birds of a feather

If anyone says they don't want sex with you and then you force them to have sex with you - that is rape. It doesn't matter if you had sex with them 5 minutes ago, it doesn't matter if you are in the middle of sex - if they say no, that means no. There are some people who do not agree with that view even though it is the law here in this country. George Galloway has said

NZH

In a video podcast which sparked outrage, the Bradford MP and notorious polemicist suggested sex without consent should not always be thought of as rape, if a woman has previously consented to what he called "the sex game". He added that Assange was merely guilty of "bad sexual etiquette".

This attitude seems to infect men of a certain age. On The Standard many debates have raged around this issue and posters such as RedLogix, Colonial Viper, Morrissey, vicky32 and others have added their views and they are similar to galloways, and IMO they all support rape culture with their comments and attitudes.

They are no better than Todd Akin and his sicko comments about legitimate rape.

Then on Sunday, he was asked by local news station KTVI-TV about his no-exceptions view on abortion. The 65-year-old lawmaker replied: "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that is really rare.

"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said Mr Akin's claim "contradicts basic biological truths".

Galloway and the assangefanboys are guilty of failing equality 101 - it is very basic stuff but the truth is easily hidden when privilege is being protected. 

United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

Although I am busy with study I still love physical work and today I helped build a retaining wall. Lots of shovelling - great for the body and soul.

TangataWhenua.com is an awesome site with many great articles and interaction. I just noticed this scorecard and I'm going to copy it here - hopefully everyones cool with that.

It is the United Nations’ International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples today - I wasn't aware of that. 

The Mana Movement have released a scorecard measuring the New Zealand government’s three-year progress against the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 

Zero indeed and that's being optimistic.

Metiria Turei, co-leader of the Greens has also issued a statement to the government today. It is a powerful statement that demands action from the key government.

Voxy

... the Key Government needs to honour its commitments under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (DRIP) and agree to negotiate with the pan-Maori group on water rights

Maori have agreed to create a single forum to negotiate water rights with the Government. John Key has so far not acknowledged this new pan-Maori group and has stated that the Crown will negotiate with Maori iwi by iwi.

The right of indigenous people "to participate in decision-making in matters which would affect their rights, through representatives chosen by themselves in accordance with their own procedures" is guaranteed in the DRIP. The Key Government endorsed the DRIP in 2010.

"If the international commitments that New Zealand signs up to are to have any meaning, then the Government must honour them at all times, not just when it is convenient," said Mrs Turei.

This is really great to hear. One of the best qualities of The Greens for me is their commitment to tino rangatiratanga.

Hattip TangataWhenua.com

water and a seal

There is a lot on at the moment, I've got 3 assignments due at the end of the week so head down time. It interesting how sometimes we try to make life easier and we end up making it a bit tougher. I thought I'd do a couple of double semester papers to ease the load... and I've managed to end up with a lot more to do this semester, as in 5 papers. Doh! 

Perhaps prime minister key is thinking the same as his desire to sell off our assets hits the immovable wall of Māori rights. I am sure he thought he was making life easier for himself and his mates - you know, to make more money. The Waitangi Tribunal have stated, that the government request to hurry up their process of deliberation, is "unusual and inappropriate". Sums it up well.

I came across this photo from a while ago. What a beautiful animal. Popoiangore - The Leopard Seal

underreported struggles 64

More essential underreported struggles from Ahni at Intercontinental Cry.

underreported struggles 64

The indigenous Nasa Peoples carried out a peaceful but daring effort to demilitarize their traditional lands in Cacua, Colombia. In one confrontation, the Nasa removed police trenches from an urban center and disassembled homemade FARC missiles found on their lands. Days later, Nasa forcibly removed troops from El Berlin’s mountaintop base. The Nasa were responding to a week of intense battles between Colombia's armed forces and the FARC. It is but the latest in a long list of such encounters in a war that has stricken the Nasa to constant anguish, exploitation and abuse. Despite the effort, Colombia is now preparing to increase its military presence in the region.

Representatives of the Taos Land Trust have officially returned the Ponce de León Hot Springs to the Taos Pueblo Tribe. The sacred site has been used by Taos Pueblo for ceremonial activities since time immemorial. For more than a century, however, the 44-acre area had been in the hands of private landowners. According to a press release, Taos Land Trust, a local land conservation organization, received funding in 1997 to acquire the property from private landowners, to protect it from commercial development. After a 15-year search for the best entity to preserve the land and its natural and cultural resources, the organization has now transferred legal ownership to the Taos Pueblo, returning the site to its original indigenous owners.

The Sarayaku people, after waiting patiently for nine years, have welcomed with open arms a decision by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. The court has declared that Ecuador is responsible under international law for the violation of Sarayaku's rights to prior consultation, communal property, life, judicial protection, and other important rights. The Sarayaku say they will now closely monitor Ecuador's compliance with the sentence and ensure that indigenous peoples' territories be respected in the face of damaging extractive industries such as oil drilling.

Newly announced plans by China's central government for the "resettlement" of the last remaining nomads have sparked protests in Inner Mongolia, with traditional Mongol herders accusing authorities of the illegal expropriation of grazing lands for development projects. At least four protests by Mongol herders have been reported over the last month.

The regional government of the Altai Republic reviewed and passed a new decree to protect sacred sites from being wrongfully damaged or destroyed. "Essentially, through this decree, the governor of the Altai Republic is instructing local authorities to make laws to protect these sacred sites which are being threatened by the construction of a gas pipeline by the Russia’s natural gas company Gazprom," says Cultural Survival. "The pipeline across the Ukok Plateau has been called a 'moral violence against people,' by Urmat Knyazev, a deputy in the Altai republic’s legislative assembly."

Visit Intercontinetal Cry to read about these issues and many others.
 

me moralise d land

Eddie on The Standard has highlighted a very good point about the water debate. Prime Minister key doesn't even have a clue.

The Standard

The Waitangi Tribunal has noted it has the power to make binding recommendations over memoralised land. Key doesn’t think Mighty River has any memoralised land. Yes, it does.

As Eddie notes this is the flagship policy for key, this is the one they are pushing through against all opposition and this is the one where key doesn't even know the slightest about the law or Māori rights. Mei Chen calls keys optimism that 'she'll be right',  "misplaced" and that is the mildest thing you could say.

I have posted on The Standard thread that

My big worry is the Maori Party, because key will be applying the instruments of displeasure to them soon and they will not like it. They will fold into the narrative key and his minions have constructed, and before you know it they will have justified it all away. I hope my fears are unrealised.

If that does happen, we will see Māori deliberately pitted against Māori. Keeping on top of the issues and making sure sunlight is liberally applied are the answers. If we know their game, we can defeat them.

Hattip The Standard

slipping on water

Great news from the Waitangi Tribunal – they have issued an interim decision, that the government , “not go ahead with its proposed partial privatisation of power generating SOE until the Tribunal has at least had a chance to issue its full decision on stage one of this Inquiry”. They have been direct in their language which I take as a pointed challenge to big mouth key. 

For instance in in the conclusion they state in point 59 that

Scoop

In the interests of the Maori-Crown relationship, and all New Zealanders, the issues raised in this stage of the inquiry are serious ones that warrant measured consideration.

And in point 61

We therefore conclude that the Crown ought not to commence the sale of shares in any of the Mixed Ownership Model companies until we have had the opportunity to complete our report on stage one of this inquiry and the Crown has had the opportunity to give this report, and any recommendations it contains, in-depth and considered examination. (my emphasis)

Key is a bit stuck now and this will get nasty make no mistake about that – this was not planned for and the lie about what was said at the infamous meeting between the Maori Party and key will now be tested. Key will never listen to Māori, never. It is not in his interest to. So the slippery one is about to coat himself in grease and start being even more slippery and we will be watching.

sullied waters

So The Maori Party and John Key the Prime Minister had their meeting last night and the Maori Party are pleased. It is interesting to look a little closer at this.

NZH

Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples had previously indicated the meeting was called to discuss Mr Key's comments which they said undermined the Waitangi Tribunal which is currently hearing the Maori Council's bid to halt the sale of Mighty River Power until Maori rights and interests in water are defined.

However after emerging from the meeting late last night Mrs Turia said "the main issue was that this Government would treat our people in the same way the Labour Party did by legislating away their rights".

Hmmm they seem like totally different issues to me. Key's comments have morphed into something Labour did years ago - but what they did affected Tariana significantly. She continues to try and exact revenge but I'd suggest she go to New York and get into Helen if she is so hellbent on retribution.

Mrs Turia was asked whether that meant that should a court decision subsequent to the tribunal find that Maori did have proprietary type right over water, the Government would not legislate against that.

She said: "That was what they told us tonight".

'They' - not nice Mr Key, or The Prime Minister, or Johnny - no it is they. I wonder who 'they' are. The use of 'they' implies wriggle room to me but who will do the wriggling, I'm not too sure. To date I have not heard key say it or agree with Tariana's statement.

Meanwhile in a joint statement issued by Mrs Turia, Dr Sharples and Mr Key, they said that both parties had agreed that when the Waitangi Tribunal report on the Maori Council's claim was issued that, "as part of developing their respective responses, the two parties will jointly discuss the matter".

Nice, a joint statement and key is happy to put his mark to this one. I wonder why. Could it be the slamdunk statement that they will, "jointly discuss the matter" - jeepers expect the shit to fly NOT.


So what have we got really? Joint discussions and that is it. Until I hear the words out of key's mouth about not legislating against any decision I won't believe it - and if he does say it i will still be unconvinced - key will not do it - they will not let him, and he doesn't want to anyway.

the drip continues

It has indeed been interesting watching the debate about the indigenous rights of Māori and water. Key the prime minister calls the claim by The Māori Council, "opportunistic" and that shows what a dim he is - hey key, how long have Māori been fighting for equality? Don't bother answering bankster I wouldn't believe what you say anyway. Perhaps key should heed Annette Sykes advice that key should, "either get a law degree or stay quiet about Maori water rights issues". 

Yes STFU because this following comment from key is outrageous

NZH

and I think that there's no merit in the case that the Maori Council is bringing.

No merit? How the fuck would you know key. Read all the evidence already have you?

The pressure is building on The Maori Party.  Maanu Paul

Maori Council spokesman Maanu Paul said it was "crunch time" for the party and co-leaders Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples, who have argued they need to stay at the Cabinet table to make a difference.

and

“In a Maori world, they should act like Maori – defend their mana, not the money.”

and from Annette Sykes

I beg Tariana, who I've got the hugest respect for, to sit back and reflect and in the spirit of Che Guevera who obviously influenced her last week, position herself for freedom and the rights of our people rather than to take money as a Prime Minister's friend at the table.

Initially i thought they would never walk but now I dunno, they actually could and I hope they do - for all of us.

 

Key has made a blunder with this whole fiasco and part of that blunder was to insult Tariana and Pita by not seeing them sooner. But i'm not worried about them, they have made their bed and if they did resign from their agreement with national, well that would be good, a final positive to add to the mix.

 

The wheels are starting to fall off - time to up the pressure!

underreported struggles 62 & 63

More essential underreported struggles from Ahni at Intercontinental Cry.

underreported struggles 62

The O'odham community of Gila River is coming out in full force against the proposed Florence Copper Project. In addition to ever-growing grassroots opposition, The Gila River Tribal Council has voted 15-0 to oppose the project. A resolution from the Tribal Council cites the potential for the development to impact water on the reservation.

The ministers of the Supreme Court of Paraguay withdrew the tenure of settlers who were illegally permitted to invade Indigenous Land in the 1960s. As a result of the decision, the Pataxó Hã-Hã-Hãe, after nearly a century, are now ensured full occupation of the territory demarcated in 1938.

After decades of struggle, Indigenous Peoples in El Salvador will finally be recognized in the constitution – a first step towards recovering their community identity, which they have been denied by the state and by society at large. A reported by IPS News, Article 63 of the constitution will be modified to acknowledge indigenous languages and other expressions of indigenous culture.


underreported struggles 63


To the shock and dismay of Indigenous Peoples throughout Australia, the Australian Senate rushed through a new law meant to extend the despicable Northern Territory intervention for another ten years.

A consortium of indigenous and non-governmental organizations have sounded the alarm over a disturbing new eco-tourism scheme by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department (MPFD). The MPFD, a government agency responsible for managing all forest areas in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, says it wants to lease out 50 to 150 sq km bricks of land to interested tourism companies. Those companies would then be free to change the livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples to something more 'compatible' with conservation.

After a 30-year struggle, two indigenous Wounaan communities in the eastern Panamanian province of Darién finally received titles from the government to their traditional lands. Thousands of other Wounaan and Emberá are awaiting their own titles in another 39 communities.

Visit Intercontinetal Cry to read about these issues and many others.

stopping the rot

There are many big issues at the moment and two of the most important are the weakening of the RMA, and the Claim put to the Waitangi Tribunal today on Māori rights and ownership of water.

Both of these issues are interrelated and they are both connected to the exploitation of our natural resources for the illusory benefit of a few and the detriment of the many. 

The report released last week by the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) outlines substantive changes to the principles of the RMA and as Green spokesperson Eugenie Sage says

Scoop

The TAG recommendations are weighted towards facilitating development. This Government’s agenda is to weaken the RMA to advance its dig it, drill it, mine it, irrigate it agenda for resource exploitation. The proposal to drop the requirement for councils and decision makers to provide for the “preservation” of natural character and the “protection” of outstanding landscapes and significant indigenous vegetation and habitats as matters of national importance ignores Environment Court case law which had built up over the last 20 years. Changing these fundamental parts of the RMA will cause unnecessary litigation and tilt the playing field heavily towards development.

Yes this weakening of the RMA is a pretext for lowering standards to facilitate exploitation of our natural resources.

Fish & Game NZ chief executive Bryce Johnson has commented

Scoop

The technical advisory group (TAG) seems to have gone way beyond its terms of reference, and indeed it smacks of political opportunism to fit a perceived Government ‘economic growth’ agenda,” Mr Johnson says removing the clause 7(h) – which specifically references ‘protection of the habitat of trout and salmon’ – would lead to further water quality decline.

“This would remove what water resource developers see as a roadblock to environmentally unsustainable development, enabling further and faster decline of freshwater quality. Make no mistake – any attempt to lessen the protection of trout and salmon habitat in the RMA is full-frontal attack on the environment.”

Very strong words indeed, highlighting the real concerns and danger of these recommendations from TAG. They need to relax the laws so that they can really get the exploitation ripping along – the Greens and Fish and Game NZ are fighting hard to stop them and Māori are too – just not the Maori Party.

And this issue directly relates to the other big issue of the moment. As The Māori Council nicely states

Scoop

“Maori interests in national freshwater and geothermal resources will be crystal clear when Maori and specialist experts present their evidence to the Waitangi Tribunal hearing,” say New Zealand Maori Council co-chairs Sir Edward Taihakurei Durie and Maanu Paul.

 “The claim sets out what interests Maori had and continue to have in springs, rivers, lakes, aquifers, waterways and geothermal resources,” said Sir Edward.

“The Council became concerned when Government announced its intention to sell off some of its assets without full consideration of the impact on Maori interests in water resources,” added Mr Paul. “The NZMC has a statutory responsibility to advise Government on behalf of all Maori.”

The Mana Party support the claim

Scoop

"Government has consistently refused to deal with the Maori interest in water, instead running the line that "nobody" owns the water, while maintaining all rights of management and jurisdiction over it" said Harawira "but if that was the case, then what gives them the right to sell shares in power companies that use that water""

"Maoridom will be pleased to know that newly appointed Council co-chairman Sir Taihakurei Eddie Durie is spearheading the claim. Taihakurei Durie is one of this country's pre-eminent jurists, and has a greater understanding of the Treaty law than anyone else alive".

"I suspect that there will be many Pakeha supporting this claim as well" said Harawira "as more and more of them come to realise that The Treaty is the only chance of keeping our power companies in the people"s hands".

This line "nobody owns the water" that key is using is a smokescreen especially when in his next breath he says

NZH

"The Waitangi Tribunal's rulings are not binding on the Government, so we could choose to ignore what findings they might have - I'm not saying we would, but we could."

Get it? That is the key way - threats and spin. This will be a very interesting hearing and the report that comes out will show the truth, but the truth is irrelevant to key and his cronies. It is money they want and they will destroy us all to get it - well fuck them I say - we will stop them and we will do it with integrity and honesty - the two qualities our opposition lacks.

no equality if there is inequality

Morgan at Maui St has a good post about Hone Harawira and his personal attitude towards gay marriage. 

Maui St

as I said Hone Harawira is opposed to gay marriage, or marriage equality as it’s positively framed. This position has been opposed universally within the Mana Party. Leading members have asked Hone to justify his position, but he is yet to face the membership with a justification. This is unacceptable from the party leader and he will be rightly savaged for it. 

Hone says he is morally conservative and he is going to hear what Mana Party members think before he declares his position.

Tangatawhenua.com

Yesterday, he said he would not give his position until the Mana Party decided on its formal policy. When asked if he still had morally conservative views about it, he said: “I have views which are relatively conservative on a range of moral issues”. However, he indicated he would vote accordingly if the party decided in support of gay marriage.

Well I am a paid up member of Mana and my opinion is that all inequality is wrong and must be opposed. Hone has to listen to the voices that will articulate equal rights for same sex couples. There is no compromise on this and I don't think there will be from Mana.


Mana isn't Hone, it is bigger than that and that is why it is a movement of and for the people. I have no issue with any attitude of any office holder as long as it aligns with the parties polices. Hone is a man of mana and he will be learning a lot at the moment and hopefully he is learning the truth of the history about oppression of sexuality and gender. Our struggles are interrelated and there can be no equality if there is inequality. 

Hattip- Maui St, Tangatawhenua.com

noisy now

There is an agenda afoot to sell off this country and recently we have seen three developments that are connected to that agenda. The selling of state assets, the TPP and the opening up of exploitation of oil and gas seem to have a momentum that is relentless. They really want to push these through - why is that I wonder.

A great speech by Hone regarding the government selling of our assets. Now is the time to sign the petition and keep the pressure on. 

Scoop

But the really surprising thing to me, is how long it has taken us to wake up to the fact that selling off resources and assets and services built up by generations of New Zealanders will leave our children and our mokopuna with a future almost too bleak to contemplate.And yet such is the future that this bill and this government, offers us all.

Mr Speaker, MANA opposes this bill to sell off 49% of the shares in Mighty River, Meridian, Genesis and Solid Energy

The opposition is widespread but the fasttracking of the legislation shows the government can't afford to give way on this. If they did their TPP dirty deals mas suffer for instance, and they are dirty indeed. Gordon Campbell has an awesome post on the TPP, as he concludes


Scoop

Right. In sum, the public has very good reason to feel concerned about (a) the adequacy of the TPP investor state dispute panels (b) the secrecy in which the TPP discussions are being pursued and (c) the emptiness of the Trade Minister’s assurances that everything will be hunky dory. If there is nothing to fear, why the secrecy? Can Groser at least give an assurance that before a document that will bind present and future New Zealand governments is signed, it is submitted to Parliament for scrutiny – and if not, why not?

They will also find it stickier trying to sell off the exploitation rights to oil and gas. As the ODT says

Oil and gas exploration companies have until October to submit exploration work programme bids for one or more of the 23 areas, covering just over 40,000sq km of offshore seabed and more than 3300sq km of land in Waikato, Taranaki, Tasman, the West Coast and Southland. 

These developments are connected, as well as many more that struggle to see the light of day. We have seen the backdown with teacher/student ratios, but these issues are more hidden and have less direct impact on averagekiwi. Key knows this and he has to hold the line - unless we force him not to. Time to up the ante and disturb key's comfort zone and the best way to do that is noise - visual and auditory, consistant and focused. We can do it, we can stop them - we will stop them.

let them walk

I saw the headline, "The Treaty of Waitangi on the move" and I thought great, the treaty is being moved around this country and maybe discussions on the treaty and tangata whenua and how we sort out the foundational problem of this country, where the treaty has not been honoured, could be facilitated. I imagined events and community involvement when the treaty comes to town, as people use the opportunity to create connections. I thought about the debates we could have that would not be adversorial but cooperative, the insights we would gleen, the maturity as a nation we could attain. And then I read the article about moving the documents to another building to preserve them. It reminded me of when I went below Te Papa and saw the cloaks of our ancestors - the kahu kurī , kahu kiwi, and korowai. Can we really understand without wearing? The feel, the smell, the weight - these cannot be understood while the taonga is lying in a draw. Why not take them out to the people - let them experience the power. And in the same way take the treaty out of its museum and let it walk among the people.

paula bayonet

Paula Bennett the Minister of Social Welfare continues her attacks on the disadvantaged and vulnerable in our society. She wants Cabinet to consider “introducing court-ordered sanctions or legislative changes to stop some parents from having more children”. For ‘some parents’ just read ‘Māori’ because that is what she is alluding to. Does she really believe in sterilization of some parents or is it a line to generate outrage. Bennett is letting us all down by ignoring the reasons behind this abuse and murder. Those reason lead to the real solutions and Māori such as Rawiri Taonui articulate them well.

So the judges shall decide who has children and who is not allowed to – we have seen the judgements of some of these judges in recent times – pathetic.

Bennett knows that currently a child at risk is removed from their parents and she admits that, “in the past year, 148 children were removed from a parent within days of being born”. So she is really after the children not being born at all because those 148 children aren’t with their parent/s anymore, so it is not about protecting them, they have been removed.

I agree with Metiria Turei co-leader of the Greens, who says about Bennett that

RadioNZ

“She expressed great enthusiasm for the idea of forced sterilisation and did say that Cabinet had been considering just that option. Now, she has corrected herself - but I'm not so convinced that they haven't considered or won't consider it in the future.”

How bennett became a minister I just don’t get – oh that’s right she reflects our society and its beliefs. Bennett says that it is not about banning people from having children, but instead giving them the message that if they have another child it will be removed from them at birth. This is already done but bennett doesn’t want that to get in the way of the story. Don’t be mistaken it is fiscally based as well as ideologically driven.

Within our society we have people from all ethnicities and backgrounds who abuse and kill their children. The children have to be protected but sterilizing the parents is not the answer, that solution is disgusting. Māori figure highly in the statistics relating to abuse and murder of children. Rawiri Taonui wrote Mana Tamariki: Cultural Alienation. Māorichild homicide and abuse published in AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Scholarship, Vol. 6 Issue 3, p187-202, (2011), on this subject and he found that the eye witness evidence from the first Europeans corroborate evidence from Māori knowledge including waiata and whakatauki showing children were treated with respect and tolerance traditionally by parents in Māori society. Yes, some children were abused or killed as isolated incidents, as is true within the histories of all peoples, but the prevalence of this abuse today, for Māori, has its genesis in colonisation and deprivation.

No one is trying to minimise the issue or pretend it doesn’t exist but to seriously deal with the issue means to understand what the real reasons are for it and that leads to where some of the solutions may lie. Re-enculturalization is one area of solutions, as Rawiri Taonui says,

“Promoting the rebuilding of culture within the perpetrator not only includes the beliefs and values of the ancestors, but also the history of the people, including colonization. At an individual level, this knowledge has the ability to dissipate anger by raising consciousness. Positive enculturalization enhances a sense of belonging, rebuilds identity and promotes self-worth. This facilitates the healing of relationships within families.” (p199).

Obviously there is still major work to be done and although current Māori child murder rates are decreasing at twice the rate as that for non-Māori, to achieve any momentum needs the government to support tangata whenua initiatives and ideas. Instead of sterilizing people, they need to be actually trying to fix the issues. There are considered views from Māori that need to be heard. Rawiri Taonui sums it up well,

“We rarely recognise that colonization and its concomitant intergenerational impacts constitute violence: colonization is the application of anger upon vulnerable peoples. This violence has a reciprocal reaction within the societies upon which it is inflicted: cultural alienation, forced assimilation and cumulative marginalization create anger in indigenous societies. Where this anger is not understood, it becomes internalized within the colonized society and inverts upon itself. The indigenous oppressed attack each other. Angry men fight each other, sometimes in gangs, the red fights the blue. Anger seeks the weak and vulnerable in the form of mothers and children, violence expresses itself by seeking innocence. Re-enculturalization can emancipate individuals, families and tribal groups” (p 199).

Now that is an analysis, not bennetts numbnuts approach. Sadly this whole angle from Bennett may just be a “go too far and then pull back to the actual position” approach – or maybe she really does believe it – I’m not sure which of those two scenarios scare me the most, they are both filthy.

underreported struggles 60 and 61

During my time away i have missed putting up Ahni's Underreported Struggles from Intercontinental Cry so i'll use this post as a catch up. All of our struggles are interrelated and connected and we can learn from other indigenous peoples and their challenges and successes, as they can learn from us.


Underreported Struggles 60

Mexico's Supreme Court ruled that a Tarahumara (Raramuri) community in the state of Chihuahua has the Constitution right to participate in the decision-making of any project that would affect them. The little-noticed decision could have far-reaching effects across the country. The high court also stated that relevant national law is similar to the International Labor Organization’s Convention No. 169, which protects the rights of indigenous communities and tribal peoples. Mexico is among 22 nations that have ratified the international agreement.

Naga Youth in Burma have formed a new group to resist the construction of the Tamanthi Dam which is located at Homlin township in Naga area, Myanmar. Once completed, the Dam reservoir would flood 1400 sq kms, permanently displacing 53 Naga villages, 15 villages inhabited by both Naga and Kuki people and 14 Kuki villages. At least 2400 people have been already relocated at gun point.

The Australian government passed new legislation to let nuclear waste be stored at a remote indigenous community in the Northern Territory, a decision that indigenous groups and environmentalists have vowed to fight. Muckaty Station was nominated by the Northern Land Council in 2007; But since then several traditional owners have argued they were not properly consulted and did not give their consent.

Underreported Struggles 61

The Chilean Supreme Court ratified a lower court ruling that rendered Goldcorp's environmental assessment for the El Morro mine null, due to a number of irregularities including the company's failure to properly consult the Diaguita Huascoaltinos Indigenous and Agricultural Community, whose lands would be destroyed if the mine is built. Goldcorp has since stated that they will not stop working until they receive an order declaring the Resolution of Environmental Quality, a kind of environmental permit, to be without effect.

The Hitorangi clan of the indigenous Rapa Nui people carried out a peaceful protest in response to an esoteric conference that was being held at Hanga Roa Hotel, a building that sits on the Hitorangi clan's ancestral land. Two years ago, the Rapa Nui occupied the hotel--along with 17 government buildings--in an effort to reclaim their ancestral land rights on the island of Rapanui (also known as "Easter Island" and "Te Pito te Henua", the Navel of the World).

In a major turn-around for the opponents of the Chinese-owned Ramu Nickel Mine in Papua New Guinea, the Minister of Environment and Conservation ordered the company, MCC, to halt work while he undertakes further studies on the environmental impacts of the mining project's tailings pipeline. The Ramu nickel cobalt mine has been widely opposed because of the environmental risks associated with it.

And so many more underreported struggles, all over this world, in every corner. Visit Intercontinental Cry there are so many great articles and stories there.

lighting a fuse

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

back soon

I'll be back blogging soon, until then here is a poem I submitted to my course.

Still life without you

The cupboard closes quietly as

it settles into place, a sigh of capture

intended. As reassuring as

a seatbelt sliding around me.

The old war-cupboard would still

be resounding, an echo of slams

descending from distant headlands,

the guns, my fingerprints everywhere.

The cupboard sits as silent as an

absence, a gap that exclaims,

remember I am still paused,

waiting in anticipation for more.

vto and me

So it starts when I put a comment on The Standard about Hone's open letter to overseas investors. vto places a reply

vto Btw, I recall last week some coughing and spluttering from yourself when I referred to the military machinations of Ngai Tahu. In the last week I have had cause to visit various tourist sites around the South Island, several of which had informations available regarding Maori history at the particular sites. I was quite appalled at the lack of reference to those who existed prior to Ngai Tahu’s invasions and the dominance of recent history (last 200 years i.e. Ngai Tahu) over longer history. I guess that some things never change – the victor writes the history books.

and on we go, please note many of these quotes are taken from long comments
6.1.1

me. oh vto rest easy the histories are there for those who are able to see them. Look up mana whenua and whānui, they might give you some clue – but seriously stick to the stuff you nearly know rather than things you know nothing about – makes you less stressed and less antagonistic.

vto Fact: Histories at tourist sites around the South Island are excessively slanted in favour of Ngai Tahu, the victors.

me you keep raising the same point in a snide way, such as – “when I referred to the military machinations of Ngai Tahu” and “I was quite appalled at the lack of reference to those who existed prior to Ngai Tahu’s invasions and the(ir) dominance of recent history.” Those statements are ignorant – sorry if that offends you. Just who are you talking about vto? Ngāti Mamoe? Waitaha? Guess what, most Ngāi Tahu whānui, like me, whakapapa to all three iwi – that’s what it means to be part of the iwi – it’s on the front page of their website, not hard to find. Perhaps you are talking about other peoples who inhabited the island – please tell me who you are talking about. Hopefully you don’t bring up some brailsford bullshit.

vto marty mars, this issue began when you raised yourself to some higher moral ground to look down on the european colonists and their military ways, forgetting your own past and its own military ways. The basis of the issue was hypocrisy and it was that which I was pointing out.

vto “… and through inter-marriage and conquest these migrants merged with the resident Waitaha and took over authority of Te Waipounamu.” Ngai Tahu website. LOL, this is exactly what I was referring to. A painting of history at odds with the reality. For example, why write “…through inter-marriage and conquest … took over authority” which implies inter-marriage was somehow equal at the time to conquest? I tell you why – because it makes for a better looking history when compared to writing “though military conquest the Waitaha were conquered and authority assumed by mamoe at the end of a taiaha. … ” As for inter-marriage, how long after the “conquest” was that? Or was it a result of the rape by soldiers?

vto face it marty mars, the history as written is not settled. Why else would it get raised in conversation when in certain parts of the South Island?And as for your moral high ground when referencing european military escapades as compared your own, sheesh, your own website blows that one out of the water. Wake up fulla.

me “at odds with the reality” – your distorted reality vto, “which implies” – only in your head vto, “better looking history” – so you say vto, the knowledge is there vto of what happened in detail the fact is you aren’t ready for it and couldn’t handle it – it not yours and not for you. your bigotry shows through loud and clear with your final ‘fulla’ – you show yourself.

vto to Hateatea I am questioning marty’s point some couple weeks ago that saw him clamber onto high moral ground and look down on the ways and means of the European as if they are / were somehow worse and more morally lacking than those of Maori at times of conquest or colonisation. His own history is the same, as you perfectly point out above. He chooses to ignore this and claim a superiority. That is what grates. An incorrect view of history and a hypocrisy. The line ‘the victor writes the history books’, so true through all of humanity, is entirely applicable.

vto to Hateatea That questioning by me of marty’s view then resurfaced through the example of Maori histories at tourist sites I happenned to come across some days ago, which also painted a view of their history seemingly at odds with other views. To further support this I copied just one part of Ngai Tahu’s website to indicate how the wording has been constructed to paint a more favourable picture than could otherwise have been written. He has not answered any of this except to say I am thick and no nothing. That is all he has said. Read it yourself, it is all there above and around.

me “He chooses to ignore this and claim a superiority.”, no I don’t – please provide reference. “An incorrect view of history and a hypocrisy” In your opinion or do you have backup for your ‘incorrect history’ story. “seemingly at odds with other views” Which other views – come on provide your sources, “to paint a more favourable picture” Once again in your view – favourable is subjective – my point to you is that you don’t know enough to understand the concept or content in relation to these matters, you are still looking through your blurred lense created by your own stuff.

me You started this deliberate attack on me because you know I am part of the iwi. You added comments to my unrelated comments to bring up the point that you strongly wished to say. Yet you still waffle on scared to tell your truth. Here you go – get it out – tell me the real story.

“I don’t like Ngai Tahu”
“I don’t like maori getting special treatment”
“I don’t like maori not fitting in to our country” and so on…

Frankly, if it is actually about indigenous historial narratives and their use in creating perceptions and positioning for marginalised groups, I’ll eat my hat.

So that is a flame war of sorts. Also a bit of fun. I do confess to being sensitive around these matters and when provoked a bit of tiger comes out, but I think vto is totally out of line with his terrible accusations. I cannot stand by and let lies gain traction.

contributions to an anthology needed

I encourage contributions to this anthology and i support the kaupapa. 

 

 

Working Title: Challenging Convictions: Survivors of Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Writing on Solidarity with Prison Abolition.

Completed submissions due: April 15, 2012.

Like much prison abolition work, the call for this anthology comes from frustration and hope: frustration with organizers against sexual assault and domestic violence who treat the police as a universally available and as a good solution; frustration with prison abolitionists who only use “domestic violence” and “rape” as provocative examples; and, frustration with academic discussions that use only distanced third-person case studies and statistics to talk about sexual violence and the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC). But, this project also shares the hope and worth of working toward building communities without prisons and without sexual violence. Most importantly, it is anchored in the belief that resisting prisons, domestic violence, and sexual assault are inseparable.

Organizers of this anthology want to hear from survivors in conversation with prison abolition struggles. We are interested in receiving submissions from survivors who are/have been imprisoned, and survivors who have not.  Both those survivors who have sought police intervention, as well as those who haven't, are encouraged to submit. We are looking for personal essays and creative non-fiction from fellow survivors who are interested in discussing their unique needs in anti-violence work and prison abolitionism.

Discussions of sexual assault, domestic violence, police violence, prejudice within courts, and imprisonment cannot be separated from experiences of privilege and marginalization. Overwhelmingly people who are perceived to be white, straight, able-bodied, normatively masculine, settlers who are legal residents/citizens, and/or financially stable are not only less likely to experience violence but also less likely to encounter the criminal injustice system than those who are not accorded the privileges associated with these positions. At the same time, sexual assault and domestic violence support centers and shelters are often designed with certain privileges assumed. We are especially interested in contributions that explore how experiences of race, ability, gender, citizenship, sexuality, or class inform your understandings of, or interactions with cops, prisons, and sexual assault/domestic violence support.

Potential topics:

·      What does justice look like to you?

·      Perspectives on police and prisons as a default response to sexual assault

·      What do you want people in the prison abolition movement with no first hand experiences of survivorship to know?

·      How did you overcome depression/feelings of futility when dealing with these systems?

·      Critical reflections on why the legal system has or has not felt like an option for you

·      Perspectives on the cops/PIC participating in rape culture

·      Restorative justice and other methods for responding to sexual violence outside of the PIC? (if you are a settler be conscious of appropriations of indigenous methods)

·      How have you felt about conversations you’ve had about the PIC?

·      How sexual assault inside and outside of the PIC is treated by organizers against sexual assault, domestic violence, and the PIC

·      Police and prison guards as triggers

·      Responding to sexual assault and domestic violence when communities weren’t there for you

·      What the legal system offers survivors and what it doesn’t

·      Rants at manarchists, the writers/directors of televised cop dramas, and communities that let you down

·      Survivor shaming for reporting and for not reporting to police

Please submit first-person accounts, critical reflections, essays, and creative non-fiction to survivorsinsoli@gmail.com by April 15, 2012 with “Submission” as the subject line.

Please:

·      One submission per person;

·      English language (American spelling);

·      Pseudonyms welcomed, as are name changes in the written piece.

If you have access to a computer:

     ·      12 point Times New Roman font; 

·      Submit as an attached document (.doc files preferred).

Passing this on to someone without computer access:

·      We accept scans of hand written letters (please include contact info for the author);

·      Contact us if you require a mailing address.

Early submissions are encouraged. First time authors encouraged.

If you have questions, we welcome emails to survivorsinsoli@gmail.com with “Question” in the subject line. We are looking for both shorter pieces of writing and longer pieces, but if your piece is more than 20 pages consider sending us an email to run the idea by us.

Please attach a short biography that you are comfortable sharing with the editors (200 word max.). This is not about your credentials, but getting to know you and where you are coming from. All information you provide will be kept confidential.

About selection and editing: Submissions will be reviewed by a group of readers who will consider if and how each written piece could contribute to the finished project. Each piece will be read by at least two readers who will contribute to the decision to accept/reject/edit the piece. Some of us working on this project have been made to feel alone as both survivors and abolitionists. Some of us have managed to carve spaces within these communities. Now we are looking to open the conversation and hear from people we’ve never met, who have struggled to practice politics in a rape culture and police state. We believe that the needs of survivors matter in these movements, and we don’t need someone else to speak for us or about us as case studies and numbers. We want to hear from you.

For more information please visit: http://survivorsinsoli.blogspot.com/

Please distribute widely.

fair warning

Hone and The Mana Party open letter to overseas investors

Scoop

Tena koutou katoa

Greetings to you all

The New Zealand government is proposing to sell shares in five State Owned Enterprises (Air New Zealand and four energy companies, Mighty River Power, Meridian Energy, Genesis and Solid Energy) to repay overseas debt.

That proposal is opposed by an overwhelming majority of New Zealanders who believe that:

• Assets built up through the hard work of generations of New Zealanders should not be sold to investors whose primary objective is not the public good, but private profit;
• Privatisation will remove any ‘social responsibility’ from companies who until now have been responsible to government ministers;
• Electricity assets in particular, should be held by the government on behalf of all New Zealanders, for the benefit of all New Zealanders, at a price we can afford;
• The government should hold and manage those assets for the benefit of all citizens of this country.

As the indigenous people of Aotearoa, Maori have been even stronger in their opposition. The Maori view is that no asset sales should proceed until Maori interests in those assets have been properly addressed.

Maori have already made application to the Waitangi Tribunal to block the legislation. A separate case is before the High Court. Steps are being taken to take the case to the United Nations (under the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples) and Maori groups have pledged to take action against sales to overseas interests which impact on our sovereignty.

In a related case, following months of public protest, the High Court has called on the NZ government to reconsider a decision to approve the sale of farm land to overseas interests.
So today I think it only proper to send a warning to overseas investors - steer clear of any share offer in the above SOE’s. The purchase of these shares is likely to see you caught up in legal battles and direct action from citizens determined to protect their own interests, both of which will be lengthy and costly and have an adverse impact on the value of your investment.

As the leader of the MANA Movement and Member of the New Zealand House of Representatives, I wish to advise that MANA is opposed to the privatisation of state assets and will strongly argue for any shares sold to overseas investors to be returned to New Zealand hands.

You have been warned...

Very hard hitting but it is fair to give a warning to those overseas investors who may be considering buying into these assets. Those investors may believe the spin from the government that all is cool and everyone happy with this selloff of our assets. Good work Hone in putting this out there so that there is no misunderstanding about what will happen in the future.