Maori TV Exclusive: Woman China Dubbed ‘Terrorist’

Publicity Release
Thursday August 13 2009

Woman China Dubbed ‘Terrorist’ – Exclusive Interview On Maori Television

Maori Television’s current affairs show NATIVE AFFAIRS will screen an interview with Rebiya Kadeer - the Uyghur nationalist China calls an international terrorist - on Monday August 17 at 8.00 PM (replay on Friday August 21 at 10.00 PM).

The story follows a protest by the Chinese Government, after it learned Maori Television would be the first television channel to screen a documentary about Kadeer – THE 10 CONDITIONS OF LOVE - on September 1 at 8.30 PM. China had also protested to the Australian Government after Kadeer was granted permission to enter that country to attend the Melbourne International Film Festival, where the documentary premiered.

China alleges that Kadeer was involved in the recent violence in Xinjiang, a charge she denies.

Kadeer has spoken exclusively to reporter Wena Harawira about the persecution of her family and the sacrifices she has made on behalf of her people.

“She talks about the fact that she has two sons in prison and three others under surveillance. She also has nine grandchildren she hasn’t seen in a long, long time,” says Harawira.

The reporter says years of struggle have not dimmed the woman’s passion for her cause.

“She’s a very self-possessed woman and a powerful speaker. She considers herself to be the voice of her people, a fighter for her people, and when I watched her deliver a speech to the Turkish community in Australia, I felt she had them firmly in her hands.”

When asked how she felt about being labelled a terrorist, Kadeer replied it was “not the worst thing” she’d been called. She spoke about having the support of former US president George Bush, and her confidence that Obama will also publicly support her at some stage.

If there was a message she thought Maori could learn from the Uyghur situation, it was the need to fight for independence and autonomy.

“She talked about how the lives of the Uyghur people have changed since China annexed East Turkistan in the 1940s, as a result of the lack of cultural recognition by the Government. Despite this, she says the Uyghurs have managed to hold on to their cultural identity.”

Envoys of the Chinese Embassy declined the opportunity to appear on NATIVE AFFAIRS to discuss the issue.

NATIVE AFFAIRS – a regional and national current affairs show, from a Maori perspective - is now in its third season, was nominated in 2007’s Qantas Television Awards for best current affairs show, and is a finalist again in this year’s awards for best current affairs series.

For the story on Rebiya Kadeer and other fascinating stories, tune in to NATIVE AFFAIRS on Maori Television on Monday August 17 at 8.00 PM (repeats Friday August 21 at 10.00 PM).

ENDS

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