HAWAII - TRIBUNAL: RA, PACNEWS ED-1, AUG 23 1993
A privately-organised group in Hawaii calling itself the People's
International Tribunal has found the United States guilty of genocide
and other human rights abuses against native Hawaiians.
The Tribunal, which was set up by groups representing indigenous
Hawaiians and human rights associations, claimed that in 1893, the
American government supported a coup d'etat that overthrew the
independent kingdom of Hawaii.
The international panel of nine judges also called the 1959 vote that
made Hawaii an American state an invalid plebiscite.
Two-hundred onlookers applauded as the tribunal, which has NO legal
status, asserted that all American land laws in Hawaii were invalid.
The tribunal asserted that America had violated the charters of the
United Nations and the Organisation of American States, as well as
violating the American Declaration of Independence.
The tribunal advocated placing Hawaii back on the United Nations list
of non-self governing territories.
For the past week, the tribunal has travelled throughout the Hawaiian
islands, hearing testimony from expert witnesses and ordinary Hawaiians
about alleged American civil rights violations.
Moana Jackson, Director of Maori Legal Services, read the verdict in a
Honolulu church. ..ends.