His Majesty Edmund K. Silva, Jr.
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
April 18, 2015
To:
The Kingdom of Hawai’i
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
Info:
Governor David Y. Ige
State of Hawai’i
Executive Chambers,
State Capitol
Honolulu, Hawai`i 96813
Subject: Analyzing Governor Ige’s Announcement.
Aloha oukou Kingdom of Hawai’i.
I am not judging the governors intent. I am analyzing the contents of his announcement about
further delay in the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope.
Using the Associated Press story published in U.S. News and World Report on Friday, April 17, 2015
as the template, the following translation of Governor Ige’s release is offered for consideration.
A non-profit company planning to build one of the world’s largest telescopes on a mountain many
Native Hawaiians consider sacred will continue to postpone construction, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said
Friday.
“continue to postpone construction” – The Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is not cancelled. A
temporary pause in construction is being extended. Note: The national media is beginning to
understand the issue of desecration and still avoids the issue of restoring the independence of the
Kingdom.
Ka Pu’uhonua O Na Wahi Pana O Hawai’i Nei
kingdomofhawaii.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
The United Nations Charter provides the rest of the authority to do it.” (An autonomous independent sovereign nation-state contemplated
under Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States requiring the state as a person of international law
possessing the four qualifications of (a) a permanent population, (b) a defined territory, c) government;
and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other states.)
This is the second time the Thirty Meter Telescope has extended a moratorium on building at the
summit of Mauna Kea, the highest peak on the Big Island of Hawai’i.
There is no question that both delays are a direct response to the wide spread outrage sparked by
the initiation of the construction.
Ige didn’t say when construction would resume. Further announcements about the construction
schedule would come from the Thirty Meter Telescope, he said.
The temporary pause is without a deadline because the occupying power has not yet figured out
how to neutralize the uprising sparked by the TMT. Governor Ige is putting himself at a distance
from the decision to proceed and letting TMT appear to be the only responsible party. That way,
TMT can make the decision to proceed and request assistance from the occupying power, as if the
project does not trace directly to the actions of the occupying power.
The company suspended building after law enforcement arrested protestors for blocking the road to
the summit and refusing to leave the construction site.
The national media has not yet incorporated the concept that those arrested were protecting a
sacred site, not protesting a project. The protectors have made clear that they are not opposed to
the construction of the TMT or the pursuit of astronomy; they are opposed to the site selected for
the construction. The blockade was aimed at the work force coming on to the summit to build the
new telescope, not all personnel working on the mountain at other telescopes.
Scientists say Mauna Kea’s summit above cloud cover offers of the world’s best conditions for viewing
the skies. But some Native Hawaiians believe their creation story begins atop the mountain. It’s also a
burial site for ancestors and home to deities.
The national media is at least presenting some information about the relationship of the traditional
Hawaiian faith and the mountain. The protectors are to be commended for bringing this issue into
the light. The story of the overthrown Kingdom is still working its way into the mainstream.
The governor said he’s used the time since the moratorium began on April 7 to listen and learn about
Mauna Kea.
Ka Pu’uhonua O Na Wahi Pana O Hawai’i Nei
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
kingdomofhawaii.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
The United Nations Charter provides the rest of the authority to do it.” An autonomous independent sovereign nation-state contemplated under
Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States requiring the state as a person of international law possessing the
four qualifications of (a) a permanent population, (b) a defined territory, c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other
states.
The Governor was born and raised in the islands. http://governor.hawaii.gov/governors-bio/ He
served in the Legislature for twenty years – 1994 to 2014. Yet he seems to be saying that he is just
learning about Mauna Kea.
The telescope controversy began in the early 1970s and continued episodically until now. The most
recent episode was ten years ago when litigation, public opposition, and other challenges led to the
cancellation of the planned outrigger telescopes to be added to the Keck project.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9702-judge-reverses-permit-for-new-hawaiiantelescopes.html#.VS4hXGa4NcQ The governor can pretend that he is just learning about Mauna
Kea. That claim provides some political cover for the governor, however implausible.
Ige said in a statement he’s learned it might be necessary to decommission and remove older
telescopes from the summit to better care for the mountain.
The existence of obsolete telescopes on the mountain had nothing to do with the decision to build
the TMT. The proponents of the TMT are now trying to make a connection as a negotiating
position, i.e. the lessee or the State will agree to remove some useless telescopes from the mountain
and claim that mitigates the adverse effects of the TMT. That proposal will obviously not satisfy
those insisting on the protocols of the traditional faith that limited access to the mountain top to
very few people and banned any permanent structures. The continued opposition will allow the
public relations team at TMT to argue that the opponents are being unreasonable.
It may also be necessary to reduce the level of activity on the summit, he said, though he didn’t specify
whether he meant scientific, tourist or other activity.
The suggestion appears to be that the mountaintop would be reserved for the astronomers and
faith practitioners. The incompatible nature of the two practices on the same piece of land is not
acknowledged. Clearly the construction of the TMT would not “reduce the level of activity on the
summit.”
Such a plan would also lead to faith practitioners having to prove themselves at some gate to the
occupying agents, much like they are singled out for special treatment at other sacred sites.
Volcanoes National Park gives faith practitioners special permission from the United States Park
Service to enter without paying a fee and then limits their access to certain sections of the Park.
Pu’uhonua O Honaunau gives faith practitioners special permission to enter without paying a fee
and to remain on site for a time period defined by the United States Park Service.
Ka Pu’uhonua O Na Wahi Pana O Hawai’i Nei
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
kingdomofhawaii.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
The United Nations Charter provides the rest of the authority to do it.” An autonomous independent sovereign nation-state contemplated under
Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States requiring the state as a person of international law possessing the
four qualifications of (a) a permanent population, (b) a defined territory, c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other
states.
No other religion in Hawai’i has to have permission of a government to enter its sacred sites or
practice its faith. Nor is any other religion or faith in Hawai’i limited by government as to when and
where it can practice.
He also mentioned integrating culture and science, but didn’t include details.
The Governor continues the false dichotomy of culture = Hawaiian and science = the astronomers.
The reduction of faith to “culture” also misstates the issue. Obviously the Governor would not
accept a reverse treatment of his religion, i.e. whatever his religion is be termed “culture” and
contrasted with the Hawaiian practice termed as “faith.”
He continues the persistent religious bigotry that refuses to acknowledge the traditional faith of the
Hawaiian people as a living practice deserving of the same respect as any other religion, faith, or
spiritual practice. The history of suppression of the traditional faith is restated in the Statement
issued by the Temple of Lono and Hale O Papa. http://kingdomofhawaii.info/wpcontent/uploads/2015/04/Temple-of-Lono-and-Hale-O-Papa.pdf
Ige spokeswoman Jodi Leong said the governor and his staff will continue to be involved in discussions
with different parties to improve stewardship of the mountain.ˆ
The ongoing discussions do not include all stakeholders. Given that he acknowledges that there are
issues of sacredness, the governor should identify traditional faith practitioners (not cultural
specialists) being included in the discussions.
The issue never mentioned by the governor or the media is the fact that the lands on Mauna Kea
were stolen from the Kingdom beginning with the illegal overthrow of the Kingdom government.
Representatives of the sovereignty movement, including myself, should also be included in the
discussions.
Ige said the Thirty Meter Telescope is legally entitled to “use its discretion to proceed with
construction.”
The governor is again distancing himself any decision to proceed with construction. He is also
denying that there are any legitimate issues of faith or sovereignty that have not been adequately
discussed or considered.
Ka Pu’uhonua O Na Wahi Pana O Hawai’i Nei
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
kingdomofhawaii.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
The United Nations Charter provides the rest of the authority to do it.” An autonomous independent sovereign nation-state contemplated under
Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States requiring the state as a person of international law possessing the
four qualifications of (a) a permanent population, (b) a defined territory, c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other
states.
He said he understands not everyone will agree with him on this but he respects “their right to appeal
through the court system.”
Again, the governor does his best to resist being held responsible for what is going to happen, if the
TMT resumes construction.
The head of the occupying power’s local government or a sub-agency of that government is giving
use of Kingdom lands to a private, foreign consortium in violation of the faith protocols governing
the right use of that land and in violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty over those lands. The courts
of the occupying power are likely to acquiesce to what the local government and its sub-agencies
are doing. That acquiescence does not make the decision legal under Kingdom law or pono.
He added the telescope has spent seven years planning and seeking permits for the telescope, a process
that included public hearings and community input.
The broken process of allowing public participation and then ignoring the outpouring of public
opposition and proceeding with the original plan is a hall mark of the United States legal system.
Conclusion: Clearly the heat of public outrage is causing the proponents of the TMT to pause,
regroup, and try to develop a plan to defuse what their project has created. What they fail to
understand is that they have completed their task of awakening and mobilizing the Hawaiian
people. They can go home with the appreciation of the Hawaiian people for the service that they
have rendered.
Momoe aku I mua – Let us move ahead with determination.
Kūlia i ka nu‘u,
Edmund K. Silva, Jr.
Ali’i Nui Mo’i
cc: Na Kupuna Council O Hawai’i Nei ame Moku
Ali’i Mana’o Nui Lanny Sinkin
Ka Pu’uhonua O Na Wahi Pana O Hawai’i Nei
Nou Ke Akua Ke Aupuni O Hawai’i
kingdomofhawaii.info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_bilateral_treaties_signed_by_the_Kingdom_of_Hawaii
The United Nations Charter provides the rest of the authority to do it.” An autonomous independent sovereign nation-state contemplated under
Article 1 of the 1933 Montevideo Convention on Rights and Duties of States requiring the state as a person of international law possessing the
four qualifications of (a) a permanent population, (b) a defined territory, c) government; and (d) capacity to enter into relations with the other
states.