HAWAIIAN KINGDOM IN ACTION - THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

 

 A Virtual Panel Event - 

DEMILITARIZING THE PACIFIC

Demilitarizing the Pacific - Ryukyu (Okinawa), Guam / Northern Mariana, Hawai`i. For generations the Indigenous peoples of the island nations have been under U.S. military occupation, which is harming our environment and putting us in danger. Now, Native Ryukyuans (Okinawans / Uchinanchu), Chamorro, and Hawaiians have come together to assist each other in our shared goals of demilitarization and self-determination.
 

This event is under the auspices of Incomindios, a Non-Governmental Organization in consultative status with the Economic and Security Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. 

It is also co-sponsored by the Koani Foundation and the Peace For Okinawa Coalition. 

Additional thanks to Our Common Wealth 670 and the Ryukyu Independence Action Network for their assistance.

MODERATOR – Mr. Robert Kajiwara

PANELISTS • Mme Routh Bolomet – The Hawaiian Kingdom - Professor Hoshin Nakamura – Ryukyu/Okinawa - Rep. Sheila Babauta – Northern Marianas Islands - H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu – The Hawaiian Kingdom

FREE HAWAI`I ON THE MOVE - THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL IN GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

 

 

A Virtual Panel Event - 

THE UNʻS MISTAKE - SELF-DETERMINATION IN HAWAI`I 

In 1959 the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 1469 under the mistaken belief that the people of Hawaii had exercised their right to self-determination and consented to be integrated into the United States of America. The error aided and abetted the United States in its subjugation and pillaging of the people and lands of the Hawaiian Islands, causing serious injury and trauma to three generations of Hawaiians, depriving them of the right to self-governance and access to and use of their own lands and resources. 

This panel asserts it is time for the UN to meet its obligation to correct its error and ensure just remedy for the sixty years of abuses of the human, civil, political and development rights of the people of the Hawaiian Islands. 

This event is under the auspices of Incomindios, a Non-Governmental Organization in consultative status with the Economic and Security Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. 

It is also co-sponsored by the Koani Foundation and the Peace For Okinawa Coalition. 

MODERATOR – Mr. Robert Kajiwara

PANELISTS • Professor Alfred de Zayas • H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu • Amb. Isaias Medina III • Mme Routh Bolomet

KE AUPUNI UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 2018

By Leon Siu -  Hawaiian National

Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.  

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.

Aloha from Geneva -
I am currently at the Palais des Nations, headquarters for the United Nations in Geneva… (this is my fourth time this year)… Where I'm continuing to pursue support for the Hawaiian Kingdom from foreign diplomats, UN officials, the press and others that congregate here at the UN. From here I'll go to New York where the heads of states and other dignitaries will be gathered for the opening of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly.

Some very positive signs are developing. Despite the crisis and chaos going on in parts of the world, states (countries) are becoming more and more interested in the Hawaii situation. Some of the diplomats who used to politely nod and say “thatʻs interesting” or “I wish you all the best” or “you’ve got a big task ahead of you” have recently started to say, “How do you think we can help?” or “have you tried this…?” or “maybe you should talk to…”

Another recent development is on the day I arrived on my previous visit to Geneva in June to attend the UN Human Rights Council, the United States announced they were immediately pulling out of the Human Rights Council.

Several people jokingly said, “See, you arrive and the US retreats!” or something to that effect. But itʻs partially true. Weʻre not the only ones putting on the pressure, but we (Hawaii and Alaska), have been making the U.S. uncomfortable by continually raising the question of how the U.S. came to be in control and how we came to be integrated as “states” into the United States; and the numerous human rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Hawaii. And when other countries started to ask those questions, it made the U.S. representatives visibly nervous.

The US has left the Human Rights Council, leaving us, Hawaii and Alaska, to press our concerns at this important forum without opposition.

Speaking of the UN - 
Dr. Alfred deZayas, the UN Independent Expert (Emeritus) for the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, sends his regards to all, and is pleased that his memorandum has been helpful to us. As he says, “Facts are facts, you canʻt argue with the facts.” He’s on holiday with his wife who just retired after 30 years as a UN official. Theyʻre on their way from Switzerland to Holland… riding bicycles.

And Speaking of the Memo -
The deZayas memorandum has given quite a boost to our advocacy for a Free Hawaii. Already itʻs being used by some in the following ways -

Councilwoman Jen Ruggles asked the Hawaii County Council whether she is committing a war crime by serving on the council, a governing body that appears to be functioning in violation of the Laws of Occupation. She requested an opinion from County Corporate Counsel Joe Kamelamela who basically said: No you wonʻt incur any criminal liability. That was a highly flippant answer with no facts or arguments to back his “legal" opinion.  It doesn’t appear that Kamelamela has any expertise or background in international law, therefore, he is incompetent to render an opinion. The best and most honest answer he could have given was: “I donʻt know” and then call in someone who is competent in international humanitarian law. So thereʻs an impasse. Jen Ruggles wants an answer and wonʻt serve until she gets an answer. And the county/state is scared to death of finding that answer.

Routh Bolometʻs fight for her lands is what triggered the memo from Dr. deZayas. The whole thing is too complex to get into right now, but you should hear Routh’s story when you can by watching it here - https://youtu.be/_hrIoex44Ew

In a nutshell, several years ago Routh went to the county/state to ask to see the title for the property she "owned.” In getting the runaround, but being very persistent, she uncovered not just a can of worms, but the whole nest of vipers that comprise the great Hawaii land scam. To shut her up from asking uncomfortable questions, the lending institution, bank, insurance company and the courts conspired (colluded?) and initiated foreclosure proceedings on her property, committing all kinds of fraud and other criminal acts in the process.

Tomorrow, Tuesday September 18 Routh will be appearing before (confronting?) one of the two state judges to whom deZayas addressed his memorandum. It should be very interesting, to say the least. Routh is asking everyone who can to show your support by being at the courtroom tomorrow, Tuesday, September 18, 9:30 AM, 777 Punchbowl Street, State Circuit Court Building, 4th Floor, courtroom of Judge Jeanette A. Castagnetti.

Aloha Aina,
Leon Siu

Watch -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hrIoex44Ew
"Who Owns This Land? – A Visit With Routh Bolomet"
Voices of Truth – One On One With Hawaiiʻs Future

KE AUPUNI UPDATE - SEPTEMBER 2018

By Leon Siu -  Hawaiian National

Keeping in touch and updated on activities regarding the restoration of Ke Aupuni o Hawai`i, the Hawaiian Kingdom.  

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka `Aina I Ka Pono.

Aloha from Geneva -
I am currently at the Palais des Nations, headquarters for the United Nations in Geneva… (this is my fourth time this year)… Where I'm continuing to pursue support for the Hawaiian Kingdom from foreign diplomats, UN officials, the press and others that congregate here at the UN. From here I'll go to New York where the heads of states and other dignitaries will be gathered for the opening of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly.

Some very positive signs are developing. Despite the crisis and chaos going on in parts of the world, states (countries) are becoming more and more interested in the Hawaii situation. Some of the diplomats who used to politely nod and say “thatʻs interesting” or “I wish you all the best” or “you’ve got a big task ahead of you” have recently started to say, “How do you think we can help?” or “have you tried this…?” or “maybe you should talk to…”

Another recent development is on the day I arrived on my previous visit to Geneva in June to attend the UN Human Rights Council, the United States announced they were immediately pulling out of the Human Rights Council.

Several people jokingly said, “See, you arrive and the US retreats!” or something to that effect. But itʻs partially true. Weʻre not the only ones putting on the pressure, but we (Hawaii and Alaska), have been making the U.S. uncomfortable by continually raising the question of how the U.S. came to be in control and how we came to be integrated as “states” into the United States; and the numerous human rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Hawaii. And when other countries started to ask those questions, it made the U.S. representatives visibly nervous.

The US has left the Human Rights Council, leaving us, Hawaii and Alaska, to press our concerns at this important forum without opposition.

Speaking of the UN - 
Dr. Alfred deZayas, the UN Independent Expert (Emeritus) for the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, sends his regards to all, and is pleased that his memorandum has been helpful to us. As he says, “Facts are facts, you canʻt argue with the facts.” He’s on holiday with his wife who just retired after 30 years as a UN official. Theyʻre on their way from Switzerland to Holland… riding bicycles.

And Speaking of the Memo -
The deZayas memorandum has given quite a boost to our advocacy for a Free Hawaii. Already itʻs being used by some in the following ways -

Councilwoman Jen Ruggles asked the Hawaii County Council whether she is committing a war crime by serving on the council, a governing body that appears to be functioning in violation of the Laws of Occupation. She requested an opinion from County Corporate Counsel Joe Kamelamela who basically said: No you wonʻt incur any criminal liability. That was a highly flippant answer with no facts or arguments to back his “legal" opinion.  It doesn’t appear that Kamelamela has any expertise or background in international law, therefore, he is incompetent to render an opinion. The best and most honest answer he could have given was: “I donʻt know” and then call in someone who is competent in international humanitarian law. So thereʻs an impasse. Jen Ruggles wants an answer and wonʻt serve until she gets an answer. And the county/state is scared to death of finding that answer.

Routh Bolometʻs fight for her lands is what triggered the memo from Dr. deZayas. The whole thing is too complex to get into right now, but you should hear Routh’s story when you can by watching it here - https://youtu.be/_hrIoex44Ew

In a nutshell, several years ago Routh went to the county/state to ask to see the title for the property she "owned.” In getting the runaround, but being very persistent, she uncovered not just a can of worms, but the whole nest of vipers that comprise the great Hawaii land scam. To shut her up from asking uncomfortable questions, the lending institution, bank, insurance company and the courts conspired (colluded?) and initiated foreclosure proceedings on her property, committing all kinds of fraud and other criminal acts in the process.

Tomorrow, Tuesday September 18 Routh will be appearing before (confronting?) one of the two state judges to whom deZayas addressed his memorandum. It should be very interesting, to say the least. Routh is asking everyone who can to show your support by being at the courtroom tomorrow, Tuesday, September 18, 9:30 AM, 777 Punchbowl Street, State Circuit Court Building, 4th Floor, courtroom of Judge Jeanette A. Castagnetti.

Aloha Aina,
Leon Siu

Watch -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hrIoex44Ew
"Who Owns This Land? – A Visit With Routh Bolomet"
Voices of Truth – One On One With Hawaiiʻs Future

HAWAIIAN KINGDOM MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
LEON SIU AT THE UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA

Hawaiian Kingdom Minister Of Foreign Affairs Leon Siu, Center,  Leads A Human Rights Presentation Co-Sponsored By The Koani Foundation At The United Nations In Geneva, Switzerland

CONTINUING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN HAWAI`I REPORTED TO UNITED NATIONS IN GENEVA

UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA – A delegation of Hawaiian nationals attended the 32nd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva to report on the continuing and escalating human rights violations being committed by the United States through its prolonged, illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Islands.

The Hawaiian delegation once again repudiated the claim by the United States that the Hawaiian Islands constitute a domestic state of the United States of America, as completely false. The delegates asserted that the lands and seas, the people, assets and resources of the Hawaiian Islands were never transferred to the United States (or any other foreign power). Therefore, the Hawaiian Islands lawfully remain under the jurisdiction of the Hawaiian Kingdom, a nation in continuity.

Through panel presentations and interventions at the Human Rights Council, the Hawai`i delegation decried the increasing, abusive policies, programs and tactics being employed by the United States and the State of Hawai`i officials and agencies to maintain their illegal control of the Hawaiian Islands.

Recent Flagrant Human Rights Violations — 

The Hawaii delegation pointed out five recent examples of flagrant human rights violations by the U.S. and State of Hawai`i governments:

1. Increased efforts to extinguish the political sovereignty and lawful claims of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Officials from the State of Hawai`i, in collusion with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Obama Administration are plotting to confer “federal recognition” of “Native Hawaiians” as a tribal nation of the United States. This scheme to construct a fake American Indian tribe constitutes the most recent attempt in hijacking of the national identity of Hawaiian Nationals; denying Hawaiian Nationals the right to self-determination and denying Hawaiian Nationals self-governance of their homeland (the Hawaiian Kingdom);

2. Engaging in massive land fraud by taking lands from Hawaiian heirs holding original titles, and conveying these lands to new unsuspecting buyers by issuing defective “warranty deeds.” The illegal practice leaves Hawaiians displaced and impoverished in their own lands and new “owners” with gigantic mortgages on properties with fraudulent titles. The manipulation and misappropriation of lands in Hawaii creates a standing land crisis constantly driving costs higher and further out of reach of the Hawaiian people;

3. Issuing permits for an international joint project to build a facility to house the world’s largest telescope at the summit of the 4,207 meter mountain, Mauna Kea, in spite of the strong objections raised by the Hawaiian people regarding spiritual, environmental, cultural and aesthetic desecration, as well as the lack of authority of the illegal occupying state to issue such permits. Thousands of people utilized civil disobedience to block construction from proceeding. Thirty people were arrested for obstruction. Eventually the state courts nullified the construction permits citing non-compliance to the state’s own permitting procedures. However, the issue of proper jurisdiction is still unresolved and the project could reapply for permits;

4. Allowing multinational, bio-chemical, agro-business giants Monsanto, Syngenta, Pioneer, Dow, BASF and other companies to conduct unregulated experiments, grow genetically engineered crops for worldwide export, refuse to disclose the serious health risks to the people of Hawai`i and otherwise operating with impunity in the Hawaiian Islands. Efforts by the people to regulate or obtain information on chemical usage is being met with resistance from the multinational companies filing lawsuits allowing them to sidestep county restrictions, which leads to exposing local families to uncontrolled, restricted-use pesticides with known and unknown impacts on health and environment;

5. Repeated acknowledgement of the wrongful taking and usurpation of the lands and political status of the Hawaiian Islands, yet refusing to rectify the wrong-doing despite ardent requests for just resolution and peaceful settlement. Numerous requests for intervention filed with the Human Rights Council and other treaty bodies and agencies of the UN have gone unheeded.

Hawaiian Kingdom was never extinguished —

The fact is, under international law, the Hawaiian Islands state and its government, the Hawaiian Kingdom was never extinguished. The Hawaiian Kingdom continues to exist as a sovereign, independent nation-state. The United States flagrantly violates international laws by imposing U.S. jurisdiction, national identity and agenda on Hawaii and its people.

It is our expectation that the Human Rights Council and the other bodies and agencies of the UN would come to the aid of the peace-loving Hawaiian people who only seek to be set free from the bondage of a wrongful occupation to exercise their right to self-determination.

The Hawai`i Delegation —

• H.E. Leon Kaulahao Siu – is the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom and a prominent strategist, advocate, activist and spokesman for the reinstatement of Hawai`i as an independent nation. Minister Siu is working to reactivate relations with treaty nations and to develop agreements with other states. He is also a director with the Koani Foundation as well as the chair of the Decolonization Alliance based in New York City.

• Dr. Williamson Chang – was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai`i. He is a Professor at the University of Hawai`i’s Richardson School of Law and has taught a wide variety of courses including corporations, securities regulations, Native Hawaiian Rights, Indigenous People’s Law, Legal Aspects of Water Resources in Hawai`i, Jurisprudence, Conflict of Laws and Legal Practice. His most recent writings conclusively demonstrate that the Hawaiian Islands were never annexed by the United States.

• Ms Routh Bolomet – Is descended from the royal line of chiefs of Hawai`i. She is both a Hawaiian Kingdom subject and a Swiss citizen. She has extensive knowledge of land titles in Hawai`i, the healing arts and creating sustainable food sources…and how these can be applied around the world to empower and free peoples and nations from dependency.

ALASKA & HAWAI`I DELIGHTED WITH 
PAKISTAN’S REQUEST AT UNITED NATIONS

UNITED NATIONS, GENEVA - The Koani Foundation, as a member of the Alaska-Hawai`i Alliance for Self-Determination, is delighted by the request made by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the United States delegation at the Universal Periodic Review of the United States of America on Monday, 11 May 2015 at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

This simple intervention by Pakistan clearly indicates that the situations of Alaska and Hawai`i are matters of international law specifically pertaining to decolonization.

What Was The Question?
Pakistan simply asked the United States to: “Respond to the suggestion made by the Special Procedures in paragraph 69(n) of report A/68/284 regarding the cases of Alaska, Hawai`i and the Dakotas.“ This was in reference to the 2013 report to the UN General Assembly by Dr. Alfred deZayas the UN Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order, where he recommended the Decolonization Committee be receptive to communications from indigenous and non-represented peoples.

What Does It Mean?
Pakistan’s intervention recognizes that the situations of Alaska and Hawai`i are within the context of international law as opposed to US domestic law. This recognition by a State makes it possible for Alaska and Hawai`i to access, at the international level, procedures and mechanisms like the Decolonization Committee, to exercise their right to self-determination.

Position Of Alaska & Hawai`i -
The peoples of both Alaska and Hawai`i maintain that their countries were never lawfully annexed or otherwise acquired by the United States of America and that the US concealed this fact to mislead the UN General Assembly and subvert its decolonization process. The US falsified referenda in Alaska (1958) and Hawai`i (1959) and, using this “manufactured consent,” misled the world into believing the people of Alaska and Hawai`i chose to become “federal states” under the domestic laws of the United States.

Ambassador Ronald Barnes Of Alaska Stated -
“We are very happy with this development at the Universal Periodic Review for the United States of America (US UPR). The official document of the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) in paragraph 86 of the Summary issued for the USA UPR dialogue affirms that Alaska and Hawai`i continue to claim their rights as states of peoples — as recognized sovereign nations. The Shadow Reports submitted by Alaska and Hawai`i establish the historical standing of Alaska and Hawai`i as sovereign nations. We call on the international community to support Alaska and Hawai`i in our endeavour to access procedures under international law to peacefully pursue our right to self-determination in restoring our status as sovereign nations.”

Leon Siu From The Koani Foundation & Ke Aupuni O Hawai`i Added -
“At long last a UN member State is inquiring about what really happened in Alaska and Hawai`i. This is a significant step toward unmasking the circumstances behind the illegal US occupation of the Hawaiian Islands. We hope that Pakistan’s inquiry will lead to support from other States for an official examination into the matter and affirm our right to exercise self-determination. The first matter of course would be for the US to comply with the laws of occupation and implement the necessary steps to end its foreign occupation of Hawaii.”

Sarah James, Chairperson Of The Gwichʻin Steering Committee Added - 
“Self-determination would mean that we, the people of the land, would be the decision-makers in issues like protecting our caribou birthing grounds from the ravages of oil and gas extractive industries. It would mean we can preserve our environment, our natural resources and our way of life. In no case may a peoples be deprived of their right to subsistence.”

What Now?
The Alaska-Hawai`i Alliance for Self-Determination will eagerly utilize the door opened by the intervention of Pakistan and invite the UN member States to respect Alaska and Hawai`i as sovereign nations claiming their rights to self-determination and self-governance. We call on member States to get involved in persuading the US to act in accordance to the rule of international law to end the unlawful occupations of Alaska and Hawai`i. We call on States to support Alaska and Hawai`i in requesting the UN Decolonization Committee examine the United States’ actions regarding the irregular plebiscites of 1958 in Alaska and 1959 in Hawai`i, and to take appropriate actions to address the violations. We call on UN member States to assist Alaska and Hawai`i in activating the proper UN mechanisms for decolonization, de-occupation or whatever is deemed appropriate for peaceful and just resolution to the offenses committed.


POST SCRIPT
What was the USA response?
The US UPR representative responded by ignoring the international context of Pakistan’s query—the fact that under international law, Alaskan native peoples and Hawaiian Kingdom subjects comprise the body politic of sovereign nations under occupation. The US response cited policies by their government to apply domestic “American Indian” policies to those the US government unilaterally identifies as “Native Hawaiian” or “Alaskan Native.” In essence, the US “answer” was entirely unacceptable and misleading. It deliberately avoided the international stature of Alaskans and Hawaiians and portrayed them as tribal wards of the state. Ironically, the US “answer” confirmed that their position on the matter of Alaska and Hawai`i is classic colonialism — an insult to the dignity of peoples and nations and an affront to the principles of self-determination.

BREAKTHROUGH AT THE UNITED NATIONS - US QUESTIONED ON HAWAI`I

On Monday, May 11, the Koani Foundation got the break we have been working for years to achieve! It has caused a big stir in Geneva and in the international community, but is being downplayed or ignored in the UN, which also means it is being downplayed in Hawai`i.

What Are We Doing At The UN? - 
The Hawaiian Kingdom is not at the UN to get “recognition.” We are not there to try to “join" the UN. We are not there to ask to be “decolonized.” We are not there to invoke “indigenous” rights.

We are there to call on the member states of the UN to compel its fellow member, the United States of America, to comply with international law by ending its prolonged, illegal occupation of the Hawaiian Islands.

The US Lied To The UN - 
In 1959, the United States misled the United Nations General Assembly into thinking that Alaska and Hawai`i had voted to become fully integrated into the United States as “federal domestic states." It was a false report, but the General Assembly accepted it and from that point on, considered Alaska and Hawai`i to be under the domestic laws of the United States, not as peoples and territories under the international law of nations.

This false depiction of our status has been so engrained globally that people find it hard to believe Hawai`i is not a part of the US. This has practically blocked our ability to engage other countries and international bodies like the UN, to support our efforts to free Hawai`i.

Our Task At The UN -
If we want to engage the United Nations to help free Hawai`i, we have to change the engrained perception—getting the UN to see Hawai`i as a sovereign nation-state in captivity rather than a minority population of “federally recognized” “Native-Hawaiian-Americans” within the fake federal “State of Hawai`i” and all completely subjected under US laws.

The key to changing the perception is persistence and consistency. Being present and constantly using every opportunity to speak, file and refile petitions, complaints and interventions to make our point; tell our story to anyone who will listen and even those who may not want to listen…and being pleasant and diplomatic…eventually it gets through.

We have approached and engaged many different mechanisms at the UN that might be able to help. In particular, we have concentrated on several human rights bodies based in Geneva as well as a couple of General Assembly committees in New York.

The breakthrough we recently had was in the Human Rights Council.

The Universal Periodic Review -
Every few years, on a rotational basis, each member State (country) of the United Nations has its human rights “record” reviewed by the United Nations Human Rights Council based in Geneva. This process is called the Universal Periodic Review. Last week it was the United States' turn. The way it works, is that months before the review, the country submits its report of how they are doing internally on a wide range of human rights topics, self-analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. The other member states (countries) examine the report and formulate their questions and/or recommendations to make to the US.

On May 11, 2015 a formal meeting was convened in the main salon at the Palais des Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva. There, the delegation from the US made its oral presentation for about an hour, then the member states that signed up to speak have an opportunity to give their observations, questions and recommendations through what is called “interventions.” Only member states can participate in making written and oral interventions at a UPR. There were over 120 States signed up to give oral interventions. They were only given 1 minute each, so it took well over two hours to get through all the speakers. 

Most of the interventions have a few seconds of platitudes (congratulating the US, etc.) then they list a number of concerns. As you can guess, a lot of them have concerns.

At the Universal Periodic Review of the United States, only member countries of the UN (called "member States”) can make remarks or ask questions. Outsiders like us who are not member States, have to find a member State to ask a question for us. That’s how it works.

Representatives from the people of Alaska and Hawai`i teamed up about 10 years ago to assert our independence. One of the key elements of the partnership is to have the UN question the US claim that Alaska and Hawai`i are "federal states" of the US.

While there are many UN member States sympathetic to our pursuit, for ten years, none has been willing to stick its neck out to mention the irregularities regarding Alaska and Hawai`i. It was safer to not disturb the dragon.

But we persisted in attending dozens of meetings at the UN in Geneva and New York to press our case. Over the years, things have shifted in our favor.

On Monday, May 11, 2015, at the US UPR, Pakistan broke the ice by posing a request to the US pertaining to us. There! A member State of the UN actually said it indirectly but clearly, suggesting that Alaska and Hawai`i are situations that come under international law, not US domestic law…and more specifically, our cases require the attention of the UN Decolonization Committee.

In the subdued, understated, circumspect, innuendoed world of diplomacy, Pakistan’s query was like the fable where the boy blurts out, “But the emperor has no clothes!” Everyone could see it, but no one wanted to say it.  

Until now.

Tomorrow - The Alaska - Hawai`i Press Statement

GROUP SEEKS END TO US OCCUPATION OF ALASKA & HAWAI`I

A human rights group speaking in the name of indigenous populations of Alaska and Hawai`i seek UN intervention to organize self-determination referenda in the US states, saying Washington has illegally occupied it since 1959.
 
The group is to raise the issue during next week’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, reports TASS.

Both territories were listed in 1946 as Non Self-Governing Territories under article 73 of the UN Charter. 

The status theoretically subjected Alaska and Hawai`i to decolonization. In both, referenda were held over whether they would become fully-fledged states of the USA, which both did in 1959.

Critics of the transition, including the Alaska-Hawai`i Alliance for Self-Determination, accuse the US federal government of failing to hold the ballots properly, which they say should have involved offering and explaining to the people the option for becoming an independent state rather than part of the US.

The group wants the UN to pressure the US over what they call a violation of UN charter and international law. It accuses Washington of mistreating indigenous peoples of Alaska and Hawai`i living under what it calls American ‘occupation’.

“Our culture is being suppressed. But US actions target not only our culture, but also world peace, because it has a military base in Pearl Harbor,” said Leon Siu, a representative for Hawai`i in the alliance.  

“They pollute our land and water during exercises. People get sick because of it. It’s an affront to our land and our people. We don’t want to be part of a war machine.”

Ronald Barnes of Alaska said the US “is mismanaging the property they have no right for.

“They take our land and mine mineral resources in large amounts damaging our 
environment,” he said.

Barnes told TASS that the group would seek assistance from Russia for their cause.

“It will be 150 years since the sale of Alaska by Russia to the US in 2017. If we could work with the Russians to present the historical truth and reject the distorted concepts about Alaska and our peoples, I believe it could be a good way to amend the situation,” he said.

He said Alaska could become a neutral independent state between Russia and the West.

The group has been active since at least 2010, although its members have long records of fighting for the rights of native peoples of Alaska and Hawai`i. Activists from the two states banded together earlier under other names. For instance in 2006 they acted as Indigenous World Association, to get UN support for their cause.