Ke Aupuni Update September 07, 2014 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 Kakou, • Talk-Story Briefings As a result of the tremendous interest shown in taking the next steps to independence, the Committee of Hawaiian Nationals has been hosting Free Hawaii talk-story briefings to review where we are and how people can get personally involved in moving forward with independence. The most recent talk-story briefing was August 26 at Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii in Honolulu. About 25 people attended and we had a very invigorating discussion on how we can individually and as lahui, shape our independent nation by focusing our attention on envisioning our future and bringing it to life. Attached is a list on how you can kokua and be part of this effort. The next meeting will be Tuesday, September 30 at Native Books/Na Mea Hawaii at the Ward Warehouse (corner of Ward and Ala Moana) from 6:00 to 8:30 in the evening. (see attached flyer) We’ll also be updating the Committee of Hawaiian Nationals website to outline ways you can get involved. • International Update At the Hawaiian Nationals/Free Hawaii meeting, I briefed the group on progress and new developments on the international scene, mostly that interest in our cause is growing considerably, especially when diplomats and experts learned of the outrageous scheme of the United States to make us into a “federally recognized Indian tribe. I firmly believe that the international legal and political mechanisms are progressing steadily and will inevitably produce the results we want to Free Hawaii and that our main job at home now is to concentrate on building our nation; to get our minds set on how do we want our nation to look and what can we personally and as a body prepare for it. And have fun doing it. UN in Geneva Iʻm returning to Geneva this week to attend the 26th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) and to continue pounding away on the United States’ human rights violations stemming from the illegal occupation of our nation. We will be specifically protesting and condemning the US DOI scheme and the complicity of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission, the Governor, et al, in this blatant conspiracy to deny the Hawaiian people their right to self-determination and free, prior and informed consent,” two major principles protected by the United Nations and, in particular, the Human Rights Council. We will also be participating in a HRC panel on demilitarization. We will be specifically pointing to the U.S. Department of Defenses recent recommendation to downsize its army personnel stationed on Oahu as an indication that by the U.S.’ own assessment, it cannot support this large a military contingency in the Hawaiian Islands. We will frame this as a good first step toward the complete withdrawal of the US military from the Hawaiian Islands. (Support this effort locally by going to the Oahu Council for Army Downsizing website: oc4ad ) We are also working with a number of organizations and countries at the UN in Geneva to encourage the HRC to revive self-determination as a high priority item on the UN agenda. UN in New York In 2013 the UN General Assembly re-inscribed French Polynesia (Tahiti, et al) to the list of non-self-governing territories.” This meant the people of French Polynesia had a UN-backed international process to use to choose how they want to be governed in the future…whether to remain a territory of France or to be semi-autonomous or to be independent. The re-inscription of French Polynesia to the list created excitement among many UN members to “open up” the decolonization process to more peoples and nations who were, in one way or another, arbitrarily forced into subservience to other nation-states without regard for the peoples’ historical borders, nationality, cultural identity, or consent. We have helped to start an initiative in New York to cause the UN General Assembly to open up the process of “decolonization.” Attached is a description of the Decolonization Alliance. I’ll be in NYC later this month for the opening week of the General Assembly, to participate in several conferences and to meet with ambassadors and heads of state, regarding our efforts to Free Hawaii. Malama I ka Aina
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 07:42:24 +0000