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The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is gearing up for a major nationwide campaign to protect Hawaiian rights, programs and assets, as well as rebuild support for Hawaiians. OHA meets today on
budget for major
nationwide campaignBy Pat Omandam
Star-BulletinThe three-pronged strategy - expected to be the largest ever mounted by OHA - will address Hawaiian issues within the legislative/political, education and litigation arenas.
OHA Chairwoman Haunani Apoliona said such an effort is necessary given last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the Rice vs. Cayetano case, which has spawned other lawsuits that threaten native rights.
"Ultimately the three-pronged strategy ... must work toward rebuilding broad-based support for Hawaiian interests and the Hawaiian agenda," Apoliona said.
The OHA board last week, by a 8-0 vote, adopted this post-Rice plan, which it hopes will help lead to federal recognition of Hawaiians and eventual self-determination.
The board meets again today to discuss a draft budget for the campaign, but is not expected to vote on it until later this month.
Apoliona said the Feb. 23, 2000, Rice decision has made it critical for Hawaiians to achieve federal recognition and to begin a process for self-determination to protect native rights and entitlements. But at the same time, she said, OHA must ensure current programs and institutions continue to serve the needs of all Hawaiians.
One component is to rebuild support for Hawaiian issues through a mass media campaign designed to educate the public, government leaders and others about the native agenda.
Plans include community outreach, paid advertising, electronic town meetings, Op-Ed pieces and editorial board meetings - both locally and nationally.
On the legislative and political front, OHA will advocate for state- and federally supported solutions to litigation that challenges the foundation of OHA and other state programs for Hawaiians.
And OHA will aggressively defend those rights and entitlements in court, she said.
The campaign, which could last as long as 18 months, is not to advance OHA as the entity that becomes a sovereign nation but as the agency that can lead the way during this transition period, Apoliona said.
"Because these are extraordinary times that require extraordinary efforts, we need to have courage to lead in concert and full participation with the people and the many organizations and agencies that serve and represent Hawaiians," she said.
Office of Hawaiian Affairs
