Wellington Joins National Day of Action to Protect Ihumātao
Wellington Joins National Day of Action to Protect Ihumātao
Tomorrow Wellingtonians will join people
around Aotearoa to demand Fletcher Construction respects Te
Tiriti o Waitangi and stops plans to build at Ihumātao in
Auckland. People will protest at Fletchers sites around the
country tomorrow, February 15th, in solidarity with mana
whenua in Auckland who are calling for the return of this
sacred and archaeologically and ecologically unique land.
Protestors will gather at Fletchers offices at 236
Middleton Road, Churton Park, from 9:30 am.
‘As
Fletcher's seem to be having trouble respecting the treaty,
we'll be inviting them to a free Tiriti o Waitangi workshop
at their premises in Churton Park!’ said local Ihumātao
supporter and SOUL Solidarity Pōneke spokesperson, Te Ao
Pritchard.
‘Together, we'll learn more about Te
Tiriti, sing waiata and share some kai.’
Ihumātao
was confiscated under the New Zealand Settlements Act in
1863 as part of the colonial invasion of Waikato that drove
mana whenua from their lands. Now, using the
developer-friendly provisions of the Special Housing Areas
Act 2013, Fletchers have been able to purchase the land and
plan to develop it with unaffordable housing.
‘This
is colonisation in action. The mana whenua of the land were
driven from it illegally once, and now Te Tiriti obligations
are again being ignored and this culturally sacred land is
being threatened further.’ said Pritchard.
SOUL
(Save our Unique Landscape), led by local mana whenua, have
been campaigning for years to protect Ihumātao. Having
exhausted their legal avenues to stop development, they are
now calling on people from around Aotearoa to join them in
demanding Fletchers stop construction.
According to
Pania Newton, SOUL Spokesperson, “Our people are nothing
without this land. It defines our identity, health and
wellbeing.”
SOUL are currently occupying land at
Ihumātao and Fletchers plan to start construction soon.
SOUL have called for collective action and support in an
effort to stop a confrontation on the land.
‘We
invite anyone in Wellington who wants to stand against
colonisation and racism to join us at Fletchers tomorrow at
9am. If you’re unable to make it, we invite you to call or
email Fletchers and let them know how you feel.’’, said
Pritchard.
‘We often look back at events like
Bastion Point and think that we would have been on the right
side of history. Now is the time to take a stand and protect
Ihumātao and support mana whenua fighting to get back land
the government stole.’ said Pritchard.
“SOUL is
doing everything possible to avoid confrontation on the
land. But our kaumatua are preparing to stand in front of
the bulldozers if they come,” said Pania Newton.
“Our plea to Fletcher is this: Don’t send in the
bulldozers or the Police. Let’s work this out around the
table with Government Auckland Council, Iwi and other
interested parties.” said SOUL spokesperson Brendan
Corbett.
For more information:
https://www.protectihumatao.com/
https://www.facebook.com/events/577095086087404
ENDS