PRESS RELEASE 3 APRIL 2017

MĀORI WAKA INTERCEPTS WORLD’S LARGEST SEISMIC TESTING SHIP

Traditional Māori ocean waka Te Matau a Māui has reported it has intercepted the Amazon Warrior in their tribal waters off the coast of Ngāti Kahungunu. Spokesperson, Raihania Tipoki via satellite phone reports “The Amazon Warrior was on the run but we caught it and intercepted it at approximately 1000 HRS. We came alongside the AW and via Radio Calls to the Captain conveyed they were to leave our waters immediately.”

Raihania Tipoki and Te Ikaroa spokesperson, Tina Ngata made extensive statements to the Amazon Warrior that they were in breach of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and were to depart Te Ikaroa Rāwhiti immediately.

“The traditional ocean going vessel of the indigenous peoples of these lands has sailed to this ‘beast’ the Amazon Warrior, to tell them face to face and to tell Statoil and Chevron to get out of our waters. That is no easy feat but that is how serious this issue is. And we will continue resisting any other company who violates and harms the waters or lands today, tomorrow and into the future” said Tipoki. Te Matau a Māui has now turned for home. Estimated time of arrival, Napier 0600HRS 4 April 2017.

Full statement from Te Ikaroa spokesperson Tina Ngata to the captain of the Amazon Warrior below.

STATEMENT TO THE AMAZON WARRIOR 3 APRIL 2017

From Tina Ngata aboard Te Matau a Māui.

Ko Tina Ngata tenei, he uri no nga whanau whanui o Ngati Porou.

My name is Tina Ngata – and I bring with me a further message for you on behalf of Te Ikaroa – Defending our Waters.

Pursuant to the petition that has been endorsed by over 80 iwi and hapu of the eastern seaboard upon which you are carrying out your activity, we reiterate our clear objection to your presence. You are not welcome in our waters.

Furthermore – we are here to declare your flagrant disregard for our rights as indigenous peoples as unacceptable. We have communicated to you on numerous occasions that your presence and activity is not permitted by us, the peoples of this coastline.

We have successfully opposed the oil industry before, and we are here to tell you to expect further resistance, for the peoples of Ikaroa Rawhiti will never cease defending our lands, our waters, and the futures of our mokopuna.

Your presence here is a direct violation of indigenous rights as outlined in the ILO Convention concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (C169). We call upon you to remind Statoil that the Norwegian Government were the very first government to ratify this convention in 1990 which binds them to recognise our right to proper consultation, and further binds them to recognise our rights in relation to our territories, and subsistence traditions. As the majority shareholders in Statoil – this activity is a direct violation of that Convention by the Norwegian government.

The Norwegian government has prioritised the promotion of indigenous rights through this convention and the only way to uphold their obligations in this regard is to withdraw Statoil interests immediately from our waters and not return.

We further call upon you to remind Statoil that the Norwegian government, as their majority stakeholders, are in direct violation of the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples – in particular:

Article 3 – Our rights to self-determination and to freely pursue our own economic development

Article 18 – Our rights to be involved in the decisions pertaining to this activity in accordance with our own procedures.

Article 20 - Our right to maintain and develop our, economic systems, to be secure in the enjoyment of our own means of subsistence and development.

Article 25 - Our right to maintain and strengthen our distinctive spiritual relationship with our waters and coastal seas and our rights to uphold our responsibilities to future generations in this regard.

Article 26 - 1. Our right to our lands, territories and resources

Article 26 - 2. Our right to own, use, develop and control our territories.

Article 29 - 1. Our right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of our territories.

Article 32 - 1. Our right to determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of our territories

Article 32 - 2. Our right to consultation and cooperation in good faith in order to obtain our free and informed consent prior to the approval of any project that affects our territories and resources, particularly in connection with the development, utilization or exploitation of mineral, water or other resources. We refute any suggestion by our government or anyone else that any such appropriate consultation has taken place.

Amazon Warrior – this message is for you, for Chevron, for Statoil and any other oil company. We, the peoples of Ikaroa Rawhiti, will continue to assert our rights as the indigenous peoples of this coastline. We will continue assert our rights as those who have lived on these waters AS OUR TERRITORIES for countless generations. We will continue to rise up for the rights of our people, for the rights of the life within our oceans, and for the futures of our mokopuna. We are this ocean.

EXPECT RESISTANCE.

Over.

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Background

Te Matau a Māui has taken non-violent direct action on the Amazon Warrior who are seismic blasting in Te Ikaroa-Rāwhiti waters in search of oil off the Hawkes Bay coastline alongside Greenpeace and other concerned citizens.

1 April Traditional Māori waka Te Matau a Māui departs Ahuriri, Napier to intercept the Amazon Warrior.

3 April Te Matau a Māui intercepts the Amazon Warrior. Delivers statements notifying the Amazon Warrior it is in breach of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and instructs it to depart immediately.

3 March 2017 Traditional Māori waka Ngahiraka Mai Tawhiti captained by renowned navigator, Jack Thatcher also delivered a message to the Amazon Warrior on behalf of the peoples of Ikaroa Rāwhiti stating (The Amazon Warrior) “stop your work and depart immediately”.

13 January 2017 Reuben Tīpoki joined a Greenpeace flotilla to confront the Amazon Warrior to convey that the people of Te Ikaroa Rāwhiti do not give permission for the Amazon Warrior to be in our waters. ENDS

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