New Zealand: Maori activists arrested in “terrorist” sweeps

Elite police units raided properties across New Zealand Oct. 15, apparently seizing weapons in what the media are calling “anti-terrorist” sweeps targeting Maori activists. An armed roadblock was set up around the inland Maori settlement of Ruatoki on the North Island, gateway to the Urewera mountains, home of the reclusive Tuhoe tribe. The raid allegedly followed sightings by hunters in the region of armed men in camouflage at a camp in the Ureweras. TV reports said that a napalm bomb had been tested at one camp, and a threat made against Prime Minister Helen Clark. Locations in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch were also raided. Among the 17 arrested was Tame Iti, 55, a prominent campaigner for Maori independence. He appeared before Rotorua District Court on eight charges relating to possession of firearms and petrol bombs. (Radio New Zealand, Stuff.co.nz, London Times, Oct. 15)

  1. tuhoe tribe.
    New Zealand is a beutiful place. leave it like that. we dont need terrorism. why be like Iraq.
    You accept all the whitemans ways in this country, “like using cars, household equipments, clothes, hospitals,education, without all these things in your life do you want to go back to your grass skirts. stop living in the past, you are always digging up the past, for god sake move on. other tribes have. a lot of maori are married to white people.
    love your country , dont turn it into a blood bath.

    1. It is rather unseemly…
      …to preach nonviolence to the oppressed. The reason there is terrorism in Iraq is because it is occupied. If all Maori grievances were in “the past,” it is unlikely that the desperate would be resorting to arms…

    2. Kiwi history lesson
      my goodness, if these opinions weren’t so harmful, it would be almost laughable. your obvious ignorance on the history of new zealand has led me to respond.

      there are no terrorists in new zealand. i am from the bop, where ruatoki (or up the vally as it is know to the locals)is situated. my father works up there and has friends who are tuhoi (local iwi of ruatoki) and others including pakeha who live up there. his friend’s daughter was arrested (she is definitely no terrorist!). the situation was so ridiculous when i was talking to my mother she was freaking out whether dad had locked away his hunting gun in case he got arrested.

      when the pre-meditated media-leak about the recorded supposedly-terrorists conversation, the public went crazy, as they were supposed to do. when in reality all it was was a couple of radicals, just all talk. i myself have known a person (as many probably do) that was all talk, quite radical sometimes, and never ever followed through or even meant what they said most of the time.

      and as for the preposterous “accepting white man’s ways” comment, the maori did in no way “accept” the white man’s ways. it was in fact forced upon them …. did the 12 years of war where they were fighting for their land and autonomy not give you a clue?

      and in response to your “going back to grass skirts”…. the fact that the white man has destroyed and appropriated their land, polluted their water and air, destroyed their food source and removed their harvesting rights (because the white man had endangered most species to extinction). so even though they would have loved for the white man to leave them to their autonomy (to put it mildly),i’m sure you can see it would be quite impossible now.

      and do not all cultures have a right to enculturation (of their choice) not acculturation (forced). everybody has the right to their culture, their language, their autonomy.

      and the beautiful new zealand you enjoy, is not that of your ancestors … but you in fact came to this land (whether recently or generations ago) and enjoy, to this day, all of the privileges because of the destruction of a proud people and their culture and the theft of their land in order to appropriate the land’s resources.

      before you speak again on the subject, i would be even a little informed before you spread racism. for it breeds misunderstanding and hate.

      and as you had probably guessed, i am pakeha. i am first generation born, but that is no excuse… i came here also on the back of my ancestors and enjoy the priviledges i enjoy because of past atrocities… like you …

      but, i am proud to be a kiwi, a pakeha kiwi. i love this country, but i am not ignorant of the history, and do not pretend that i am not a part of it. and i am glad i have done my bit to try and dispel ignorant racist opinions that are not based on fact.