HONOLULU (AP) – The chief executive of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs said Monday he’s moving forward after a disagreement with the organization’s trustees over seeking clarification on the legal status of the Hawaiian Kingdom.
But CEO Kamanaopono Crabbe told reporters Monday he stands behind a letter he sent to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week that sought a legal opinion on whether the kingdom continues to exist under international law.
“I continue to believe my decision to send the letter was in the best interest of OHA and the beneficiaries we serve,” Crabbe said.
The request revealed divisions within the state agency that has a mission of protecting Native Hawaiians and perpetuating Hawaiian culture.
After Crabbe revealed the letter on Friday, all nine trustees signed a different note to Kerry saying Crabbe’s letter didn’t reflect their position or that of the agency. On Monday, one trustee, Dan Ahuna, mailed yet another letter to Kerry reversing his position, removing his signature from the trustees’ letter and giving his support to Crabbe.
Crabbe, speaking at a news conference with nearly 100 supporters at the agency’s headquarters in Honolulu, said he thought he had the blessing of the board’s chairwoman, Colette Machade, before sharing the letter with the public. He said he believes answers to the questions in the letter are crucial for moving forward withpursuing a Native Hawaiian governing entity.
Machado, who was in meetings on Molokai on Monday, did not immediately return a message seeking comment from the Associated Press.
Crabbe said the board took a position, and it’s his role to implement that decision. “We are currently moving forward,” he said.
Crabbe said he had had several discussions with a majority of the board’s nine trustees and looked forward to meeting with them again next week. “They have not asked me to resign,” he said.
In his original letter, Crabbe wrote that he was concerned with an analysis by scholars alleging the federal and state governments were illegal regimes. The scholars said Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustees and Native Hawaiian Roll Commission members may be criminally liable under international law.
Crabbe said he would ask trustees to put off pursuing a Native Hawaiian governing entity until they confirmed the kingdom doesn’t exist under international law.
Crabbe said supporters of building a governing entity should continue their discussions.
“Remain vigilant and to be aware and to participate regarding their choice,” he said. “That’s what this is all about.”
Aloha.
What we are not seeing in the local media is reference to the legal Opinion of Dr. Matthew Craven, SOAS, London. His July 12, 2002 impartial assessment was published in the Summer 2004 edition of the Journal of Law and Politics. His investigation found the Hawaiian Kingdom remains in Continuity and has not been extinguished.
American International Law expert Professor Francis Anthony Boyle likewise in his 1994 legal brief. It does not need the U.S. Department of Justice to endorse, what they have already stated previously that it is unclear by what Constitutional authority the U.S. acquired Hawai’i, the goalposts have not moved facts are facts, and all the lies in the world do not make it otherwise. Mahalo.
Aloha, The rescind letter written by chairperson Colette Machado of OHA on May 9, 2014 to Secretary Of State John Kerry was the wrong thing to do for all the Hawaiian people of the Hawaiian Islands. On 05/15/2014 in Wailuku Maui, over 200 Maui kanaka maoli’s rushed into a standing room only OHA meeting to find out why Colette Machado and the BOT wrote that shameful letter. Kamana’opono Crabbe, Ulu Lindsey, and Dan Ahuna were the only smart Hawaiian’s in that group that exercised their manao for the native Hawaiian people in a pono way. The others that were present in that panel need to be educated of the truth of our Hawaiian Kingdom’s history to be able to continue as a Oha
trustee and be proud to serve your native Hawaiian people that your swore an oath to do so.
Maui College Professor Kaleikoa Ka’eo testified in defense of our Hawaiian independence not to (Kanaiolowalu) that will cause all Hawaiians that sign the roll commission petition to loss their Hawaiian rights and advocate to become an American indian of the united states. Why does the(not too smart) OHA native Hawaiian trustee want to follow the insurgents ways instead of following their Hawaiian up bring by their Hawaiian parents and kupuna’s. They have forgotten what it is to be Hawaiian and trying to be as my mama would say, Haolefied. The only smart thing the BOT did was hire Kamana’opono Crabbe
as their CEO for OHA. He has brought a breath of fresh air(the ha) back into OHA and should remain as your CEO for as long as he wants to be in his rightful position. Its very hard to find smart and competent people and most important, PONO.Take care of this Hawaiian bradda and he will take care of all of us Hawaiians.
The other outstanding Hawaiian I want to give praise to is Kaleikoa Ka’eo who in my humble opinion was the highlight of our meeting with a most powerful straight forward testimony I have ever witness. He definitely demanded the attention of the OHA panel and especially Colette Machado without any rebuttal. I will always remember what Kaleikoa said in the meeting, the only reason that all of us Hawaiian people are here today to carry on for the Lahui is our fathers, mothers, tutu’s and all the ohana never gave up the fight. We all need to perpetuate that thought and do the same for all our moopuna’s and the others in the future.
What OHA needs to change for the better of the organization is to not politicize the system when the work you have to do includes human beings. That is what caused the rescind letter by Colette Machado to be hurried out to Secretary Kerry because of being scared of political repercussions from the FEDS. Politics is not pono!!
P.S. one other thing in the letter Colette wrote to Secretary Kerry I found odd was a c.c.
sent to Admiral Samuel J. Locklear III USN Commander Pacific Command.
What does the U.S. Navy have to do with OHA?Is it because the Hawaiian Kingdom
is still being unlawfully occupied and there is no Treaty of Annexation with the
United States? Think About It!!
Aloha,
Kaleolani