Last week, Mark Zuckerberg filed eight lawsuits against Hawai‘i residents in an effort to obtain full ownership of one of Kaua‘i’s pristine coastlines. 700 acres of one, to be exact. Essentially, he is forcing hundreds of residents who have inherited rights to parcels of land contained within his property to sell their shares. These lawsuits were filed under an action called “quiet title and partition,” which is often used to establish real estate ownership of a single party.

To the insanely wealthy young man, land rich with lush greenery and stunning strips of beach overlooking crystal clear waters is just another spot for an extravagant island getaway. However, the land holds much more value to those who have inherited it, on a level the Facebook founder could never understand, simply because he is not from the Hawaiian islands. I can say confidently, and any Hawai‘i local would agree with me: Native Hawaiians, which includes many of the people about to have their heritage taken away from them, have an ancestral connection to their properties that is priceless. Zuckerberg’s attempt to gain sole ownership of this land contributes to a loss of land ownership among Native Hawaiians, which is a growing problem with the exponential growth of modern development across the islands.

When questioned, Zuckerberg explained that he wants to solely own his entire 700 acres in order to preserve their beauty. As if those who previously owned the land were not trying to do that already? How can he claim his desire to be a respected member of the local community by suing innocent people to add to his collection of private beaches? It’s forgivable that Zuckerberg does not understand the personal and cultural ties that family members on Kaua‘i feel to their lands, no matter how small of a percentage they might own of it, but his group of lawyers should not be breathing down their necks the entire time. These Hawai‘i locals possess the right to make a completely unbiased decision without anyone shoving them in one direction. I can only hope that these Kaua‘i residents fight for their shares of the land, and that Zuckerberg will respect and sacrifice a couple acres from the 700 he has to spare.