Great news that political prisoner Tame Iti has been released from prison. The injustice of his sentence is there forever but as Hone says Tame has increased his mana.
RadioNZ
Mana MP Hone Harawira was at the marae to welcome Iti and believes he has come out of prison a stronger man.
"I think his mana has been enhanced by what he's gone through because
those are lessons you just can't get on the outside. He's learnt from
that, he's grown from that - he's a better man for it.
"And we as a people - Maori people in particular - are going to be
better off for having a leader like this go though those experiences and
come out as strongly."
Mr Harawira said Iti has successfully survived all that the state could throw at him.
I really like the attitude of Tame Iti
He held no resentment about being in jail nine months, saying he
enjoyed his time there and was able to work and be creative with his
art.
Iti said he was inspired by reading a book about former South African
leader Nelson Mandela and wants to write one on the history of
political prisoners in New Zealand.
His lawyer Russel Fairbrother said an application has been lodged with
the Supreme Court to overturn the conviction and sentence.
Tame Iti is a man of mana for fighting for his beliefs and not being bowed and broken by the state. Good news also that fellow political prisoner Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara has also been granted parole and will leave prison on Monday.
Well they have sentenced two of the Urewera four to jail and supposedly Tame Iti and Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara will spend two and a half years inside. The police terror raids on Tuhoe, the dropped charges, unadmissable evidence and dismal evidence presented, the lies and evasions all lead us to this, so called 'justice' for these men. Unfortunately this will get worse for the system now that the judge has determined this sentence. I suppose if the judge had discharged the four, then the feelings and heat within the community may have dissipaited but that is not what has happened. Instead we will see a focussing of energy, including heat and light and ironically this is the opposite of what the 'powers that be' wanted. They wanted a short, sharp lesson, they wanted a 'quick hit', they wanted to show the US that they were on to it, they wanted to show uppity tangata whenua what happens if you don't toe the line, they wanted to sow dissent and division within the activist community, they wanted to divide. As usual 'they' have fucked up.
I cannot tolerate these men spending one single day behind bars - this is a gross injustice that must be opposed.
Good updates from Tim at Tumeke
