HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0641.023 2004-2006DATE: January 20, 2006
Respected members of the Council of the County of Hawaii, I am Ronald
Fu~iyoshi, a voting resident in the County of Hawaii. I also serve in the
fol owing capacity:
1. As a licensed minister with the Olaa First Hawaiian Church
(Congregational) in Kurtistown,
2. The Treasurer of Ohana Ho opakele, anot-for-profit organization
registered in the State of Hawaii, that is building as an alternative model to
prison, a Pu'uhonua or Wellness Center in this county,
3. The Co-chair of the Endowment Committee of the Association of
Hawaiian Evangelical Churches of the Hawaii Conference of the United
Church of Christ, and
4. A member of the Executive Committee of the Justice and Witness
Ministries Board of Directors of the national United Church of Christ,
I want to speak in favor of Resolution No. 244-06, A Resolution supporting
efforts to protect Native Hawaiian ancestral remains, funerary objects,
sacred objects, and cultural patrimony from desecration and destruction.
I commend you for considering the passage of this resolution. I see this
resolution as the first step of this council to recognize the rights of the
Native Hawaiian community to practice their ancient and traditional religion
and to protect those objects deemed sacred by their religion.
You should be taking this step because you have been elected by the
residents of this county to use your best judgement in preserving the best
that exists in this county--its natural beauty, the energy of its residents to
preserve the beauty of this island and to improve the quality of life for all,
and especially to respect and improve the lives of the "host people" living
here--the Kanaka Maoli. You should be taking action that preserves the
best that exists in this county, more than the State of Hawaii, more than
any US laws, precisely because you are residents of Hawaii island.
As a member of Ohana Ho'opakele, I have visited Diamondback
Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma, on several occasions where
about eight hundred (800) of our men are incarcerated. They have been
fighting for the right to practice their own religion and have met resistance,
not only by the Corrections Corporation of America but even the
Department of Public Safety of the State of Hawai i. Our church, the
United Church of Christ, passed a resolution "Religious Freedom for
Native Hawaiian Prisoners" at our Twenty-fifth General Synod in July, 2005
in Atlanta, Georgia. In this resolution, which 1 submit as an addendum to
my testimony, the "United Church of Christ recognizes the inherent right of
Native Hawaiians to practice their ancient and traditional religion as
guaranteed by law, and pledges it s support to those native Hawaiians."
Comm. No. 2
Ref. Toc o
R•f, pots
As you take this and further steps to recognize the cultural rights and
practices of the Native Hawaiian community, you will need to turn to your
"host people" the Kanaka Maoli, to help educate you and the rest of us
residents on Moku O Keawe on what the cultural rights and practices are.
I expect you members of the council who are not of the "host people" will
turn to the members of this council who are Kanaka Maoli for guidance.
And all of us will need to seek out kupuna who are specially trained in the
ancient and traditional religion to educate us as to the proper
understanding and practices of that religion.
In conclusion, I support this resolution; I support the use of the
ho'oponopono process to resolved differences among the Native
Hawauan community to make things pono or "righteous." As a minister of
the United Church of Christ, I have submitted a resolution that shows that
others in the United Church of Christ would support the resolution before
you today. It is not a perfect resolution by far. However, it is a good first
step in recognizing the rights of the "host people," the Kanaka Maoli to
their traditional, cultural and religious rights and practices. This resolution
is also a first step in exerting "home rule" as it pertains to cultural rights and
practices related specifically to this Moku O Keawe. This is a historic first
step; I look forward to you taking many more steps in this direction. Thank
you!
Submitted byy:
Ronald S. Fujiyoshi
1196 W. Kawailani St.
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Tel. 959-9775; Fax. 959-2793
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Geneml Synod requests the East Asia and Pacific Office of Common
Global Ministries to regularly update the local chwches and conferences of the United Church of Christ on the
human rights situation in the Philippines, especially as i[ impacts the life and work of the UCCP.
4
5
6
7
8
9
IO
1
12
13
14
IS
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
3t
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
ag
44
50
51
52
53
54
55
Funding for this action will be made in accordance with the overall mandates of the affected agencies and the funds
available.
& RESOLUTION: °$~LIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN PRISONERS.°
Moderator Jackson yielded to Chairperson Bahr to present the next proposed action of Committee Five. Mr. Bahr
presented the resolution "Religious Freedom for Native Hawaiian Prisoners." He then moved to adopt the resolution.
Moderator Jackson called for the vote. Chairperson Bahr yielded time to Hawaiian representatives who offered
chanting, asking spiritual beings to grant knowledge and blessings of ane mind and one spirit. Mc Neb Whitehead
(PNE) reminded delegates that monies are going to privately owned prisons where Hawaiian prisoners are denied
their rights.
Modemtor Jackson called for the vote
OS-GS-59 VOTED: The Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ votes in favor of the resolution,
"Religious Freedom for Native Hawaiian Prisoners."
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN PRISONERS
WHEREAS, In response to Jesus' teaching and the aloha of all people, the Twenty-fifth Geneml Synod of the
United Chwch of Christ recognizes the inherent right of Native Hawaiians to practice their ancient and traditional
religion as guaranteed by law and pledges its support to those Native Hawaiians;
WHEREAS, Native Hawaiian religious rites are protected under the Constitutions of the United Sfates of America,
the State of Hawai i, the State of Oklahoma, the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (42
USCS § 2000ce), and the American Indian Religious Frcedom Act (42 U.S.C. § 1996);
WHEREAS, the free exercise of religion for Hawaii prisoners at the Diamondback Correctional Facility in
Watonga, OK, is making strides to provide minimal religious oppor[uni6es as required by law:
WHEREAS, inter-religious and interfaith spiritual accompaniment requires specific training, theological hospitality
to different religious expressions, and a commitment [o mutual respect of diverse belief systems;
WHEREAS, ow local United Church of Christ churches and the Oklahoma United Chwch of Christ 'ohana
(family)- qualified, [rained and ordained advocates now have access;
WHEREAS, Native Hawaiian prisoners are 6,000 miles from then homeland, 'ohana and religious leaders; and [hat
up to 2,500 Hawai i pa'ahao are located in cortectional facilities in Oklahoma, Arizona, Mississippi, and Colorado;
WHEREAS, spirituality, and its diversity of pmetice, is an essential part of rehabilitation;
WHEREAS, Native Hawaiian prisoners through the Native Hawaiian Religion and Cultwe Group have requested
advocacy, support, and pastaal presence at weekly spiritual gatherings and specific holy day observances;
WHEREAS, the Native Hawaiian prisoners' United Church of Christ ktlpuna (elders) and kahu (pastors) have
commended their'ohana to the care of Oklahoma area United Church of Christ clergy; and that some of the pa' ahao
(prisoners) are sons and yohana of ow own churches in the Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ;
WHEREAS, the Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches United Chwch of Chris[ of the Hawai i Conference
United Chwch of Christ is in covenantal relationship with all the settings of the United Chumh of Christ;
59
1 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ recognizes
2 the inherent right of Native Hawaiians to practice their ancient and traditional religion as guaranteed by law, and
3 pledges its support m those native Hawaiians;
4
5
6
7
8
9
]0
11
12
13
14
t5
16
l7
l8
I9
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
3t
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ encourages the
Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches' Justice and Wimess Team m work in partnership with the Hawai i
Conference `s Witness Missional Team, and the Oklahoma Association through the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference
to coordinate efforts and ministry with the Native Hawaiian Religion and Culture Group of the Diamondback
Correctional Facility in Watonga, Oklahoma to minister to the Native Hawaiian and other Hawai i prisoners;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Chwch of Christ calls on the five
associations of the Hawaii Conference United Church of Christ as well as the Hawai i Conference Board of
Directors m join in this ministry to native Hawaiian prisoners, especially those who are in continental facilities far
from Hawai i;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Chwch of Christ urges the
leaders in the Hawai i Sffite Legislature and the United States Congress to call upon the Department of public Safety
m Hawaii and the Department of Corrections in Oklahoma m recognize the need to uphold the laws of the
Constitution of the United States of America m allow Native Hawaiian prisoners in all the continental United States
facilities and the State of Hawaii the freedom to exercise fully their religion in anon-hostile and non-retributive
environment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fitffi General Synod of the United Church of Christ calls on the
Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Churches United Chwch of Christ through its Plip& Makua and Luna
Hoyomalu and the Conference Minister and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Hawai i Conference
United Church of Christ m wge the Department of public Safety of the Slate of Hawai' i to provide for routine visits
from practitioners of Native Hawaiian spirituality;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth General Synod of the United Church of Christ encourages
through its Justice end Wifiess Ministries and the Hawai i Conference United Church of Christ through its Witness
Missional Team to call upon the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) m insure religious freedom for those
who practice non-Christian religion with adequately trained professionals and open the faith pods to include
interfaith groups.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Twenty-fifth Geneml Synod of the United Chwch of Christ encoumges and
supports [he Association of Hawaiian Evangelical Chwches United Chwch of Christ m work in concert with the
Oklahoma Association United Church of Christ and the Kansas-Oklahoma Conference UCC, the Native Hawaiian
Religion and Cultwe Group, the Council for American Indian Ministry (CALM), [he Justice and Wimess Ministries
of the UCC, and other peace and justice networks of the United Churoh of Christ to provide advocacy and financial
support [o expand the witness for religious freedom for all Native Hawaiian prisoners throughout the United States
of America.
The implementation of this resolution will be by the Justice and Wimess Ministries' Human Rights, Justice for
Women, and Transgendwed Ministry-especially Criminal Justice and }iuman Rights, the Association of Hawaiian
Evangelical Churches of the Hawaii Conference United Chwch of Christ and all its settings, the Oklahoma
Association of the Kansas-Oklahoma Conferonce United Church of Christ as all its settings, and all other interested
settings of the United Church of Christ.
Funding for the implementation of the resolution will be made in accordance with the overall mandates of the
affected agencies and fwds available.
9. '~HANICS TO THE GEORGIA HOST COMMITTEE
Moderator Jackson called on Ms. Edith Gulley, who gave thanks m the Georgia Host Committee and Local
Arrangements Committee. The Local Araangements Committee presented Ms. Gulley with the gift of a cross.
60