[nativestudies-l] US opposes Native Hawaiian land Claims

[jkauanui at wesleyan.edu]

Posted: Saturday, December 20th, 2008 6:37 AM HST

US opposes Native Hawaiian land claims

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ The U.S. Justice Department is siding with the state in
its claim that Native Hawaiians have no ownership rights to land that
belonged to the Kingdom of Hawaii before it was overthrown in 1893.

The Justice Department filed a brief last week on behalf of the state in a
lawsuit brought by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs argues that the state should not sell or
transfer 1.2 million acres of former monarchy lands until Native Hawaiian
claims are resolved. The Hawaii Supreme Court earlier this year agreed.
Its ruling was based on the 1993 Apology Resolution, in which Congress
acknowledged wrongdoing in the monarchy's overthrow.

But the state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Oral arguments are set
for February 25th.

(Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved)





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