Wednesday, September 11, 1996
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lulani McKenzie, Executive Director
808-587-2834
P R E S S S T A T E M E N T
A HISTORIC VOTE: The Native Hawaiian Vote
HONOLULU, HAWAI'I ---In the afternoon of January 17, 1893, conspirators
calling themselves the Committee for Public Safety, mostly Americans,
sneaked back to the back steps of this building, Ali'i O Lani Hale, the
government building for the Hawaiian Nation, intentionally avoiding the
general Hawaiian public. There, an American lawyer and recent resident of
Hawai'i, proclaimed the abolition of the Hawaiian Monarchy, and declared
that he and a handful of others were now the legitimate government of
Hawai'i, the "provisional government", to exist for the explicit purpose of
annexing Hawai'i to the United States.
The United States Minister and naval representatives had the day before
invaded the sovereign Hawaiian nation and positioned themselves across the
street from this building. The U.S. Minister thereupon extended diplomatic
recognition to the Provisional Government, in violation of treaties between
the United States of America and Hawai'i and of international law.
The protest of Hawai'i's Queen Lili'uokalani, and of the Hawaiian nation,
went unheeded. That "provisional government" transformed itself into the
Republic of Hawai'i and subsequently ceded Hawai'i into the willing hands
of the United States of America.
One hundred years later, in January 1993, thousands of Hawai'i's people
observed the centennial year of this overthrow. In that year, the Hawai'i
State legislature passed Act 359 which formed the Hawaiian Sovereignty
Advisory Commission seeking counsel from the Native Hawaiian people on a
process to address this historical injustice and to begin the formation or
reformation of government of their own choosing. The United States
Congress, by joint resolution acknowledged the January 17 1893 overthrow of
the Kingdom of Hawai'i and offered an apology to Native Hawaiians. (Public
Law 103-150)
The Hawaiian Sovereignty Advisory Commission went throughout these Hawaiian
islands, seeking the advise and consensus of the Native Hawaiians on a
process toward the formation of a governmental form adequate to begin
addressing this historic injury of over a century. That commission
concluded that the Native Hawaiian people had called for the election of
delegates from throughout the islands to gather at a convention to propose
a form of Hawaiian governance. To begin such a process, the advisory
commission was granted autonomy from the State and changed to an elections
council to confirm the will of the Native Hawaiians to elect delegates to a
convention.
It is with honor that I now announce the results of the Native Hawaiian
Vote to the question: "Shall the Hawaiian people elect delegates to propose
a Native Hawaiian government?"
Approximately 33,000 ballots were returned to the post office by voters.
Of those 33,000 ballots returned, 30,423 were eligible to be counted.
Those returned ballots unable to be counted were due primarily to voters
not signing the affirmation statement on the return envelope.
Of the 30,423 eligible to be counted:
26.72% of voters or 8,129 votes 'a'ole or no
73.28% of voters or 22,294 voted 'ae or yes
This is a victory for Hawaiians. 73.28% of those who voted want to move
forward and elect delegates to a convention.
Today, 103 years, 7 months, and 24 days after the overthrow of the Hawaiian
monarchy, we are at the Dawn of a New Age. It is time for our people to
stand together, join hands, and put our differences aside.
As we move toward the year 2000, Hawaiians have the opportunity to make
significant changes. This is our time in history. The path to rebuilding
a sovereign Hawaiian Nation is before us; the opportunity to uplift our
people and improve all of their lives appears clearer.
The Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council has completed its primary
mandate to hold a fair, free and democratic vote on this question. We will
prepare a final report and recommendations to the State legislature's 1997
session, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and the Hawaiian people.
The current legislation under which the Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections
Council exists has called for the Council's demise in December 1996.
Individuals on the Council and members of the staff have created an
independent, not for profit, non-governmental entity known as Ha Hawai'i.
We anticipate that this organization will now assist in giving direction
toward the raising of resources and the eventual election of delegates to a
convention.
We humbly and proudly ask all Hawaiians, especially those who have not
supported this process, to join with us on this journey of Hawaiian
awakening.
Thank you for attending this afternoon's press conference.
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Hawaiian Sovereignty Elections Council, P.O. Box 3290, Honolulu, HI 96801-3290
World Wide Web: http://planet-hawaii.com/hsec * E-mail: tlani@aloha.net
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| Hawai`i - Independent & Sovereign |
| exec@hawaii-nation.org http://www.hawaii-nation.org/ |
|___________________________________________________________|
"The cause of Hawaii and independence is larger and dearer than
the life of any man connected with it. Love of country is deep-
seated in the breast of every Hawaiian, whatever his station."
- Queen Lili`uokalani
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