MEDIA RELEASE: Urewera defendants discharged Monday morning
From: October 15th Solidarity
Date: 11 September 2011

A protest demanding the withdrawal of ALL charges against the remaining four defendants in the Urewera raids case will accompany the discharge of the defendants at the Auckland High Court on Monday, 12 September at 9am. The protest will start about 8.30am and all people concerned about justice are welcome to come!

‘We are demanding that the remaining four people ‘ Taame, Emily, Rangi and Urs ‘ are immediately discharged. It is ridiculous to keep this case going. The crown’s case is pathetic and it must now be abandoned completely.’ said freed accused Valerie Morse.

‘The crown is desperately trying to make something out of this case by bringing the ‘organised criminal group’ charge against these four people. They don’t have any evidence of planned or executed crime, and the matter should not waste any more time in court. The case failed on 8 November 2007 when Solicitor-General David Collins declined the police bid to bring terrorism charges. It should have ended then. It must end now.’

‘As the world looks at New zealand at the time of the Rugby World Cup, it will become obvious what kind of treatment is really meted out to political activists and this country’s indigenous people who dare to assert what is rightfully theirs: control of their lives and their resources."

"Millions of dollars and thousands of hours have been wasted pursuing political activists who are engaged in legitimate struggles for self-determination ‘ tino rangatiratanga. This is not a criminal activity ‘ this is about social justice and freedom from tyranny.’

"The founding document of the United Nations recognises the right of self-determination for all people. The UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which New Zealand has recently signed, reinforces this right for indigenous peoples across the globe. Tuhoe have a right to Mana Motuhake as have all iwi and hapu of Aotearoa/NZ. All people should have the right to live in peace and freedom in their own homes and territories."

‘We hope that lots of people will join us for the demonstration on Monday. We will make our demands heard by the world’ concluded

Valerie Morse.

ENDS

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