The Republic of the Marshall Islands has claimed Wake Island, which it calls "Ānen Kio" ("Enen-Kio" in older Marshallese orthography). In 1973, Marshallese lawmakers meeting in Saipan at the Congress of Micronesia, the legislative body for the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, asserted that "Enen-Kio is and always has been the property of the people of the Marshall Islands." Their claim was based on oral legends and songs.[2] "EnenKio" means "Island of the orange flower" and comes from the Kio flower that is native to the island.[3][4] The island is currently controlled and administered by the United States.
Claimed micronation
The self-declared "Kingdom of EnenKio" has also claimed Wake Island as a separate sovereign nation and has issued passports.[5][6] The Kingdom of EnenKio is not recognized in any international forum as a sovereign state, nor does any internationally recognized state recognize it. In 1997 the Dominion of Melchizedek, a micronation engaged in financial fraud, reported that the two had entered into relations.[7] The Kingdom of EnenKio is characterized as a scam by anti-fraud website Quatloos![1] In 2000, Robert Moore, who claimed to be the head of state, was prevented by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission from fraudulently issuing bonds for the non-existent nation.[8]
On 23 April 1998 the Marshall Islands government issued Circular Note 01-98, which vigorously denied the Kingdom of EnenKio and the Dominion of Melchizedek's claims, stating:
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands condemns the claims and activities asserted by representatives of the "Kingdom of EnenKio" and the "Dominion of Melchizedek". The representatives making claims of separate sovereignty are not citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and have no right to make claims on behalf of Marshallese landowners. Furthermore, these representatives are making fraudulent assertions that violate the Republic of the Marshall Islands' constitution. The area of land and ocean which the "Kingdom of EnenKio" asserts as a sovereign nation separate from the Marshall Islands and the area of land and ocean which the "Dominion of Melchizedek" is asserting control over are areas within the geographical and political boundaries of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands discourages all independent sovereign nations having diplomatic relations with the Republic from acknowledging any fraudulent claims made by representatives of the "Kingdom of EnenKio" and the "Dominion of Melchizedek".
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Marshall Islands[9]
^"Native plants of the Marshalls". Republic of the Marshall Islands Biodiversity Clearing House Mechanism. RMI Office of Environmental Planning and Policy Coordination (OEPPC). Retrieved 7 September 2019. Scientific name: Sida fallax English name: ? Marshallese name: kio
"Official website". Archived from the original on 30 October 2005. Retrieved 27 August 2005.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
