American Samoan call to remove ambiguities in US links
American Samoa’s member of the US Congress has urged that the commission reviewing the territory’s political status
first resolve what he termed lingering ambiguities regarding its relationship with the US.
Faleomavaega Eni Hunkin has repeated concerns he had raised when he testified before the commission shortly after it was
established.
American Samoa’s political relationship with the US is governed by the two Treaties or Deeds of Cession signed in 1900
and 1904.
Faleomavaega holds the view that these documents provide no clear protections for the culture or guidance for the
territory’s relationship with the US and no expression of political unity between Tutuila and Manu’a.
He says these two treaties assert United States sovereignty over local lands and the lives of the people of American
Samoa.
Faleomavaega questions whether the territorial constitution should be subject to congressional or presidential
authority.
The congressman has asked the commission that instead of examining all possible future political options, they focus
first on clarifying the original sources of authority underpinning the current relationship with the US.