Protesters can’t close Molokai with blockades

The protesters who last month blocked Kaunakakai harbor to keep an eco-tourism group from reaching Molokai certainly succeeded in getting the attention of the business community, though not in a way that should be repeated again.

American Safari Cruises came under fire from protesters who are concerned about the impact of ecotourism on Molokai, with the expectation that more such tour groups would follow. It’s reasonable that people who love the largely undeveloped character of their island should want a voice in defining where the boundaries on tour activities might be set.

What’s unreasonable is the assumption by some that blocking the legal passage of other people is an acceptable means to an end. Exercising free speech is a cherished part of American rights, but it’s not supposed to trump the rights of others.

Dan Blanchard, the cruise operation’s owner, decided to cancel a Dec. 2-3 tour after the boat with 30 passengers was turned away Nov. 26. About a week ago he went to Molokai to meet with residents in the effort to reach a mutual agreement.

That’s a hopeful development in what could have deteriorated into discord. The stakeholders in this issue are talking, including government officials such as state Department of Land and Natural Resources Director William Aila, who said last week that the discussions have been open-ended and cordial.

So far the tour group has only needed to place a bond with the state Department of Transportation for the use of its pier facilities on different islands and has not yet needed any DLNR permits, Aila said.

The critics are not focused specifically on this single tour group but on the overall management of tourism, he said, adding that he’s encouraged to see that activist Walter Ritte and other vocal members of the protest group have not adopted absolutist, no-tourism demands.

"They’re asking to have a conversation about how does the community benefit from this — not how individuals benefit, but the community as a whole," he said.

A community survey is being taken — the reaction from residents has run the gamut, including supporters as well as staunch opponents and those on the fence. A public meeting is set for 6 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Mitchell Pauole Center, a gathering that needs to enlist the full spectrum of the community to begin the process of finding a compromise position.

Molokai justifiably prides itself on maintaining much of its traditional Hawaiian and rural character. Its residents want a firm grasp on the reins guiding any change, rather than to sit back and let it happen. That aspect of the island debate is admirable.

Aila said the U.S. Coast Guard also is being consulted on the tour group’s legal rights, which is a good thing. The practice of blocking waterways with human shields — the small crafts and surfers on boards — has gained the veneer of a successful tactic after its use in turning back the Superferry years earlier, and now it’s been taken up on Molokai.

Authorities need to discourage that as strongly as possible, even if it means arresting participants. Planning for the advent of tourism is the right move here, but the community should avoid repeating that unruly first step: no more Kaunakakai harbor blockades.