To the Court:

I write to urge that bail be granted for Mr. Dennis "Bumpy" Kanahele, who has been imprisoned since August 2. Like the U S. government, our church has a apologized to the Hawaiian People for our predecessors' role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian nation, and we now seek reconciliation by standing with them in their quest for justice. I have personally met Mr. Kanahele and know him to be a trusted and respected community leader -- certainly neither a "flight risk" nor a "danger to the community."

Now when the attention of the world community has been focused on issues of human rights and political imprisonment due to the Women's Conference in Beijing, it is a particularly crucial time for the U.S. to release its own political prisoners, of whom Mr. Kanahele is but the most recently-incarcerated of over one hundred men and women incarcerated for their political beliefs and actions.

As a person of faith and conscience, I urge you to see that Mr. Kanahele is granted bail pending his trial.

Many thanks for your most serious and prayerful consideration. May the God of truth and justice guide and bless you.

In hope,

Rev. Dr. C. Nozomi Ikuta

Return to the Hawaiian Independence Home Page or the Political Prisoner page