Hawaiian homeland raid leads to arrests

By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Staff Writer

HILO — Teams of state sheriff's officers, government officials and Hilo police swept into a Hawaiian homestead subdivision in Keaukaha today and arrested several people who have protested policies by the state Department of Hawaiian Homelands.

Caravans of officials arrived at 8:15 a.m. for a series of evictions related to lease violations. They were followed by vans from Big Island Moving and Storage so officers could load property from the homes. The state intended to raid at least six homes in the subdivision, which has hundreds of units near the Hilo Airport.

No information was available on whether any of the homesteaders resisted arrest, but several were arrested.

Micah Kane, director of Hawaiian Homelands, said the six lessees who were evicted owed the state an estimated $250,000.

"We approached the lessees with different repayment or refinancing programs, and we felt we exhausted all our options," Kane said. "It wasn't easy for us, but we have to focus on 20,000 other Hawaiian families who are seeking homestead land."

During a raid on Richard Kela's home, a woman standing in her yard across the street screamed at sheriff's deputies as they handcuffed and arrested Kela.

"You act just like my brother was dealing drugs," she shouted. "You guys make like Hawaiian homes are so bad."

Patrick Kahawaiolaa, a prominent activist who has criticized policies made by Hawaiian Homelands, told reporters that he was arrested for "illegal use of Hawaiian Homelands."

Kahawaiolaa and other homesteaders have staged a series of protests over the amount they must pay for water, as well as other department policies. They also have protested leases the department granted to commercial operations.

At one point, Kahawaiolaa and several other protesters poured concrete over their water meters. They contend that as Hawaiian homes lessees they are entitled to free water.

George Kela, the younger brother of Richard Kela, said his brother was one of the protestors who poured concrete on his water meter, and said Richard had stopped paying the mortgage on his Keaukaha homestead house to protest increases in the interest rates charged to homesteaders.

"Don't get them wrong, they're fighting for a good cause," George Kela said. "It takes a group like this to really give the people the perspective of what is going on around them as Hawaiian people."

Attorney General Mark J. Bennett said his office was asked to coordinate the evictions by Hawaiian Homelands because the residents had violated their leases for lengthy periods.

The leases had been canceled by the Hawaiian Homes Commission, he said.

"The Department of Hawaiian Homelands exhausted all other means, including attempts to resolve this matter without evictions and to resolve this through a mediation process," Bennett said today.

But all attempts failed, he said.