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By now, most of everyone has heard the news of the surprise announcement of the Molokai Ranch shut down. On the last days events, a few words to share from from Kahualaulani on Molokai:

We are still sorting it all out over here. And while it is a shock, it is not really a surprise…Molokai Ranch’s true colors have finally been shown. They have played the “employee card”: they couldn’t shove their unwanted development down the throat of this community, so now they will take it out on their own workers, while blaming the development opposition for the “need” to do this.

Indeed, the Ranch states in their press release: “Unacceptable delays caused by continued opposition to every aspect of the Master Plan means we are unable to fund continued normal company operations.” But this is so not true. The community did not object to “every aspect” of the Plan; the community objected to the La‘au development aspect of the Plan. We have been consistent from the start in saying the there are many good parts of the Plan (and the community put a lot of work into creating those parts), but that developing La‘au is unacceptable to the large majority of this community.

We have also been consistent in saying to Molokai Ranch and Plan supporters, lets all come back to the table and find solutions to this issue: let’s find real alternatives to this development, and other types of economic engines besides development. They chose not to listen, and to to try to ram-rod their project through. Wrong idea. And now they are bringing their oft promised/threatened “doomsday scenario” down on this community – by laying off their workers and starting to sell-off their lands. What a mean-spirited and cruel reaction to not getting their way (‘I’m taking my ball and going home!”) They have already sold half of Na’iwa (the ancient makahiki grounds) and Ka’ana (the birthplace of hula) looks to be next…

But let’s be clear here: all the “delays” were caused by Molokai Ranch’s own decisions: by making this whole thing into an “all or nothing” “take it or leave it” thing (either take/accept the Plan with La‘au development, or no Plan); by choosing not to listen to this community saying ‘”A’ole La‘au” (No to la‘au!); and by voluntarily withdrawing their shoddy EIS after massive community and LUC opposition to it, (and thus having to return to a draft EIS stage). They were also seriously “delayed”/affected by two recent Supreme Court Decisions – one that took away their allocation of potable water, and the other that neutralized their preferred method of transporting it. (But I don’t hear them blaming the Supreme Court!)

The sentiment in the community is that we feel deeply for the workers who have lost their jobs, and we will support them in whatever ways we can: by trying to find them new jobs, or by creating new jobs with better economic engines, and by helping to provide food during this time. Molokai takes care of her own.

But also, we see this as a great opportunity to bring stewardship of this island back to the people of Molokai. We were already working on various solutions before this happened: from investors with more appropriate endeavors, to the UPC windfarm, to conservation buyers, to buying the Ranch, to a combination of all of the above. Now we are going to push to bring those kinds of things to pass if we can.

It was a historic day yesterday, but now, with your help and continued support, we might truly be able to make history. This island has a chance to have economic, energy, and food independence – a truly sustainable and self-sufficient community. A hub of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardship, Hawaiian culture and aloha. We can Ho’i i ka Pono! We can truly Keep Moloka’i, Moloka’i!

(first photo from rmayda on flickr, second from Paula Kawal.)

Links to articles:

Molokai Ranch Shutting Down (MPL Press Release)
http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/node/1837

“Doomsday” Has Arrived (Molokai Dispatch)
http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/node/1851

Mayor Tavares And Molokai Council Member Mateo Respond To Ranch Closure (Molokai Dispatch)
http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/node/1841

Lingle Focuses On Molokai Ranch Employees, Island’s Economy (Molokai Dispatch)
http://www.themolokaidispatch.com/node/1840

Molokai Ranch Shuts Down (Molokai Times Article and community and reader’s comments)
http://www.molokaitimes.com/articles/8324115936.asp

Molokai Ranch to quit island (Honolulu Star Bulletin Article)
Stung by rejection of its planned luxury project, the owner will lay off 120 staffers and seal off the land…”
http://starbulletin.com/2008/03/25/news/story01.html

Molokai Ranch to close, lay off 120 (Honolulu Advertiser Article)
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080325/NEWS01/803250367

A hearing was held March 19, 2008 to protect Hawai’i's ancestor and native crop – taro – from genetic modification and patenting. 6,000 people submitted written testimony in support. 8 hours of verbal testimony were given.

Now, the legislators need to pass this bill. Help them make the right decision. Click here to get involved.

Images from the hearing on SB 958:

http://maoliworld.ning.com/profile/Naalehu (click here to see more of Na’alehu’s pics)

from KAHEA:

You can help. To get involved, click here!

from Marti:

Here is a letter that was published today in the Honolulu Advertiser (one of the few so far):

GENETIC MODIFICATION

CHANGING KALO ERODES HAWAIIANS’ LIFELINE
My mother used to serenade me with songs about exotic places. Travelogues of oceans, forests and island sweethearts. This is how she passed on knowledge. Songs reflecting simpler times and storytellers of the past. Our people were more disconnected than ever. Being Hawaiian was not popular. So to sing her aloha was her moment of self determination.

Her spiritual integrity impressed upon me indigenous ways of knowing. “Leave that popolo berry! It wants to grow there.”

If someone was to have told her she could no longer share limu among her classmates without a permit she would have sighed, “That’s why we going die out.” But she would respectfully accept it. She felt people saw her particular relationship with the ‘aina as peculiar.

Replanting kalo is the living lifeline that holds the stories of our past. Changing the genetic makeup of kalo will erode that lifeline.

Hawaiians are now re-establishing their priorities in maoli culture. A moratorium on varieties of maoli kalo and introduced kalo as specified in SB 958 is needed for more reasons than just keeping steroid-like pumped up food off our tables.

It’s needed so we can pass on to our keiki more than just “stones.” We can pass on the story of Haloa.

-Meala Bishop
Waiahole kalo farmer, Kane’ohe

To submit testimony on the protection of taro, click here.

The KAHEA office has been abuzz all weekend–the fax machine on overdrive–as staff and volunteers plowed through the task of organizing and compiling thousands of letters of testimony in support of a 10-year moratorium on genetic modification of kalo (taro).

Mahalo to everyone who has lent their voice in support of Hawai`i’s traditional farmers! As Bryna likes to point out: “Without the right to protect our traditional food resources what will remain of our culture or our rights?”

From Bryna:

The shared kuleana to save kalo and traditional farming is not only historical or cultural–it is a political imperative for Hawaii’s survival on this rapidly changing planet.

Thousands of letters of personal testimony, expert opinions and petitions for protection speak to the importance of pure kalo and traditional farming techniques for Hawaii. This is a truly pono moment in the history of humanity- thousands and thousands of people of all backgrounds are joining together to protect a plant species from irreversible genetic modification- and honoring an ancient ancestor and endangered Hawaiian lifestyle.

The message from the people is simple and clear: Haloa is family, Kalo is life, being in the Lo`i is living! It is not appropriate, necessary nor acceptable to engineer kalo into a genetically modified organism. The observation of the kalo farmers is profound: the kalo plant is not what needs to be changed.

From today’s Ka Leo:

“We would like a total ban, but that’s not being responsible. This is a cooling off period,” said Jerry Konanui, a Native Hawaiian kalo farmer whose family has grown the plant in the Puna district of Hawai‘i for the past eight generations.

“The message from the people is simple: Hāloa is family, kalo is life, being in the lo‘i is living,” said Bryna Storch of KAHEA, a Hawaiian cultural and environmental advocacy group that organized the testimonies in support of the measure. “It is not appropriate, necessary nor acceptable to engineer kalo into a genetically modified organism.”

Genetic engineering, the process of inserting genes from one species into another resulting in the creation of GMOs, has been conducted in Hawai‘i for over a decade. Statistically, over 2,000 field tests of genetically engineered crops have been coordinated in the islands thus far, making Hawai‘i the most genetically tested agricultural region in the world, according to Earthjustice, an environmental advocacy group.

See the full article.

At staff meeting yesterday, we threw out this idea:  How amazing would it be if “grown in Hawaii” was known world-wide to mean “organic and GMO free”?

As the most remote archipelago in the world–we are at the crossroads of the future of agriculture. We can either choose to become a haven for pure, high-quality, high-value organic and GMO-free food, or an isolated testing ground for corporate biotech to try out their genetically modified pharmaceutical and mcfood crops. What’s it going to be?

To remain silent on this issue, is the same thing as choosing. Unless we raise our hand to say “NO”, the future for Hawaii IS unrestricted, unmitigated, unlimited biotech. From last year’s Star Bulletin:

Pineapple will give way to biotech seed crops in Kunia as Monsanto Co. expands its acreage in the state by purchasing lands once tended by Del Monte Fresh Produce Hawaii.

Monsanto has entered an agreement to acquire 2,300 acres of agriculture-zoned land from the James Campbell Co.

See full article at:  http://starbulletin.com/2007/04/05/news/story02.html

Video posted by ViralKauai already has over 800 views by our count. You can support SB958–Learn more and hear the call to action. Send in your testimony, attend the hearing. Spread the word.

“If we get a hearing, then all of you need to come back again to that building. It’s not a one-shot deal. We need to come back again to that building when they vote in the committee!”

WEDNESDAY MARCH 19th, 8:30 am, till about 12:30
(Last committee hearing for this bill, House Agricultural Committee.)

Learn more and submit testimony at: www.kahea.org/gmo