Support Ohana Ho’opakele and a Model Pu’uhonua at Kulani prison site
Press Statement – Nov. 19, 2009 — Malu ‘Aina stands in Support of Ohana Ho’opakele and a Model Pu’uhonua at the site of Kulani prison.
Malu ‘Aina supports Ohana Ho’opakele’s vision for a model Pu’uhonua at Kulani Prison where the traditional process of ho’oponopono (to make right) would be used along with other restorative justice methods to to help repair the damages of crime for offender, victim, and all those affected by crime.
To facilitate such a Pu’uhonua we call for 3 points of action:
- Keep Kulani minimum security prison open and functioning. Do NOT close it.
- Let Ohana Ho’opakele work with Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Kulani staff, and other community organizations to build a functioning Pu’uhonua at Kulani.
- No Military training at Kulani by the State Department of Defense or the U.S. military.
Hawaii Island already has 57 known present and former military sites, many littered with Unexploded ordnance (UXO) and Pohakuloa with Depleted Uranium (DU). The cost of cleaning up these sites (involving hundreds of thousands of acres of land and off-shore waters) will reach into the billions of dollars. The last thing we need is another site for the military (be it the state of Hawaii Dept. of Defense or the U.S. military) to make another mess. All of our mothers have taught us “Don’t even think about making a new mess until you have cleaned up your old mess.” The military needs a mother to tell them to clean up after themselves. They keep making mess after mess and don’t clean up. The military continues to ignore Mother Nature with its desecration, contamiantion and pollution. Malu ‘Aina says to the military — “No More Land Grabbing. No More Military Training sites. Keep your hands off Kulani and its 8,000 acres of pristine land surrounding Kulani as defined in Executive Orders l225, l5888, and 3092 involving TMK 2-4-008-009
Malu ‘Aina believes that a Pu’uhonua (a place of refuge and healing) is a constructive alternative to the western concept of prisons and punishment which has proven not to be working to reduce recidivism. Nor does prison heal the victim or offender and all those affected by crime.
Kulani is an ideal site for a Pu’uhonua in conjunction with keeping open the minimum security prison. Kulani is a place of spiritual significance. It’s peaceful forest setting is a natural place of refuge. It has existing infrastructure and trained staff that genuinely care about the welfare of the prisoners. Kulani has the real potential for economic self-sufficiency, as demonstrated through past activites which is very important in these hard economic times.
Jim Albertini, Nov. 19, 2009
President, Malu ‘Aina
