Sovereignty group says Friends of ‘Iolani Palace must leave site

A group of about 20 Hawaiian sovereignty activists belonging to the group Hawaiian Kingdom Government issued a 50-page statement Wednesday demanding that the Friends of ‘Iolani Palace vacate the grounds.

Mahealani Asing Kahau, head of state for the organization claiming to be the rightful heirs to the Hawaiian government, handed the document to Kippen de Alba Chu, Friends of ‘Iolani Palace executive director, in front of the Kana‘ina administrative building shortly before noon.

State Land Board Chairman William Aila, who was on hand along with several state enforcement officers and palace security personnel, said he received a similar letter on behalf of the state Tuesday.

The move comes less than a week before the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation gathering that will draw 21 heads of state.

Kahau’s group has been gathering on various parts of the palace grounds five days a week since May 2008, showing up in the morning and leaving in the afternoon.

Kahau, who declined to speak to the Star-Advertiser Wednesday, previously said that the group is running its seat of government from there and holding office hours.

Friends of ‘Iolani Palace, the nonprofit which leases the palace from the state, closes the palace grounds at 11 nightly.

When the group first occupied the grounds, it locked the gates and blocked non-Hawaiians from entering for about eight hours to protest the U.S.-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian government more than a century ago.

The palace was shut down to business for the day and roughly 35 employees sent home except for two security officers. The state archives office also was closed to the public for the day and about 10 employees sent home.

Kahau then issued de Alba Chu and DLNR officials papers claiming her group is the legitimate government and "not subject to state law."

The gates were subsequently reopened and the group has held its daily meetings peacefully.

Kahau told Aila Wednesday her group did not expect to stay beyond the afternoon.

Aila said any group with fewer than 25 people may gather on the grounds without obtaining a permit from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward said the state has no plans to tighten access to palace grounds during APEC week.