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Group wants Clinton
to recognize Hawaiians

By Pat Omandam
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's congressional delegation has asked for a meeting with President Clinton on a possible executive order that recognizes the political status of Hawaiians, says the chief counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.

Patricia Zell, the committee's counsel and minority staff director, told the Office of Hawaiian Affairs board yesterday the delegation last week asked to meet with Clinton on the viability and possibility of an executive order. The request was made after the group met with the secretary of the Interior, she said.

"We're hoping that the White House and the president, specifically, would be favorably inclined," Zell said.

"The delegation has made the case that it is, in their view, important that not only the legislative branch of the government but the executive branch of the government address and respond to the issue of the legal status of native Hawaiians under federal law," she said.

Zell and attorney Noe Kalipi, senior aide to U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka, continue to gather input this week on behalf of the delegation on the draft bill circulated by Akaka last month.

The goal is to return to Washington, D.C. with these suggestions and introduce a bill sometime this month that clarifies the political status of native Hawaiians.

Basically, Akaka's draft proposal includes the creation of a federal Office of Native Hawaiian Affairs as well as a native Hawaiian interagency council to coordinate federal policies that affect Hawaiians.

Yesterday was OHA's turn to give its position on the bill, and the board did so by approving its own draft crafted with the help of former Gov. John Waihee, who serves as OHA's counsel on this matter. The OHA draft is similar to what Akaka has proposed.

The OHA draft also requires a representative from the U.S. Department of Justice to enforce and protect the rights of Hawaiians and their trust relationship with the United States.

Holo I Mua Hawaiian Roundtable The Star-Bulletin gathered 10 Hawaiian leaders for a timely dialogue about what's next for Hawaiians in the wake of Rice vs. Cayetano. Representing various views within the Hawaiian community, the participants were provocative and candid during a 90-minute discussion on March 13, 2000. To read a full transcript of the discussion, Click Here You can also hear the audio recording of the discussion as well as view a panoramic photo of the participants.