Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 21, Number 6, 1 June 2004 — Setting the record straight [ARTICLE]

Setting the record straight

Getting to the bottom of "OHA bashing" By Clyde Nāmu'o, OHA Administrator What is behind the recent spurt of "OHA-bash-ing"? Several Hawaiians in the community, especially pro-independence Hawaiians, have spoken disparagingly of OHA in recent weeks, using harsh words and going to the media and other forums with blanket accusations of illegal or inappropriate activity. All of this is occurring at a time when Hawaiians are meeting to coalesce toward building a native govemment. We do not believe OHA is engaging in any illegal or inappropriate activity. So what is behind this recent spate? Is it new activity at OHA? Or is it general discontent with OHA over the past 24 years? To give meaningful attention to problems, we need the

nay-sayers to be specific. OHA is not an entity by itself; it is an organization made up of people and policies, both of whieh have changed often over the course of 24 years. When accusations are made, it is helpful to know whieh time periods or whieh policies are of eoneem. If complaints eoneem actions of people who have not been at OHA for years, then the time for constructive criticism is long gone. Likewise, if complaints eoneem actions of OHA in the distant past, there is not mueh we ean do today about actions taken five, 10 and 20 years ago. On the other hand, if the eoneem is about current people or policies, let's discuss it. That is something we have the power to address and change. For example, a current policy that has caused mueh debate in the Hawaiian community has been OHA's support of federal recognition. As stated before, OHA' s trustees support federal recognition for the purpose of preserving it as an oplion should Hawaiians want federal recognition when the time comes to form a nalion. OHA is not saying federal recognition is the only oplion; OHA is saying federal recognition must be preserved as one of the options.

It is also important to note that federal recognition is the only self-governance oplion likely to be available to Hawaiians in the near future. It does not appear that independence, free association or similar govemance stractures will be available to Hawaiians any time soon. In the meantime, attacks on Native Hawaiian entitlements will eonlinue, with no shield to protect them. OHA trustees have a fiduciary duty to use whatever legal shields may be available and thus have decided to seek federal recognition as one such shield. If there is eoneem about specific clauses of the Akaka B 111, let's identify and discuss those phrases that are of eoneem. Dialogue ean be an effective tool for bringing about understanding and change. It is up to us as a people to decide if we want to work constructively through our differences, or just waha. It is easy to say and believe inflammatory remarks, but such aelion gets us nowhere. If we want true self-governance, we need to engage in arduous dialogue and seek understanding. The sooner we do this, the sooner we ean be on a focused path to correct the past injustices. ■