revisions to Akaka bill," Honolulu Advertiser, May 2, 2004. Trask, Haunani-Kay, "Pro, con articles on Akaka bill fail to address land issues," Honolulu Advertiser, May 2, 2004. McGregor, Davianna Pomaika'i, "YES: Independence does not offer same guaranteed protection of Native rights," Honolulu Advertiser, April 25, 2004 Kauanui, J. Kehaulani "NO: Unnecessary bargain extinguishes all claims in exchange for recognition," Honolulu Advertiser, April 25, 2004. Viotti, Vicki, “Deal may be in the works on Akaka bill,” Honolulu Advertiser, February 24, 2004. Nihipali, Kunani, Ho'oipo Kalaena'auao Pa and Pu'uhonua "Bumpy" Kanahele, “Akaka bill doesn't right wrongs done to Hawaiians ,” Honolulu Advertiser, February 22, 2004. Viotti, Vicki, “Akaka bill could face revision, Norton says,” Honolulu Advertiser, January 12, 2004. DePledge, Derrick, “Akaka bill called divisive,” Honolulu Advertiser, September 24, 2003. Beamish, Rita, "Tropical Battle of Race, Rights Divides Islanders: Lawsuits Challenge Health Care, Housing and Educational Services Limited to Native Hawaiians," Washington Post, September 14, 2003. Viotti, Vicki, “Maybe 2004 for Akaka Bill,” Honolulu Advertiser, August 30, 2003. Akee, Randall Kekoa Quinones, "O Ke Kahua Mamua, Mahope Ke Kukulu: First the foundation, then the building," Honolulu Weekly, August 27, 2003. Borreca, Richard, "Case wants Lingle to lobby Bush," Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 23, 2003. DePledge, Derrick, "Akaka bill finds support from Mainland Hawaiians," Honolulu Advertiser, August 16, 2003. Kelly, Anne K., "From Native Hawaiian to Native American?" Hawaii Island Journal, August 2003. Borreca, Richard, “Gov key to Akaka Bill,” and Omandam, Pat, “Native Hawaiians will not benefit from bill, say some sovereignty groups,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, February 25, 2003. Kelly, Anne Keala, "Kukakuka (to discuss)," Honolulu Weekly, January 8, 2003. Kelly, Anne Keala, "The Akaka Bill and Hawaiian self-determination," Honolulu Weekly, January 30, 2002. Editorial Opinion. Burgess, William, “Federal Recognition Will Result in Legal Apartheid,” Honolulu Advertiser, October 1, 2000. |
