ignoring the treaty again!
the government wants to ignore the treaty again. this time they want ownership of the freshwater resources in aotearoa. another fight looms over this resource as it did over the foreshore. one thing it does achieve is the bringing together of nga iwi tu tangata o aotearoa. out of the foreshore debate rose the maori party. i can see that someone will try to test ownership in the courts, that will force the govt into legislation as the treaty is clear: Article two:The Queen of England agrees to protect the chiefs, the subtribes and all the people of New Zealand in the unqualified exercise (7) of their chieftainship over their lands, villages and all their treasures (8). But on the other hand the Chiefs of the Confederation and all the Chiefs will sell(9) land to the Queen at a price agreed to by the person owning it and by the person buying it (the latter being) appointed by the Queen as her purchase agent.
the important bit is 'our chieftainship over our lands, villages, and all our treasures.' for some time now [since 1840], the pakeha iwi have been ignoring their obligations in regard to the treaty. sooner or later nga iwi maori tatou will have had enough of being 2nd class citizens in their own land. how will pakehadom deal with that?Labels: land rip-off, maori, maori lands, te tiriti o waitangi, the treaty of waitangi
Maori concerns can not be brushed aside” says Tariana Turia
“the concerns of Maori must not be brushed aside again” said mrs Turia today, responding to statements she had made about the impact of the government’s immigration policy on the creation of the Maori electoral districts. the Maori party has fielded many calls from constituents, who believe that the fact Maori did not achieve an eighth electoral seat is a direct consequence of high overall population growth that has arisen through the influx of migrants to Aotearoa. “these callers have reminded me that tangata whenua are the only people in Aotearoa who cannot increase their numbers by immigration” said mrs Turia. “as such, they believe it is a question of justice that present and future immigration is managed in such a way as to prevent Maori from becoming an even smaller minority in their own land”. “It is appropriate that as we approach Waitangi day, we look again at the impact that immigration has on national identity” tangata whenua often refer to Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the treaty) as being the first immigration policy document for this nation. dr Ranginui Walker has described the preamble of the treaty as the original charter for immigration; in that it allows immigration to Aotearoa (nz) from europe, australia and the united kingdom, but requires consultation with Maori as treaty partner for any variation. Walker argues that the government has ignored the notion of partnership by unilaterally deciding who can enter Aotearoa without consultation with Maori.
“the Treaty sets the scene by which all subsequent migrants and communities can survive and prosper in Aotearoa” Tariana Turia.
more to do, more to discuss, more to think about. at least we are still trying to get it right.
Labels: aotearoa, te tiriti o waitangi
waitangi pressure
“it is a great pity that the national party has failed to grasp the significance of such concepts as consultation with tangata whenua (indigenous people); te tiriti o waitangi (the treaty of waitangi); the maori electoral seats; and the widespread grief expressed by maori about labour’s confiscation of the foreshore and seabed” reflected dr sharples today.
“the new leader of the national party made a public declaration that there was nothing to fear from tangata whenua” said dr sharples.
“and then at the first opportunity to show maori there is some substance to that declaration, their caucus retreats in alarm and panic”.
tomorrow is waitangi day.....
we're supposed to celebrate the treaty, some, but not all, will not honour the treaty.
Labels: dr pita sharples, te tiriti o waitangi, the treaty of waitangi
