Kategorie: Leon Siu

June 28, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

———

Leon Siu – Hawaiian National

BACK AT THE UN IN GENEVA

Over the years at the UN, we have developed friendships and mutual support among many peoples and nations (Alaska, Kashmir, Western Sahara, West Papua, etc.) working to free themselves from captive situations. Working together gives us some real advantages as we help to bolster each other’s efforts.

I’m back at the UN in Geneva attending the 41^st Session of the UN Human Rights Council. With me are two representatives of the Okinawa independence movement whom we assisted in getting accredited and oriented to attend the UN meeting.

The leader is Robert Kajiwara, who is actually a Hawaiian Kingdom subject of Okinawan descent. Rob is an envoy sent by our Hawaiian Kingdom Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Okinawa to hook up with their independence movement.

Okinawa is in a situation very similar to the Hawaiian Islands… invaded and illegally “annexed” by a foreign power; in their case, Japan. Then, after everyone else had been liberated, consigned by UN action to remain in the hands of their captors who turned their paradise into an armed fortress.

Rob read a 2-minute intervention (statement) at the HRC on Tuesday calling for a draw-down of military installations and self-determination for Okinawa. It created a huge sensation in Japan! It was the number one news item in all of Japan’s media.

Today, a joint Hawaii and Okinawa briefing was held for the UN press corps. These are usually 30-minute affairs. Ours lasted for over 90 minutes! The press asked about the subjugation of our islands by the U.S.; the TMT on Mauna Kea; what we thought of the nuclear threat to our people… I told them about the arbitrary detention of Bradley Pai, Robert Warren and Alfred Spinney as being politically motivated … and the systemic discrimination against Hawaiian subjects by the State of Hawaii and agents of the United States. They were taken aback… This is going on in Hawaii?

The world is waking up and beginning to listen.

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty (life) of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu

June 14, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

Leon Siu – Hawaiian National

The Quick Facts Series…

THE SITUATION OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

QUICK FACTS #10

VISITING CAPITALS

According to Article 1 of the Montevideo Convention, one of the four qualifying factors of a sovereign state is the capacity to enter foreign relations with other states.

After having spent years in conversations with diplomats from various countries (ambassadors, chargé d’affaires, attachés, counsels, deputy reps, secretaries, etc.), sharing our situation and learning of theirs, we have embarked on the next stage known as “visiting their capitals.” This means we have gotten to the point in our discussions where the diplomats are recommending we go and talk to their countries’ leaders — presidents, prime ministers, foreign ministers… those who make decisions…

This is the stage where nation-to-nation bilateral discussions take place to develop relationships and talk strategies.

In the past I have met a number of heads of state usually at conferences, regional group meetings or at their missions at the UN or the EU. It has always been encouraging and productive.

My most recent diplomatic visit was two weeks ago in Apia, Samoa with Prime Minister Malielegaoi of the Independent State of Samoa. We discussed several matters of mutual interest. We also talked of the prospects of Samoa supporting two initiatives we are preparing for introduction at the United Nations in the Fall. His response was very positive.

The pace is beginning to pick up. In the next few months I will be visiting more of the Pacific as well as other regions.

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty (life) of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu

May 25, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

———

Leon Siu – Hawaiian National

• A Unified Position

One thing that’s been on my mind for some time is: what if the countries start asking for proof that the Hawaiian people really want independence? What are we going to say? So far, the diplomats and international groups to which I’ve been speaking have seen the outward appearances of the protests, rallies, articles, academic papers, websites, etc. …But what is the tangible proof that shows the political will of the people? Although they know that nation-building can be very involved and often messy, still it would be reassuring if there was some kind of consensus… better yet, a unified front.

West Papua struggled for years with different factions vying for attention from the international community. It was confusing. Finally, Vanuatu sat the competing leaders down and said, we can’t help you unless you form a coherent body… to work together to get over the first major hurdle. Thus, the United Liberation Movement for West Papua was born. Vanuatu threw their support behind the ULMWP and got the Melanesian Spearhead Group to grant them observer status. Then Vanuatu gave the ULMWP some land and a building in Port Vila from which to operate… instructed their missions in New York and Geneva to give WP exposure, etc.

I believe we have a solution to satisfy the immediate proof of consensus, and one that will lead to unifying the movement as well.

I brought this up this concern in a meeting I had last week with a friend. How do we show there is significant support for Hawaii as an independent nation when we are so factionalized? He thought about it for a moment and said, “We need a memorial.” A document that simply says we stand for independence, something which everyone in the movement can subscribe, regardless of group affiliations or pre-conceived agendas. The precedent is the memorial that accompanied the Ku’e Petition to Washington, D.C. on 1897. This way, when asked about the political will of the Hawaiian people, we can say, here it is, a simple, no-frills memorial with the signatures of all the leaders and thousands, upon thousands of Hawaiians.

The beauty of this memorial is that it will unify us in purpose; get us standing and working for the same outcome of independence. It will be a foundational mission statement for us to use to build the nation… We are working on plans to make this happen.

——–

To better understand what we are doing in Foreign Affairs, go to:

http://www.hawaiiankingdom.net/HawaiianKingdom.net/Foreign_Affairs.html

It’s part of the website: www.HawaiianKingdom.net

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu

May 11, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

———

The Quick Facts Series…

THE SITUATION OF

THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS

QUICK FACTS #9

WHAT ARE WE DOING AT THE UN?

Hawaiians have been significant participants and contributors to various United Nations platforms since the 1970s. Over the past 10 years we have targeted the issue of restoring the Hawaiian Kingdom as an independent country.

Our primary strategy has been implementing a “public relations” campaign — to share our story, make friends, build partnerships, project optimism for a peaceful resolution to the problem. It has taken time to develop, but the building of relationships and credibility are now beginning to produce fruit — like the memos from UN expert, Dr. Alfred deZayas and the favorable coverage in diplomatic journals and the international press.

There are four main reasons we are involved with the United Nations:

1) To make certain that the United Nations, its officers and its agencies are duly informed that the United States’ presence in the Hawaiian Islands is in violation of customary international laws — and, specifically, in flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter;

2) To petition the UN General Assembly to hold the US accountable to its obligations under the UN Charter (with respect to Hawaii); and to utilize the UN system to bring the US into compliance with those international obligations;

3) To have access to member states of the UN (193 countries) to tell our story and enlist their help in the effort to Free Hawaii;

4) To partner with and assist the dozens of captured peoples and nations struggling for liberation.

We are not at the UN to seek “recognition” from, or to “join” the UN.

We are there to request the UN to act to bring the US in compliance to its international obligation with respect to the Hawaiian Islands and its people.   

Ua mau ke ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono. The sovereignty (life) of the land is perpetuated in righteousness.

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu

April 26, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

———

Leon Siu – Hawaiian National

• We hold the key…

Aloha!  I am in New York City attending meetings in and around the United Nations. As I mentioned before, diplomats, leaders and officials at the UN and other international bodies are being very helpful with advice and guidance on navigating the complex international systems. Things are going remarkably well… so well that we might be getting ahead of ourselves. Here’s why…

Like any other governing body, the politics of the UN can be very complicated. Yes, there are rules and policies, but they are only effective if countries are willing to comply… or, if they can be made to comply. The bigger the country, the less likely it can be made to do something it doesn’t want to do. Small countries have to be very careful swimming among the big guys.

About 10 years ago, a diplomat from a Caribbean country told me: “Every diplomat at the UN is there — first and foremost — to look after the best interest of his own country.” Yes, these representatives also champion noble causes, but only to the extent that it serves in the best interest of their countries. Once you view the UN and its member states through that lens, their apparent ineffective or even erratic behavior begins to make sense.

So in the situation of the Hawaiian Islands, although many, many countries sympathize very strongly with our efforts to Free Hawaii, they cannot risk the negative consequences to their own country should wefail to step up to the plate. In other words, triggering international support depends on whether we can demonstrate we are prepared with a roadmap for transition and a plan to assume the reigns our country. If we don’t have a realistic plan, it would be extremely foolish (and dangerous) for countries to stick their necks out for us.

This means we have to put our heads together to determine transitional and long-range plans and a vision for the future of our country. The sooner we can do this… the sooner we can get our story out to the world to create a global demand to Free Hawaii… the sooner friendly countries can help to activate international mechanisms like the UN on our behalf.

We hold the key to our freedom.

——–

To better understand what we are doing in Foreign Affairs, go to:

http://www.hawaiiankingdom.net/HawaiianKingdom.net/Foreign_Affairs.html

It’s part of the website: www.HawaiianKingdom.net

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu

March 23, 2019

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

Ua Mau Ke Ea O Ka Aina I Ka Pono.

———

• On the Verge of UN Breakthrough…

Aloha!  I have just returned from another very productive trip to the two main offices of the United Nations: Geneva, Switzerland and New York City.

In Geneva I attended the 40^th Session of the Human Rights Council where, besides the council meetings and the parallel events, I was able to meet in the margins of the main session, with diplomats from UN member states, UN experts and officers, international journalists and other delegations (like us) knocking on the door of the UN seeking remedy for their situations.

As I mentioned in an earlier report, when we started out, the diplomats and UN officials would cordially express “interest” and politely wish us luck. But a few years ago, the mood began to shift from, “That’s very interesting” to genuine curiosity (“Do you think that’s possible?”) and now, to getting involved (“How do you think we can help?”).

We have been gaining traction with each successive trip. Now, when I call on these diplomats, they are eager to learn how we are progressing, and better yet, offering suggestions and advice on how we could proceed to attain our goal. This new level of engagement is happening at the UN offices on both sides of the Atlantic.

As I mentioned before, the UN in New York City is home to the United Nations’ main “governing bodies,” namely: the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Secretary General (and the agencies, committees and offices that serve these entities). The UN in New York is where any decision that will affect our status as a country will ultimately be made.

I am happy to report that we are on the verge of having some countries friendly to our cause, submit initiatives to the General Assembly that will trigger a UN inquiry of the United States’ claim of sovereignty over the Hawaiian Islands. This might sound cryptic, but it has to be for now. The strategy is tied to several other components that will help other peoples and nations who are seeking independence. The operating principle is, to quote a favorite saying of President John F. Kennedy, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Sorry to be vague about specifics at this time, but soon we will be able to speak more openly.

In the months to come, we will have to step up activities to advance these initiatives. That means not only regular trips to the UN, but making visits to the capitals of certain key countries to speak with their leaders to garner their support. This will require committing more resources — both human and material.

To better understand what we are doing in Foreign Affairs, go to:

http://www.hawaiiankingdom.net/HawaiianKingdom.net/Foreign_Affairs.html

It’s part of the website: www.HawaiianKingdom.net

———

The Campaign to Free Hawaiʻi is funded by people like YOU… 

We cannot do this crucial work without your help… your kokua. 

It takes funding to make these important accomplishments happen and we deeply appreciate all financial contributions, large or small. 

Any amount you contribute will make a huge impact on our ability to continue this work (and can be tax-deductible if needed). 

We have much to accomplish in 2019 and your contributions toward that are very important and needed.

Your KŌKUA is greatly appreciated! 

To contribute, go to https://GoFundMe.com/FreeHawaii

Mahalo Nui Loa!

——–

Malama pono,

Leon Siu