Posted at 2:34 p.m., Monday, January 22, 2007
Hawaiian burials group seeks development moratorium
Advertiser Staff
The newly formed Friends of the Burials Protection Program today called on Gov. Linda Lingle's administration to impose a moratorium on all land development until the state resolves concerns tied to Native Hawaiian burial sites.The group, which includes several Native Hawaiian organizations, including the Native Hawaiian Legal Corp., Hui Malama I Na Kupuna o Hawai'i Nei and the Center for Hawaiian Studies at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, held a press conference about the matter following Lingle's State of the State address. Also attending the press conference was Thomas Dye, president for the Society for Hawaiian Archaeology.
Hundreds of burial remains are being improperly stored when they should be reinterred, according to the group, which also contends that the state Historic Preservation Division is severely understaffed and failing to meet its mission to protect Native Hawaiian burials.
While the Lingle Administration has stated that proper care for Native Hawaiian burials is critical, priority is given to ensuring that development projects move expediently, group members said.
In response, Lingle said today that her administration is doing what it can to fill vacancies in the Historic Preservation Division and address the concerns of its critics.
