Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Hawaii land dispute awaits resolution

Posted at 01:46 on 06 November, 2009 UTC

A long-running land rights struggle in Hawaii is closer to resolution after a court ruled this week that the state is liable for damages in failing to provide for native Hawaiians.

The law suit was taken in 1999 by a group of nearly 3000 native Hawaiians who claim they have been economically disadvantaged for a generation when the State denied to award homesteads on 203,000 acres of land between 1959 and 1988.

A lawyer acting for the group, most of whom are now elderly, says he is hopeful the State of Hawaii will now move towards resolving the matter by compensating the group.

Carl Varady says while the State took some measures to restore the Hawaiian Home Lands Trust in 1995, the individuals involved have never received compensation for their losses in rent and mortgages.

“We’ve taken two important giant steps in a case where the state has said it has no responsibility for breaches of trust or making these homestead awards and no responsibility for damages. Those arguments are now gone.”

Carl Varady says while it is conceivable the state may appeal the court’s decision, he hopes there will be political pressure to resolve the case soon.