Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 23, Number 5, 1 May 2006 — Grave robbers [ARTICLE]

Grave robbers

Pertaining to the Kanupa burial cave theft, the robbers are charged with illegal trafficking, the only violation in this case that is covered by federal law. There were other violations surrounding the indictments in federal court concerning the Kanupa Cave theft, but the alleged thieves could not be charged for these violations by the federal government because it is out of their jurisdiction. These violations clearly fall under the state law violations affecting burials. The state law violations that the state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Attorney General's office must investigate in the Kanupa Cave theft are: 1) criminal trespass onto state land; 2) disturbance of a historic site over fifty years old; 3) disturbance of a burial site over fifty years old; and 4) looting of a burial site. The state Attorney General has never authorized a complete investigation to seek civil violations against the grave looters, nor has there been an explanation as to why this investigation has not yet taken plaee. PauleHe Kaleikini Nānākuli, O'ahu

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