A collection of links to news items, blogs and activist websites:
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Showing posts with label Race. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Race. Show all posts
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
The New York Times on French Museum and the tattooed head
"French Debate: Is Maori Head Body Part or Art?
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
Published: October 26, 2007
PARIS, Oct. 25 — Since 1875, the mummified, tattooed head of a Maori warrior has been part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Natural History at Rouen in Normandy.
ut when Rouen’s mayor arranged recently to return it to New Zealand as an act of “atonement” for colonial-era trafficking in human remains, the national Ministry of Culture stepped in to block him.
The ministry contends that the head is a work of art that belongs to France and that its return could set an unfortunate precedent for a huge swath of the national museum collections — from Egyptian mummies in the Louvre to Asian treasures in the Musée Guimet and African and Oceanic artifacts in the Musée du Quai Branly."
Read more...
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Sunday Star Times inconsistant?
On its first page yesterday the newspaper annnounced some of the potential targets from alleged terrorism plots:
"US President George Bush was among those allegedly targeted in the threats recorded by police investigating the alleged Urewera terrorist training camps.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key were also discussed as potential targets by those under surveillance during the 22-month police Special Investigations Group operation.
Key has admitted he was briefed on the operation by the SIS but neither he, nor Clark, were yesterday willing to comment on the possibility they were potential targets...
he Star-Times, which broke the story on Fairfax Media's Stuff website last Monday, understands the police have seized more than 20 guns, including AK-47s and other military-style semi-automatic rifles, as well as stab and bullet-resistant clothing, camouflage netting, bomb-making recipes and an IRA manual."
Read more...
Yet in its opinion pages it declared that the country should really "wait and see" and not draw early conclusions (opinion piece not available online).
"US President George Bush was among those allegedly targeted in the threats recorded by police investigating the alleged Urewera terrorist training camps.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and National leader John Key were also discussed as potential targets by those under surveillance during the 22-month police Special Investigations Group operation.
Key has admitted he was briefed on the operation by the SIS but neither he, nor Clark, were yesterday willing to comment on the possibility they were potential targets...
he Star-Times, which broke the story on Fairfax Media's Stuff website last Monday, understands the police have seized more than 20 guns, including AK-47s and other military-style semi-automatic rifles, as well as stab and bullet-resistant clothing, camouflage netting, bomb-making recipes and an IRA manual."
Read more...
Yet in its opinion pages it declared that the country should really "wait and see" and not draw early conclusions (opinion piece not available online).
Friday, October 19, 2007
Political responses to police actions against activists
So far, only one party has posted comments, the Green Party.
Green Party:
"Greens appeal to police to show more respect
Keith Locke MP, Green Party Human Rights Spokesperson
18th October 2007
The Green Party is shocked by stories of police heavy handedness when executing search warrants under the Terrorism Suppression Act.
“Just this morning we see a pensioner in Tauranga describing feeling violated after police raided his house while he was absent and left behind a smashed window, a broken door catch, mud and a trashed linen cupboard and shed.
“Surely police should repair the damage they caused, especially as he was not charged with anything?
“Police have gone over-the-top in several raids, unnecessarily offending many people,” said Mr Locke, the Party’s Human Rights Spokesperson.
“Tuhoe people are very upset at the excessive display of force in their community. The raids have often left a mess and smashed windows, with little apparent thought of an apology or rectification.”
Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says she was shocked to hear that police had raided the Taupo home of Eco-Show organisers Jo Pearsal and Bryan Innes."
Read more...
Green Party:
"Greens appeal to police to show more respect
Keith Locke MP, Green Party Human Rights Spokesperson
18th October 2007
The Green Party is shocked by stories of police heavy handedness when executing search warrants under the Terrorism Suppression Act.
“Just this morning we see a pensioner in Tauranga describing feeling violated after police raided his house while he was absent and left behind a smashed window, a broken door catch, mud and a trashed linen cupboard and shed.
“Surely police should repair the damage they caused, especially as he was not charged with anything?
“Police have gone over-the-top in several raids, unnecessarily offending many people,” said Mr Locke, the Party’s Human Rights Spokesperson.
“Tuhoe people are very upset at the excessive display of force in their community. The raids have often left a mess and smashed windows, with little apparent thought of an apology or rectification.”
Green Party Co-Leader Jeanette Fitzsimons says she was shocked to hear that police had raided the Taupo home of Eco-Show organisers Jo Pearsal and Bryan Innes."
Read more...
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Continuous coverage of raids on stuff.co.nz
Pita Sharples in stuff.co.nz
"Race relations in New Zealand have been set back 100 years by police raids on Monday at alleged weapons-training camps in the Bay of Plenty, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has told an Australian audience.
Sharples also questioned yesterday whether New Zealand security agencies might resort to planting evidence to justify their actions.
His criticism came yesterday as a Rotorua District Court judge denied bail to Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, one of 17 people arrested.
Sharples told a conference on restorative justice in Queensland that police had used "storm-trooper" tactics in raiding homes and making the arrests.
He said the justice system had "lashed out" at Maori. Maori sovereignty activists were among those arrested, as well as peace and environmental campaigners who police said were connected to the weapons-training camps found in rugged Bay of Plenty bush."
Read more...
See on-going coverage here
"Race relations in New Zealand have been set back 100 years by police raids on Monday at alleged weapons-training camps in the Bay of Plenty, Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples has told an Australian audience.
Sharples also questioned yesterday whether New Zealand security agencies might resort to planting evidence to justify their actions.
His criticism came yesterday as a Rotorua District Court judge denied bail to Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, one of 17 people arrested.
Sharples told a conference on restorative justice in Queensland that police had used "storm-trooper" tactics in raiding homes and making the arrests.
He said the justice system had "lashed out" at Maori. Maori sovereignty activists were among those arrested, as well as peace and environmental campaigners who police said were connected to the weapons-training camps found in rugged Bay of Plenty bush."
Read more...
See on-going coverage here
NZ Police arrest activists
Does not the title of the article the question answered under the picture?
"Napalm bombs, Molotov cocktails and military-style assault rifles were among an arsenal of weapons that prompted early morning police raids across the country yesterday. "
Read more...
Covering Police "Terrorism" Raid
A few days after the police raids across the country the media are starting to ask the significance of the actions.
Here's Colin Espiner's views:
"Police ‘terror’ raids - blunder or brilliance?
Colin Espiner in On The House | 1:01 pm 17 October 2007
I’ve avoided posting anything on the arrests of activists around the country on Monday because - and this doesn’t happen often, I’ll admit - I’m at a bit of a loss to know what to say.Either the police have uncovered the sort of organised, militant, terrorist activity that New Zealand has so far been blessedly free from, or the cops have made a monumental blunder and trampled over the basic rights of Kiwis to protest and to speak out against authority and the government of the day.Neither answer is particularly palatable. I’ve always considered that New Zealand has its fair share of nutcases, fruit loops, and raving lunatics but that like Douglas Adams’ summation of Earth in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, they were “mostly harmless”.
Indeed I’d thought people like Tame Iti, with his full moko and passionate belief in Maori self-determination, and the earnest, well-meaning, wet-behind-the-ears “activists” that inhabit the darker corners of Wellington’s Te Aro Valley actually added to the country’s social fabric rather than detracted from it. Even if they did occasionally annoy me by chaining themselves to buildings to prevent the construction of the capital’s much-needed inner-city bypass.
But police claims that these people had semi-automatic weapons and molotov cocktails, held secret training camps in the bush and planned to assassinate key public figures is another matter altogether. It’s deeply disturbing.
I don’t think I’m alone in not really knowing what to say at the moment. The media has been every which way, starting off with blazing headlines declaring police had uncovered “terror camps” and conducted “anti-terror raids” before quickly switching to sympathetic portrayals of wronged activists upset at having their door kicked in by police at 4am."
Read more...
Russell Brown gives some historical perspective:
"Te Qaeda and the God Squad | Oct 16, 2007 11:02
The Dominion Post today covers yesterday's police raids in part by harking back 30 years, to the Full Gospel Mission -- better known as the "God Squad" -- the millenarian religious sect whose apparent stockpiling of weapons at a compound in Waipara was a huge news story in 1977. It's a story with lessons for all sides of our new controversy...
Read more...
Here's Colin Espiner's views:
"Police ‘terror’ raids - blunder or brilliance?
Colin Espiner in On The House | 1:01 pm 17 October 2007
I’ve avoided posting anything on the arrests of activists around the country on Monday because - and this doesn’t happen often, I’ll admit - I’m at a bit of a loss to know what to say.Either the police have uncovered the sort of organised, militant, terrorist activity that New Zealand has so far been blessedly free from, or the cops have made a monumental blunder and trampled over the basic rights of Kiwis to protest and to speak out against authority and the government of the day.Neither answer is particularly palatable. I’ve always considered that New Zealand has its fair share of nutcases, fruit loops, and raving lunatics but that like Douglas Adams’ summation of Earth in The Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy, they were “mostly harmless”.
Indeed I’d thought people like Tame Iti, with his full moko and passionate belief in Maori self-determination, and the earnest, well-meaning, wet-behind-the-ears “activists” that inhabit the darker corners of Wellington’s Te Aro Valley actually added to the country’s social fabric rather than detracted from it. Even if they did occasionally annoy me by chaining themselves to buildings to prevent the construction of the capital’s much-needed inner-city bypass.
But police claims that these people had semi-automatic weapons and molotov cocktails, held secret training camps in the bush and planned to assassinate key public figures is another matter altogether. It’s deeply disturbing.
I don’t think I’m alone in not really knowing what to say at the moment. The media has been every which way, starting off with blazing headlines declaring police had uncovered “terror camps” and conducted “anti-terror raids” before quickly switching to sympathetic portrayals of wronged activists upset at having their door kicked in by police at 4am."
Read more...
Russell Brown gives some historical perspective:
"Te Qaeda and the God Squad | Oct 16, 2007 11:02
The Dominion Post today covers yesterday's police raids in part by harking back 30 years, to the Full Gospel Mission -- better known as the "God Squad" -- the millenarian religious sect whose apparent stockpiling of weapons at a compound in Waipara was a huge news story in 1977. It's a story with lessons for all sides of our new controversy...
Read more...
Friday, September 7, 2007
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Hone Harawira to pay back half of his fare to Australia
From NZPA via stuff.co.nz:
" Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has been ordered to pay back half of the cost of his taxpayer-funded airfare to Australia after he went walkabout while on an official parliamentary visit.
Speaker Margaret Wilson told MPs that Mr Harawira's "private visit" to the Northern Territory to see aboriginal communities had come halfway into a select committee visit to Melbourne.
MPs had an obligation to complete their work for which they received public funding, she said.
"As Mr Harawira participated in less than half of the committee's business I consider it appropriate that he refund half of the airfare that has been paid out of public funds," Ms Wilson said.
It has been estimated that the MPs' airfares cost $3000 for a business class return flight."
Read more...
And in a different story:
" Hone Harawira has struck back at the "petty and ridiculous" critics of his Australian walkabout, suggesting a whiff of hypocrisy in their sniping."
Read more...
" Maori Party MP Hone Harawira has been ordered to pay back half of the cost of his taxpayer-funded airfare to Australia after he went walkabout while on an official parliamentary visit.
Speaker Margaret Wilson told MPs that Mr Harawira's "private visit" to the Northern Territory to see aboriginal communities had come halfway into a select committee visit to Melbourne.
MPs had an obligation to complete their work for which they received public funding, she said.
"As Mr Harawira participated in less than half of the committee's business I consider it appropriate that he refund half of the airfare that has been paid out of public funds," Ms Wilson said.
It has been estimated that the MPs' airfares cost $3000 for a business class return flight."
Read more...
And in a different story:
" Hone Harawira has struck back at the "petty and ridiculous" critics of his Australian walkabout, suggesting a whiff of hypocrisy in their sniping."
Read more...
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Coverage of Hone Harawira's trip to Nothern Territories
From stuff.co.nz (The Dominion Post):
" Where the bloody hell are you?
Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is in trouble after ditching a taxpayer- funded parliamentary trip to Melbourne to visit Aborigines in the Northern Territory instead.
Labour MP Shane Jones said Mr Harawira's tribe were alarmed at his disappearance and were saying: "SOS: A dingo's got our Hone".
His impromptu walkabout has left some MPs fuming – though Green MP Nandor Tanczos says he would have liked to have gone too.
Speaker of the House Margaret Wilson is investigating whether she can dock Mr Harawira's pay for the costs of the trip, which include accommodation in a luxury hotel and business-class airfares to Melbourne."
Read more...
I paid my own way - Harawira...
Maori Party break silence on Harawira's trip...
Uluru leader hails NZ MP
Walkabout MP not on his own, says backer
Greens back Harawira but others aren't happy...
Blog: Harawira's walkabout like an Agatha Christie novel...
Harawira goes walkabout in Australia...
Harawira supporters thin on ground...
TV3's coverage...
" Where the bloody hell are you?
Maori Party MP Hone Harawira is in trouble after ditching a taxpayer- funded parliamentary trip to Melbourne to visit Aborigines in the Northern Territory instead.
Labour MP Shane Jones said Mr Harawira's tribe were alarmed at his disappearance and were saying: "SOS: A dingo's got our Hone".
His impromptu walkabout has left some MPs fuming – though Green MP Nandor Tanczos says he would have liked to have gone too.
Speaker of the House Margaret Wilson is investigating whether she can dock Mr Harawira's pay for the costs of the trip, which include accommodation in a luxury hotel and business-class airfares to Melbourne."
Read more...
I paid my own way - Harawira...
Maori Party break silence on Harawira's trip...
Uluru leader hails NZ MP
Walkabout MP not on his own, says backer
Greens back Harawira but others aren't happy...
Blog: Harawira's walkabout like an Agatha Christie novel...
Harawira goes walkabout in Australia...
Harawira supporters thin on ground...
TV3's coverage...
Friday, August 10, 2007
Monday, July 16, 2007
Editorials form the Sunday Star Times on Harawira's comments
Howard's way isn't that wayward, Hone
By ROSEMARY McLEOD - Sunday Star Times | Monday, 16 July 2007
"Harawira - and others - seem to think that men in indigenous communities ought to be able to carry on however they like with their children, and that it's racist to try to stop them."
Read more....
Harawira: indelicate but spoke for many
By FINLAY MACDONALD - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 15 July 2007
"Hone Harawira was indelicate, but politicians are merely representatives of their people.
He represents the opinion of plenty of New Zealanders, and the target of his opprobrium is certainly representative of many Australians."
Read more...
By ROSEMARY McLEOD - Sunday Star Times | Monday, 16 July 2007
"Harawira - and others - seem to think that men in indigenous communities ought to be able to carry on however they like with their children, and that it's racist to try to stop them."
Read more....
Harawira: indelicate but spoke for many
By FINLAY MACDONALD - Sunday Star Times | Sunday, 15 July 2007
"Hone Harawira was indelicate, but politicians are merely representatives of their people.
He represents the opinion of plenty of New Zealanders, and the target of his opprobrium is certainly representative of many Australians."
Read more...
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Hone Harawira's statements about Howard
This is from a few days ago (11 July): an interview with Hone Harawira after the media ran stories about his calling Howard a "racist bastard". Particularly of interest to MDIA 102 is Harawira's views about how to use media statements as a way to provoke public debate.
From Radio Live: "WILLIE & JT~talk to Maori Party MP Hone Harawira about comments he made about Australian PM John Howard, and the political reaction to what he said."
Listen here....
And even earlier on the week (10 July) Paul Henri interviews Maori Party co-leader Peter Sharples about Hone Harawira's statements.
Listen here....
These two interviews encapsulate particularly well the ways in which media debate can be framed and provoked. Harawira is the provocateur. Sharples is the diplomatic politician. Both are skilled politicians but in different registers.
From Radio Live: "WILLIE & JT~talk to Maori Party MP Hone Harawira about comments he made about Australian PM John Howard, and the political reaction to what he said."
Listen here....
And even earlier on the week (10 July) Paul Henri interviews Maori Party co-leader Peter Sharples about Hone Harawira's statements.
Listen here....
These two interviews encapsulate particularly well the ways in which media debate can be framed and provoked. Harawira is the provocateur. Sharples is the diplomatic politician. Both are skilled politicians but in different registers.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Racism, sports and the media
Interesting story from ABC in Australia in a programme called Media Watch. The programme (with transcripts and video available in the link here...) looks at the Saturday Daily Telegraph's decision not to cover Anthony Mundine's sporting career. This is what the paper says:
"The Saturday Daily Telegraph is so sick of Anthony Mundine and his racist taunts that this newspaper declined to preview any aspect of the boxer's bout against Pablo Zamora Nievas this week.
Instead of publicising the bout and helping to put money into the Mundine coffers, the newspaper decided not to give Sydney's biggest mouth any pre-bout coverage to prove that racist taunts will not be tolerated from anyone, no matter how big a star they think they are."
— Daily Telegraph, Short Shots, 30th June, 2007
The ABC programmme looks at what lead to the newspaper's decision.
Libby Hakaraia interviewed on 9 to 12 RadioNZ
Maori Issues With commentator Libby Hakaraia, TV director and producer. (duration: 16′05″)
Listen here...
All podcasts feed for Nine to Noon on RadioNZ are available here.
Listen here...
All podcasts feed for Nine to Noon on RadioNZ are available here.
Commentary in The Age, Melbourne
In this commentary Michelle Grattan and Jo Chandler explain what they see as a change of direction in Aboriginal policies.
"The Northern Territory decision is part of a wider transformation of indigenous policy. Last year Health Minister Tony Abbott put a label on a shift in policy and thinking about Aboriginal issues. He called it, for want of a better term, "the new paternalism".
Historian Dr Tim Rowse has seen it brewing for three years.
"The essence of it is to regard Aboriginal self-determination as a project that has failed because indigenous elites have proved to be not up to the job," says Rowse. It argues that the discourse of indigenous rights, which is what has empowered indigenous elites, has not provided a fix for the poverty and problems afflicting remote Aboriginal communities. That those far-flung communities are hugely expensive to service and maintain. That the social pathology within some communities has become poisonous. That they "carry the remnants of a culture which is self-destructive and badly adapted to modern times — I think that is the view that the Government has acquired," he says."
Read more...
"The Northern Territory decision is part of a wider transformation of indigenous policy. Last year Health Minister Tony Abbott put a label on a shift in policy and thinking about Aboriginal issues. He called it, for want of a better term, "the new paternalism".
Historian Dr Tim Rowse has seen it brewing for three years.
"The essence of it is to regard Aboriginal self-determination as a project that has failed because indigenous elites have proved to be not up to the job," says Rowse. It argues that the discourse of indigenous rights, which is what has empowered indigenous elites, has not provided a fix for the poverty and problems afflicting remote Aboriginal communities. That those far-flung communities are hugely expensive to service and maintain. That the social pathology within some communities has become poisonous. That they "carry the remnants of a culture which is self-destructive and badly adapted to modern times — I think that is the view that the Government has acquired," he says."
Read more...
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Harawira's statements as covered on TVOne news last night
From TVOne website:
"The Maori Party co-leader, Pita Sharples, is supporting MP Hone Harawira's comments about Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Inan interview with Maori Television programme Native Affairs Harwaira called Howard "a racist bastard".
"John Howard is a racist bastard imposing racist policies on a people who are not in a position to fight back - in terms of the Katrina thing - its actually more like Iraq - what he's trying to do in the Northern Territory," Harawira said in the interview.
Sharples says the MP was just voicing what many groups in Australia already think, but the comments are already making headlines across the Tasman.
Australian TV reacted to Harawira's comments, saying he was letting fly at the federal government's intervention."
more, including a clip of the interview on Maori television with Harawira's statements...
"The Maori Party co-leader, Pita Sharples, is supporting MP Hone Harawira's comments about Australian Prime Minister John Howard.
Inan interview with Maori Television programme Native Affairs Harwaira called Howard "a racist bastard".
"John Howard is a racist bastard imposing racist policies on a people who are not in a position to fight back - in terms of the Katrina thing - its actually more like Iraq - what he's trying to do in the Northern Territory," Harawira said in the interview.
Sharples says the MP was just voicing what many groups in Australia already think, but the comments are already making headlines across the Tasman.
Australian TV reacted to Harawira's comments, saying he was letting fly at the federal government's intervention."
more, including a clip of the interview on Maori television with Harawira's statements...
The 'R' word part 2
In The Dominion Post
A major political poll released by The Australian newspaper yesterday shows 61 per cent of voters agree with Mr Howard's actions.
Mr Harawira was chastised by his party yesterday for "attacking the man", but walked away with support for his criticism of the policy.
Even Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia gave qualified support to Mr Harawira's sentiments, if not his colourful language.
Mr Horomia said it was wrong to personalise the issue - which was up to Australians to deal with - but also struggled personally "with what John Howard has done".
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said attacking Mr Howard went against the principles of the party, but said the policies being advocated were "definitely racist".
Mr Harawira accepted the "telling-off" he received from Dr Sharples over his behaviour, but refused to resile from his comments.
"I've apologised to the Maori Party but I certainly won't be apologising to John Howard.
Harawira told to stay in own yard
And this is the coverage of the story in The Brisbane Times :
"the Northern Territory Government revealed yesterday that it will back a legal challenge to the radical intervention by the Northern Land Council, the most powerful indigenous organisation in northern Australia. The council says the action will lead inevitably to the High Court."
more...
A major political poll released by The Australian newspaper yesterday shows 61 per cent of voters agree with Mr Howard's actions.
Mr Harawira was chastised by his party yesterday for "attacking the man", but walked away with support for his criticism of the policy.
Even Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia gave qualified support to Mr Harawira's sentiments, if not his colourful language.
Mr Horomia said it was wrong to personalise the issue - which was up to Australians to deal with - but also struggled personally "with what John Howard has done".
Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said attacking Mr Howard went against the principles of the party, but said the policies being advocated were "definitely racist".
Mr Harawira accepted the "telling-off" he received from Dr Sharples over his behaviour, but refused to resile from his comments.
"I've apologised to the Maori Party but I certainly won't be apologising to John Howard.
Harawira told to stay in own yard
And this is the coverage of the story in The Brisbane Times :
"the Northern Territory Government revealed yesterday that it will back a legal challenge to the radical intervention by the Northern Land Council, the most powerful indigenous organisation in northern Australia. The council says the action will lead inevitably to the High Court."
more...
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Politics and the"r" word
Is it possible to use the "r" word when talking about politicians?
Read more from the Dominion Post today...
and as some historical context...
Here's the report from The Sydney Morning Herald
"Howard a racist bastard: NZ Maori MP
July 9, 2007 - 2:54PM
An MP for New Zealand Maori Party has labelled Australian Prime Minister John Howard a "racist bastard" for his radical intervention aimed at stopping child abuse in Aboriginal communities."
Read more...
and more...
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