Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 3, Number 2, 1 February 1986 — OHA Condemns Proposed Exemption Legislation [ARTICLE]

OHA Condemns Proposed Exemption Legislation

T rustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs at their monthly meeting Jan. 24 in Honolulu unanimously condemned proposed federal legislation to exempt environmental consideration on the H-3 freeway project from all existing and future federal legislation. The federal proposal was introduced by Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and other members of Hawaii's congressional delegation. Gard Kealoha, chairman of OHA's Culture/Education Community Advisory Committee, said: "We strongly feel that exempting the Luluku site on Windward Oahu encourages further obliteration of what little is left of our rapidly diminishing cultural heritage."

Kealoha went on to explain that important archeological reports indicate the Luluku complex is of apparent significant historic value. He also noted that the OHA Board is deeply appreciative of Sen. lnouye's outstanding assistance to native Hawaiians and called on him and other members of Hawaii's congressional delegation to rethink their stand on the exemption. The board also called on U.S. Rep. Daniel K. Akaka to ensure that the bill's section on the Luluku complex receives a public hearing in the House. "Congress should have the opportunity to hear all sides of this complex issue," Kealoha asserted.

A House hearing, he pointed out, should not be stifled and Luluku merits its own hearing. Kealoha noted it is very difficult to encourage native Hawaiians, especially our young, to work within the system because of a deep and continuing mistrust based on an historic insensitivity to major concerns of the native Hawaiians. "This blatant short-circuiting of the system, reflected in the Luluku Bill, reinforces a tragic and needless mistrust," Kealoha declared. Additionally, Kealoha stressed the importance of eneouraging a close relationship between the Federal Highway Administration and the Advisory Council on National Historic Preservation on the matter of Luluku.