STATEMENT OF THE MAORI PARTY: 27 OCTOBER 2007
A statement, made in consensus, at the conclusion of the Hui-a-Tau / AGM of the Maori Party at Omahu Marae, Hastings.
In making this statement, the Maori Party recognizes the need to protect Aotearoa from the impact of global terrorism;
and respects the just use of the rule of law;
The Maori Party states that:
- We condemn in the strongest possible terms, the recent actions of the Labour Minority Government against the
Tuhoe Nation and the Ruatoki community in particular and against tangata whenua in general,
- We recognise the significant damage that has been done with respect to the wairua of our people as a result of
these discriminatory actions;
- We say that such actions, as we have witnessed in recent days, have had adverse impacts on the state of race
relations in Aotearoa;
- The Maori Party confirms the rights of tribal nations to be self-determining ¡V as set out in the Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples - and encourage all of our whanau, hapu and iwi to make a statement of support for the
Tuhoe nation, and a statement of condemnation about the actions of the Labour Minority Government against the Maori
people in the last two weeks;
- We are appalled that innocent children, women and the elderly in their homes; and the Women's Refuge "Safe
House" have borne the brunt of sweeping actions against communities and this must never happen again;
- We consider that the use of the Terrorism Suppression Act as the vehicle for justifying the attack against
specific groups of New Zealanders has engendered a level of fear and anxiety amongst the general community;
- We reject the branding of tangata whenua as "terrorists"
- We call on the Labour Minority Government to suspend all broad-ranging actions against communities forthwith;
and
- We call for the resignation of the Minister of Maori Affairs for abandoning his people at this time of great
need.
ENDS