On the same day the Hawaiian Kingdom’s Envoy was meeting with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs’ Directorate of International Law in Bern, Switzerland, on March 26, 2014, Dr. Keanu Sai was in a meeting with Dr. Stuart Casey-Maslen, head of research for the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law in Geneva. The University of Lausanne, the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs assists the Academy. The Academy is considering listing Hawai‘i as an occupied State.
At the meeting, Dr. Sai presented a power point presentation on the history of the Hawaiian Kingdom and how it came under an illegal and prolonged occupation. Dr. Maslen was also provided with information and evidence of the occupation. Dr. Maslen assured Dr. Sai that a decision will be made and if it has been determined that Hawai‘i is occupied according to the Academy’s criteria it will be listed on its website Rule of Law of Armed Conflict in June. The website provides monthly updates on armed conflicts and occupation and is currently under construction, but will be completed by June.
Dr. Maslen is the editor of The War Report, which is a project of the Academy that identifies and briefly discusses armed conflicts according to the criteria established under international law. The War Report is a comprehensive global analysis of armed conflicts under international law, which includes military occupations. According to the Academy, “The purpose of The War Report is to collect information in the public domain and provide legal analysis for governments, policy makers, the United Nations, academics, NGOs, and journalists.”
“The classification of an armed conflict under international law is an objective legal test and not a decision left to national governments or any international body, not even the UN Security Council,” says Andrew Clapham, Director of the Academy and Graduate Institute Professor in International Law. “It is not always clear when a situation is an armed conflict, and hence when war crimes can be punished,” added Professor Clapham. “The War Report aims to change this and bring greater accountability for criminal acts perpetuated in armed conflicts.”
The Academy’s listing of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an occupied State will promote accountability for individuals who have committed war crimes in the Hawaiian Islands where prosecution can take place before the International Criminal Court and as well as by countries that have universal jurisdiction such as the Philippines and Germany.
This is……AWESOME!!!
As stated: “The Academy’s listing of the Hawaiian Kingdom as an occupied State will promote accountability for individuals who have committed war crimes in the Hawaiian Islands where prosecution can take place before the International Criminal Court and as well as by countries that have universal jurisdiction such as the Philippines and Germany”.
Judges, attorney’s and individuals who have committed War Crimes will now be prosecuted before the International Criminal Court as well as countries who will be able to demand extradition of these individuals to face charges in their countries as well. I have a brother who is on this list!!!
Oh Happy Day’s!!!
Aloha to everyone:
My sincere gratitude to the Government of Switzerland for providing our Hawaiian Kingdom Nation with the mediation required to settle our long standing grievance with the United States and all parties associated, with over a hundred years of their illegal occupation of our homeland.
I feel comforted that a comprehensive coverage of the factual accounts are now being compiled so the free world will be informed about these insidious and treacherous acts committed against our people by the United States et al and continues to this very day with impunity.
The Queen Lili’uokalani Agreeement and Assignment were treaties agreed to by U.S. President Grover Cleveland, and have been ignored for over a 120 years. All succeeding presidents since that time, including President Barack Obama, have refused to honor Cleveland’s committment to Queen Lili’uokalani and hawaiian people, the Kanaka Maoli. President Clinton’s Apology, Public Law 103-150 was also a disengenuos display of American impunity. It is certainly a relief to know that these violations will now be displayed internationally.
Full human and spiritual sovereignty must include the strength to protect our islands, language, culture and happiness. Our Aloha and appreciation to the Government of Switzerland for it’s support of this arduous quest of our Hawaiian Kingdom Restoration.
Maikaʻi e nā Elele o Ko Hawaiʻi Pae ʻĀina!
This is another important step in the recognition of the illegal-occupation, and hopefully leads to more global awareness of our struggles.
E hoʻomau Kākou! Let us continue to learn and share our history with the people of Hawaiʻi and the World,
UA MAU KE EA O KA ʻĀINA I KA PONO!!!
This is such great news.. I look foward to the day I can tell people that my ethnicity is Kanaka Maoli/Tanata Maori and my nationality is Hawaiian, without people looking at me like I’m an idiot. No more should our people be ashmed and ignorant to be who we are. Its just sad how people abroad-over seas- have more interest and understanding of our home than our own people.. Education is key na kanaka its the best weapon against na haole. Our ancestors knew it. Sadly thanks to the 100+ year old occupation and opression, our people we’ve become distorted and confused. Time to rise up.
It’s kepakemapa and nothing yet. Is the Swiss govt waiting for the listing to come out to take action or did they decide not to help?