Native Hawaiian leaders denounce violence by group that stormed OHA office

A group of prominent Native Hawaiian leaders gathered Thursday morning to speak out against the 13 men who stormed the Office of Hawaiian Affairs offices last week in a failed attempt to seize the agency and its assets.

The group, a collection of individuals, family members and organizations, stood together in solidarity in condemning the use of violence and called for a greater level of accountability from the men who committed the acts, as well as from law enforcement to exact the appropriate punishment.

Kuhio Lewis, CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, read a statement on behalf of the group, which included kumu hula, academics, educators and well-respected community leaders.

“We denounce the acts of this group and the pain and suffering they inflicted, and call upon the men to consider the negative and far- reaching impacts of their actions because it is counterproductive to the work of uplifting our lahui (nation),” said Lewis. “We call out to our Hawaiian community that we must hold ourselves to a higher standard of peace and nonviolence. We should be the first to call out acts that cross lines that should not be crossed, even when our ideas and strategies differ, and especially when they include physical violence.”

Police on Jan. 17 arrested five men at the OHA headquarters on Nimitz Highway. The members of the group known as Polynesian Kingdom of Atooi had forced entry into the headquarters at about 11 a.m. before assaulting at least two staff members, harassing and verbally threatening others. Police arrested and charged Ene Faletogo, Rheece Kahawai, Jordan Feletogo, Remedio Dabaluz and Sadhu Bott.

In the process, the group said, multiple staff were physically assaulted and one person’s ribs were fractured.

Lewis said the harmful acts stood “in stark contrast” to the hundreds who gathered the same day at Iolani Palace to commemorate the events of Jan. 17, 1893, when 13 men from the Committee of Safety stormed the palace, overthrowing Queen Lili‘uokalani.

“We are certain that our queen, who herself invoked a decree of peace in the face of violence, would not condone these violent acts, and neither do we,” he said.

Lewis and many other members of the community also called upon law enforcement officials to hold the men accountable.

“These were acts of terroristic threatening and serious assault, yet those arrests, some with long, public criminal records that include domestic violence against family members, currently face only minor charges,” he said.

While high bail has been applied to Native Hawaiians seeking to protect the land, these men who impersonated federal officers were released on $100 bail, Lewis noted. Within hours of posting bail, he said, they took to social media to celebrate.

“This inequity is questionable at best,” said Lewis.

Honolulu Police Department spokeswoman Michelle Yu said the offenses were based on information available to the responding officers at the scene, including what was provided by victims and witnesses, but that they could be reclassified later.

“HPD and OHA administrators spoke shortly after the incident and agreed that the police response was appropriate,” said Yu in an email. “This investigation has now been turned over to the Hawaii Department of the Attorney General.”

The statement was supported by more than 50 Native Hawaiian groups and individuals, including the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, former Gov. John Waihee, Kamehameha Schools and numerous state legislators.

Many condemned the acts of violence in the name of Hawaiian sovereignty.

Noe Noe Wong-Wilson, executive director of the Lalakea Foundation, an organization of kumu hula across the Hawaiian Isles, said the men crossed a line this time.

“Violence is not the way that we settle our differences, and that is the most alarming thing that came out of the incident that occurred,” said Wilson. “We don’t believe that’s the way of our lahui or the way of our kupuna and … of our queen.”

Jon Osorio, dean of the Hawai‘inuiakea School of Hawaiian Knowledge at the University of Hawaii, said what happened was shocking.

“When we say we hold ourselves to a higher standard of behavior, it’s actually true that the Hawaiian movement has always been nonviolent,” said Osorio. “It has always been about conversation and confrontation and, yes, conflict, but it has never done what they did. And so we disavow that as a tactic. We say it does not strengthen the lahui.”

The group made clear it was not speaking on behalf of OHA, although the agency’s trustees and CEO Kamana‘opono Crabbe were present.

Crabbe thanked the group for its support.

He read a statement saying that OHA continues to work with various law enforcement entities to increase safety measures and to protect its staff, beneficiaries, visitors and building tenants. He also thanked the police for their assistance over the last week.

“While Native Hawaiians today hold differing opinions on many issues, we must all agree that there is no place for violence in our community,” Crabbe said, reading the statement. “Any use of violence — regardless for what cause — must be condemned.”