White House Threatens Veto of Akaka Bill

In an October 25, 2007 Associate Press article by Jim Abrams, it was reported that Congress voted 261-153 in favor of Native Hawaiians regaining some of the powers of self-governance lost in the 1893 illegal overthrow of Queen Lili'uokalani by the United States government. In 1993, the government finally apologized for this travesty of justice in a Congressional resolution that recognized that Native Hawaiians never relinquished their claims to sovereignty over the Hawaiian islands. The Akaka bill would give the Native Hawaiians, some 400,000 nationwide, the right to negotiate with the government over issues of control of land, assets, and natural resources. However, the White House is afraid that Native Hawaiians may try to delare territorial independence. The bill still needs to be considered by the Senate, where the bill is supported by Hawaiian Senators Akaka and Inouye. Take the time to write to your Senator in support of this bill. It is long overdue, and a sad day in our history that took us 100 years to apologize for. The bill would be an important model for other Pacific Islander people residing in the territories, who have experienced similar government control of our lands. NPIEN supports the fight of the Native Hawaiians!