Navajo and Hopi coalition urges global action for Maoris

Black Mesa Water Coalition in solidarity: Global Day of Action for Maoris

In the spirit of Tino Rangatiratanga, we as Indigenous Peoples of the Americas are calling for International Indigenous solidarity with Indigenous Maori brothers and sisters of Aotearoa (New Zealand) who currently being detained by the Crown and Prime Minster of New Zealand under the guise of "Anti-terrorism law". On October 15, 2007-New Zealand police raided the homes and community spaces across Aotearoa (North Island and Christchurch) under New Zealand anti-terrorism legislation. Seventeen arrests have been made; among those who were arrested and questioned are vocal community leaders of Indigenous Peoples rights movement, environmental justice and peace activists. The Terrorism Suppression Act 2002 is in response of U.S. 9/11 events. It is still unclear what conditions can be defined as "terrorism". This act has given the grounds to allow over 300 police raids, invasion of privacy, relinquishing civil liberties of Maori citizens and could easily be used against those engaging in political or industrial protest action. In September 2007 the UN General Assembly adopted the, UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a non-binding declaration protecting the human, land and resources rights of the world's 370 million indigenous people, despite opposition from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. The vote in the assembly was 143 in favor and four against. Eleven countries, including Russia and Colombia, abstained "A violation of human rights to one group of Indigenous Peoples is a violation to all Indigenous Peoples worldwide. Indigenous Peoples have struggled and resisted for hundreds of years against countless forms colonialism and oppression through man-made laws and government regimes whose objective has been to dehumanize and ignore Indigenous Peoples right to live." Black Mesa Water Coalition, Wahleah Johns "As Indigenous Peoples here in the Southwestern United States when we stand up to protect our Mother Earth--when we stand against contaminated snow making on our sacred mountain, or we stand against the extraction of fossil fuels from our lands, or the taking of water from beneath our people -- when we stand up for our basic human rights, will we soon be labeled as terrorists? This is what is happening to our Maori brothers & sisters!" Black Mesa Water Coalition, Enei Begaye What: Please join us locally to observe the Global Day of Action at the "Cultivating the Seeds of Tomorrow Fundraiser Benefit". This event is dedicated to the human rights struggle in New Zealand, come by and learn what you can do to help. Who: Members of Black Mesa Water Coalition and Native Movement Collective
When: October 27, 2007 7 pm-12pm
Where: 113 S. San Francisco Flagstaff, AZ
###Tena koutou katoaIn a wave of massive state repression, 300+ Police, in many casesarmed, raided houses around Aotearoa / NZ on October 16th making 17arrests. Search warrants were carried out in Auckland, Whakatane,Ruatoki, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch.Police are also seeking up to 60 people for questioning. The arresteesare all activists in the Tino Rangatiratanga / Mana Motuhake, peaceand environmental movements.Ka whawhai tonu matou ake ake ake!
For a History on Tuhoe see http://www.conscious.maori.nz/news.php?item.28.6
For more info see http://www.converge.org.nz/pma/nzterror.htm