The problem facing Gov. David Ige has compounded in recent days. To say it is now mountainous, rivaling the dimensions of Mauna Kea itself, would not be an overstatement.
And as a result, Ige needs to use the authority vested to him by Hawaii voters, to enforce the Thirty Meter Telescope permit now, lest all the astronomy work being done at the Mauna Kea summit, which is now suspended, be put entirely at risk.
More than a week after construction of the TMT was to begin, the first trucks to begin the work have not rolled an inch closer to the summit. Instead, the protests against the controversial project have grown and evolved into a movement that is about more than the TMT, more than astronomy in general.
It has morphed into a symbol for all the Native Hawaiian grievances arising from loss of land in the annexation. After a decade, the permit to build TMT was finally issued, but opponents of any further telescope construction have argued against putting it on a summit they view as sacred.
The 13 observatories already there were constructed at a time when the anti-telescope viewpoint was considered fringe. That is no longer the case, judging from the past week’s surging activism.
Also, the profile of these issues has been raised, with social media widening their reach to those not ordinarily connected with Hawaiian sovereignty concerns.
That is evident in the protests seen not only at the base of the mauna but also statewide, as well as in places such as Las Vegas where many Hawaii residents have relocated. It’s becoming a full-fledged movement. Just as it did in 2015, it’s attracting some celebrity attention, but given the stakes, it’s even more intense now.
This has become an increasingly complex conflict, but it won’t be made any simpler by standing on the sidelines. And that’s what Ige has been doing.
Late last week, the governor traveled to Hawaii island, having declared a state of emergency, an action that broadens the scope of government actions that are possible, including the authority to close more public lands. However, Ige has not moved on that prerogative, leaving the Big Island without even visiting the access road, now blocked by the swelling crowd.
A makeshift blockade has been built. Its occupants have been arrested, many being carried away, but until the blockade is dismantled it will be impossible for the state to keep the access road clear.
Meanwhile, the state’s lieutenant governor, Josh Green, went to talk with the protesters on-site on Monday morning. A Hawaii island physician, he said he was there to check on people’s condition rather than to make “a political statement.”
But then he made one, opining on camera that TMT should “move on” if negotiations don’t result in a deal.
That didn’t help. And if Ige doesn’t want to be undermined by his lieutenant, he is going to have to tell the protesters himself, face-to-face and on camera, what his intentions are. He should say words to this effect: The state of Hawaii has put the TMT through the legal process for 10 years, and now, as governor, I am obligated to fulfill the state’s commitments and allow the project to proceed, in a way that’s respectful of culture and mindful of safety.
If the protesters say no, they will have to say it directly to the governor. Notice will be given, and the governor should delay no further. More delay will only harden the impasse, which is happening with each passing day.
The protesters’ position is sincere — and in many ways, the state’s failure to deliver on promises to Hawaiians in ways that would improve so many lives — Hawaiian home lands and housing, for instance — is indisputable. It’s tragic that their protests and focus are not trained directly on any of that.
