Post by bingbong on Oct 27, 2007 14:26:15 GMT 12
Maori resistance not terrorism - Moana Jackson
|
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Maori must not buy into the police tactic of branding their people as terrorists, lawyer Moana Jackson told the Maori Party's annual meeting at a Hastings marae today.
He said the "so-called" terrorism allegations which sparked police raids in the Bay of Plenty and other areas in the past two weeks should be looked at through the lens of Maori resistance.
"Every act of resistance by Maori since 1840 has been met with opposition. Colonising powers don't take challenge to their authority lightly. Those who take power unjustly defend it with injustice," he told the meeting at the Omahu Marae.
"We must not define our people as terrorists. We might not agree with their methods but there's no place for words like rebel, heathen or savage.
"We can make an act of resistance by not buying into the language they want us to use. Let's not name each other with the names they give us."
Mr Jackson criticised the use of the term terrorism when search warrants and arrests were done under the Summary Offences Act.
Nearly all charges were laid under the Firearms Act yet in their first press conference after the initial raids, police began using the term terrorism.
People had been arrested under Firearms Act and held in custody while police tried to accumulate evidence to justify charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act, which requires approval from the Attorney General.
"To talk about terrorism and not use the Terrorism Suppression Act is at best disingenuous and at worse, dishonest," Mr Jackson said.
Police also claimed the raids were not racist because pakeha and people of other ethnic groups had been raided. All but one pakeha arrested had been released on bail yet with three times as many Maori arrested, all but two were still in custody.
He questioned why in Ruatoki, a whole community had been blockaded and locked down, yet the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn was not locked-down when a house was searched there.
"I do not buy that this was a racially-neutral act."
Mr Jackson told the party to recommit to the spirit of resistance and to write letters to the Human Rights Commission, calling for an investigation into the raids.
He said the Maori Party had been formed as an act of resistance to the prevailing political system and making a stand, whether successful or not, was a legacy its members would leave to their mokopuna.
"Acts of resistance in the past were steps on a journey. That journey is not easy but when our tipuna decided to sail across the greatest ocean in the world to get here, that journey was not easy.
"Constitutional resistance is a journey towards hope."
Earlier in the day, Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell told the gathering that a Maori women's refuge in Taupo had been searched in a police drugs raid.
He had met people whose partners had been locked up for nearly two weeks and who were devastated by the impact on their families.
Defending the bus driver whose claim a busload of youngsters had been searched by armed police had since been rejected by police, Mr Flavell said the driver had not been "fudging the numbers". He had been expressing his pain at having to go through the search exercise.
"From now on, Tuhoe feel they will always be called the terrorist nation."
If police do not produce clear evidence of terrorism, the four Maori MPs will be "on their case", he said.
Nationwide protests against anti-terror op
By EMMA PAGE - Sunday Star Times | Saturday, 27 October 2007
LATEST: Protesters in 13 centres around the country have rallied in a national day of action opposing the police raids nearly two weeks ago and calling for those arrested to be immediately released on bail.
In Auckland more than 300 people gathered in Aotea square, cheered Rongomai Bailey who was one of those picked up in the dawn swoops and is one of a handful on bail.
The crowd had swelled to more than 1000 by the time it reached its destination of Mt Eden prison.
After some speeches at the prison, the crowd headed to the remand wing to make more noise.
Chanting "stand up fight back when human rights are under attack", the crowd called for no charges to be laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act against the 17 arrested and for the Act to be repealed.
Veteran protestor John Minto told them "We are not a terrorist target. We don't have terrorists in New Zealand and the use of the terrorism act is really just a breach of our civil rights."
Led by Tuhoe visiting from the Bay of Plenty, protesters marched through the centre city towards Mt Eden prison where most of those arrested are being held on remand.
Charges against the 17 people arrested have been laid under the Arms Act but they could face terrorism charges if the police decide to use the Terrorism Suppression Act for the first time.
So far only five of the people arrested can be named. They are Maori activist Tame Iti, his newphew Rawiri Iti, Auckland activist Jamie Beattie Lockett, documentary-maker Rongomai Bailey and Auckland University student Omar Hamed.
Senior Sergeant Tony Edwards said a police presence was there to help escort the protestors to the prison. He was not expecting any trouble. A website has been set up as part of a nationwide support campaign for the people arrested in the police raids. The message board on the site, Civil Rights Defense, has postings voicing sympathy and support from around the world including Canada, America, Australia and South Africa.
"On behalf of the 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal workers I am writing to condemn the criminalization and attempted silencing of activists in Aotearoa," reads one entry.
Demonstrations were held in Auckland, Hamilton, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch with an event organised in Dunedin today. Protests were also held in Australia, England and the United States. [/b][/color]
Maori party calls on Horomia to resign
| Saturday, 27 October 2007
The Maori Party is calling on Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia to resign "for abandoning his people in this time of great need" after the police raids in Ruatoki and elsewhere.
Nationwide protests against anti-terror op
The call came in a statement at the end of the party's two-day annual meeting at the Omahu Marae near Hastings.
Seventeen people were arrested under the Firearms Act and the Terrorism Suppression Act on October 15 following raids in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Christchurch, Whakatane and Ruatoki, 20km south of Whakatane.
There were protests around New Zealand today condemning the raids.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said Mr Horomia had not shown support for those who were traumatised by the raids.
Co-leader Tariana Turia said the Maori Party stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the Tuhoe people.
Although its MPs had earlier noted that the Minister of Police and other ministers had publicly distanced themselves from the police operation, the statement sheeted responsibility directly back to the Government.
"In the end the Government is responsible for its departments," Dr Sharples said.
|
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Maori must not buy into the police tactic of branding their people as terrorists, lawyer Moana Jackson told the Maori Party's annual meeting at a Hastings marae today.
He said the "so-called" terrorism allegations which sparked police raids in the Bay of Plenty and other areas in the past two weeks should be looked at through the lens of Maori resistance.
"Every act of resistance by Maori since 1840 has been met with opposition. Colonising powers don't take challenge to their authority lightly. Those who take power unjustly defend it with injustice," he told the meeting at the Omahu Marae.
"We must not define our people as terrorists. We might not agree with their methods but there's no place for words like rebel, heathen or savage.
"We can make an act of resistance by not buying into the language they want us to use. Let's not name each other with the names they give us."
Mr Jackson criticised the use of the term terrorism when search warrants and arrests were done under the Summary Offences Act.
Nearly all charges were laid under the Firearms Act yet in their first press conference after the initial raids, police began using the term terrorism.
People had been arrested under Firearms Act and held in custody while police tried to accumulate evidence to justify charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act, which requires approval from the Attorney General.
"To talk about terrorism and not use the Terrorism Suppression Act is at best disingenuous and at worse, dishonest," Mr Jackson said.
Police also claimed the raids were not racist because pakeha and people of other ethnic groups had been raided. All but one pakeha arrested had been released on bail yet with three times as many Maori arrested, all but two were still in custody.
He questioned why in Ruatoki, a whole community had been blockaded and locked down, yet the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn was not locked-down when a house was searched there.
"I do not buy that this was a racially-neutral act."
Mr Jackson told the party to recommit to the spirit of resistance and to write letters to the Human Rights Commission, calling for an investigation into the raids.
He said the Maori Party had been formed as an act of resistance to the prevailing political system and making a stand, whether successful or not, was a legacy its members would leave to their mokopuna.
"Acts of resistance in the past were steps on a journey. That journey is not easy but when our tipuna decided to sail across the greatest ocean in the world to get here, that journey was not easy.
"Constitutional resistance is a journey towards hope."
Earlier in the day, Waiariki MP Te Ururoa Flavell told the gathering that a Maori women's refuge in Taupo had been searched in a police drugs raid.
He had met people whose partners had been locked up for nearly two weeks and who were devastated by the impact on their families.
Defending the bus driver whose claim a busload of youngsters had been searched by armed police had since been rejected by police, Mr Flavell said the driver had not been "fudging the numbers". He had been expressing his pain at having to go through the search exercise.
"From now on, Tuhoe feel they will always be called the terrorist nation."
If police do not produce clear evidence of terrorism, the four Maori MPs will be "on their case", he said.
Nationwide protests against anti-terror op
By EMMA PAGE - Sunday Star Times | Saturday, 27 October 2007
LATEST: Protesters in 13 centres around the country have rallied in a national day of action opposing the police raids nearly two weeks ago and calling for those arrested to be immediately released on bail.
In Auckland more than 300 people gathered in Aotea square, cheered Rongomai Bailey who was one of those picked up in the dawn swoops and is one of a handful on bail.
The crowd had swelled to more than 1000 by the time it reached its destination of Mt Eden prison.
After some speeches at the prison, the crowd headed to the remand wing to make more noise.
Chanting "stand up fight back when human rights are under attack", the crowd called for no charges to be laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act against the 17 arrested and for the Act to be repealed.
Veteran protestor John Minto told them "We are not a terrorist target. We don't have terrorists in New Zealand and the use of the terrorism act is really just a breach of our civil rights."
Led by Tuhoe visiting from the Bay of Plenty, protesters marched through the centre city towards Mt Eden prison where most of those arrested are being held on remand.
Charges against the 17 people arrested have been laid under the Arms Act but they could face terrorism charges if the police decide to use the Terrorism Suppression Act for the first time.
So far only five of the people arrested can be named. They are Maori activist Tame Iti, his newphew Rawiri Iti, Auckland activist Jamie Beattie Lockett, documentary-maker Rongomai Bailey and Auckland University student Omar Hamed.
Senior Sergeant Tony Edwards said a police presence was there to help escort the protestors to the prison. He was not expecting any trouble. A website has been set up as part of a nationwide support campaign for the people arrested in the police raids. The message board on the site, Civil Rights Defense, has postings voicing sympathy and support from around the world including Canada, America, Australia and South Africa.
"On behalf of the 55,000 members of the Canadian Union of Postal workers I am writing to condemn the criminalization and attempted silencing of activists in Aotearoa," reads one entry.
Demonstrations were held in Auckland, Hamilton, Whanganui, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch with an event organised in Dunedin today. Protests were also held in Australia, England and the United States. [/b][/color]
Maori party calls on Horomia to resign
| Saturday, 27 October 2007
The Maori Party is calling on Minister of Maori Affairs Parekura Horomia to resign "for abandoning his people in this time of great need" after the police raids in Ruatoki and elsewhere.
Nationwide protests against anti-terror op
The call came in a statement at the end of the party's two-day annual meeting at the Omahu Marae near Hastings.
Seventeen people were arrested under the Firearms Act and the Terrorism Suppression Act on October 15 following raids in Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Christchurch, Whakatane and Ruatoki, 20km south of Whakatane.
There were protests around New Zealand today condemning the raids.
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said Mr Horomia had not shown support for those who were traumatised by the raids.
Co-leader Tariana Turia said the Maori Party stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the Tuhoe people.
Although its MPs had earlier noted that the Minister of Police and other ministers had publicly distanced themselves from the police operation, the statement sheeted responsibility directly back to the Government.
"In the end the Government is responsible for its departments," Dr Sharples said.