Whakamanatia Te Manamotuhake o Tuhoe

Tuhoe moumou kai Tuhoe moumou taonga Tuhoe moumou tangata i te po kia ora koutou katoa mau te arohanui mo te mihi ki nga tangata mo te ao katoa.

Much alofa to Mua Strickson-Pua and his students for their Pacifika alofa, tautoko for the defendants, their whanau and all those affected by the terrorism inflicted by the NZ Settler State last year.

http://www.october15thsolidarity.info/

https://www.aotearoa.maori.nz/v2/index.php

http://uriohau.blogspot.com/

http://indymedia.org.nz/index.php

Dispatches from Day 5 - Operation 8 Depositions Hearing

Outside of court the week ended with a bang. One of the kids turned six and so over lunch there was a birthday party outside courtroom 8. We had a cake, candles and party hats. The registrar (he who pronounces Tame to rhyme with 'same') muttered that there was no dignity in this court room. I'd say there was a lot of dignity in that court room - but not the sort the registrar would recognise.

As Friday was the last day of the week, and all the evidence is still suppressed, I thought I'd take some time to point out how much work goes into making it possible for all 18 defendants their whanau and supporters to come to court.

Te Tira Hou Marae has been an amazing base for the defendants. 13 of the defendants live outside of Auckland, and having accomodation, and a place to have hui has been vital. Defendants from outside Auckand have been able to come for a meal, and catch up on all the associating they've been forbidden from doing over the last ten months.

Feeding all the people who come to the marae has been done by an amazing team of cooks (and the curry for tomorrow night is already looking fantastic). Food is plentiful, thanks to all sorts of donations and fundraising efforts.

The lawyers have been doing a fantastic job. I know I wasn't the only person who was worried about how well they'd work together, but they've been really strong in court. They understand that this case is about more than just the law. One lawyer has a poster for the international day of action on his desk. Another brought a present to the birthday party.

Finally, one of the most important jobs has been looking after the children. There have been up to a dozen children at court and the marae. Looking after them at court is stressful. Volunteers have taken the older kids on expeditions around Auckland, making it that much easier on their parents. At the time of the raids the partner's of two of the defendants were pregnant. These women have now given birth to baby freedom fighters in the months since. The work of those women, and their whanau looking after babies in such a stressful time, needs special recognition.

A special thanks to everyone who has donated money or attended (and particularly organised) a fundraising event. The koha from all over the world has made this difficult time much less stressful. The court case isn't just about convictions, but about punishing the defendants, with endless appearances and oppressive bail conditions. By taking some collective responsibility for the costs of this, we are fighting back against the police (and if all of this has persuaded you to contribute you can here).

Liberated box report: The kids had been putting in some good work on Friday; the sign that was left said "Tuhoe Liberators not Terrorists".

Wellington Public Meeting: Dawn raids, 9 months on...

7pm, Thursday 31st July.
Newtown Hall on Daniell St

Speakers: Moana Jackson (Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Porou), Jane Kelsey (Arena trustee, Professor Law at Auckland University), Kiritapu Allan (Conscious Collaborations) & others.

Dear friends,
Nau mai, haere mai

October 15th Solidarity Public Meeting:
Dawn raids - 9 months on... A wider look at the raids of October 15th 2007

7pm, Thursday 31st July.
Newtown Hall on Daniell St (opposite the Mediterranean Food Warehouse). Note this is not the main Newtown Community Centre.
Followed by talk over tea, coffee and biscuits.

Speakers: Moana Jackson (Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Porou), Jane Kelsey (Arena trustee, Professor Law at Auckland University), Kiritapu Allan (Conscious Collaborations) & others.

The speakers will cover a range of topics including Tino Rangatiratanga,perspectives on where things are at nine months on, the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA), the broader context of the raids, and personal experiences.

For more information, please email info (at) october15thsolidarity.info

All welcome.

We hope to see you there,
Kind regards

Francie Mountier & Mark Rawnsley
October 15th Solidarity
www.october15thsolidarity.info

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SOUL FIRE - a night of dancing in solidarity with those affected by the police "terror raids"

Join Yardwise and friends on Friday 1 August at Vintage Bar (25 Taranaki St) for an evening of true-skool hip hop, soul, reggae, ragga, dancehall, dubstep and extra special surprises! All proceeds from the show will go to support those arrested in the police "terror raids" last October, and their whanau.

SOUL FIRE

an evening of soul, hip hop, reggae, ragga, dancehall, dubstep and more

featuring
Yardwise crew: Misteek, Spin Zero and Sistah Jhan
Jailhouse Jen
DJ Cannonbomb
and very special guests

Friday 1stAugust, 9pm-late
at Vintage Bar, 25 Taranaki St (Through the archway next to Swan Barbers)

$5 entry

Join Yardwise and friends at Vintage Bar (25 Taranaki St) for an evening of true-skool hip hop, soul, reggae, ragga, dancehall, dubstep and extra special surprises!

Jailhouse Jen will get the party started with her secret stash of illict beats, then in keeping with the Yardwise tradition of heavyweight selections, Misteek, and Spin Zero will lay down the freshies, the classics and their own exclusive dubplates. Finally DJ Cannonbomb will move it up a notch dubstep style, for the folks who want to cut loose on the dancefloor through to the wee hours...
Joined by crucial vocalist Sistah Jhan and some extra special guests, this show promises to blaze hotter than ever.

Only $5 on the door - Don't miss it!

All proceeds from the show will go to support those arrested in the police "terror raids" last October, and their whanau. Saturday 30 August will be a global day of action in solidarity with those affected by the raids. For more info see: www.october15thsolidarity.info

For more about the Yardwise crew see: www.myspace.com/yardwise

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License

This work is in the public domain.

Labour party humiliated by protest at election congress

The Labour Party and its cabal of ministers including Cullen, Maharey, King, Laban, Goff and Horomia were humiliated at a protest today outside of their election year congress by people holding them responsible for a range of issues. Helen Clark’s speech was interrupted and ministers were forced outside when a fire alarm went off at approximately 2:20pm. Cullen sought refugee behind his mummy as he walked outside, but that didn’t stop him being confronted by people who had been arrested on October 15th.

Members of the Labour Party assaulted people in an attempt to protect their ‘co-leader’ from being targeted. The October 15th Solidarity crew along with whanau from Te Urewera organised a march that went through town in advance of their arrival at the Labour Party Conference. Around 100 protestors gathered at 12noon at Te Aro Park and marched to the Town Hall. For approximately an hour, there was noisy demonstration with a sit-in blockade at one entrance.

1 | 2 | Protest Report | Raids on 15th October 2007 | Links | Aoteaoa Indymedia Features

Protest Report

The Labour Party and its cabal of ministers including Cullen, Maharey, King, Laban, Goff and Horomia were humiliated at a protest today outside of their election year congress by people holding them responsible for a range of issues. Helen Clark’s speech was interrupted and ministers were forced outside when a fire alarm went off at approximately 2:20pm. Cullen sought refugee behind his mummy as he walked outside, but that didn’t stop him being confronted by people who had been arrested on October 15th. Members of the Labour Party assaulted people in an attempt to protect their ‘co-leader’ from being targeted. The October 15th Solidarity crew along with whanau from Te Urewera organised a march that went through town in advance of their arrival at the Labour Party Conference. Around 100 protestors gathered at 12noon at Te Aro Park and marched through Cuba Mall, Manners and Willis Street. “Ka whawhai tonu matou, ake ake ake!”, “One solution – Revolution!”, “1, 2, 3, 4 – Labour Party out the door” and “When Tuhoe/128/Workers’ Rights are under attack – stand up, fight back” were chanted on the march. Upon arrival, the march was met with a large police presence and a metal barricade. For approximately an hour, there was noisy demonstration with a sit-in blockade at one entrance.

Ministers and members of the Labour Party were forced to walk along the barricaded area while being heckled and shamed for their actions as they walked into the Town Hall. Helen Clark’s speech was supposed to start at 2pm. However, shortly afterwards, we heard news that the fire alarm went off and the Labour Party delegates started streaming out of the building (with Clark nowhere to be seen). Again, they were yelled at by the protest outside.

The Labour party, and Helen Clark in particular, bear primary responsibility for the nation-wide police raids of October 15th 2007, the invasion and lock-down of the township of Ruatoki and the passage of a raft of so-called ‘terrorism laws’. These laws, almost all of which have been directly imported from George W Bush’s ‘war on terrorism’ in the US, demonstrate Labour’s complicity in the oppression of people both in Aotearoa and around the world.

Operation 8 was motivated by the Labour government’s fear about tino rangatiratanga, about Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe and about real sovereignty for the indigenous people of Aotearoa. The government is scared of losing power, and of losing access to resources such as freshwater, minerals and oil and gas. It used its violent, coercive wing, the Armed Offenders Squad, to reinforce its power in Te Urewera on 15 October last year. The Labour government wills stop at nothing to retain power this year, including more acts of state violence and brutality against Maori people.

The people of Aotearoa are under attack, its time we stand up and fight back.

Police raids on 15th October 2007

On Monday, October 15th 2007, more than 300 police carried out dawn raids on dozens of houses all over Aotearoa / New Zealand. Police claim the raids were in response to 'concrete terrorist threats' from indigenous activists. The reality, however, included heavily armed police terrorising an entire township. To date, no evidence of the so-called terrorist plot has been revealed.

Police arrested 17 indigenous, anarchist, environmental and anti-war activists, including people from Tūhoe, Te Atiawa, Maniapoto and Pakeha. Police wanted to charge 12 people under the Terrorism Suppression Act (TSA), however the Solicitor-General denied the police permission to proceed. After four weeks in jail everyone was released on bail. On Tuesday, February 19th 2007, police raided further properties, arresting 3 more men. All were released on bail with strict conditions that same day.

19 people are facing charges under the Arms Act, in a trial that could take several years. Although out of jail, they have very strict bail conditions that deny them freedom of movement and association. On this site you can find out how to get involved in local support groups, dates and locations of solidarity events are happening and how to make a donation.

Links: October 15th Solidarity | Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe | AoCafe | Civil Rights Defence | Te Kotahi a Tuhoe | Tūhoe: History of resistance | Tu Kotahi - Freedom Fighting Anthems

Aotearoa IMC Features: Police raid houses across Aotearoa under anti-terrorism legislation, at least a dozen arrests (15 Oct. 07) | 17 activists arrested, denied bail. 300+ Police raid houses across the country (15 Oct. 07) | Solidarity with the Urewera 17! Free them now! (17 Oct. 07) | Stop the Terror Laws! Free our Friends! (19 Oct. 07) | "Raise your voice before you lose your soul" - protests across Aotearoa (20 Oct. 07) | Urewera 17 Update: Bail Denied, Another Police Raid, Another Activist Named, Wellington Activists Moved (26 Oct. 07) | Across the world, people demand freedom for political prisoners! (27 Oct. 07) | Urewera 16 in court - 2 more bailed (2 Nov. 07) | 150 People Protest Labour Conference in Tamaki Makaurau (3 Nov. 07) | Two more prisoners lose name supression (7 Nov. 07) | No terrorism charges for the Urewera 16! (8 Nov. 07) | Tuhoe Hikoi Arrives at Parliament (14 Nov. 07) | The struggle continues… (19 Nov. 07) | Thousands gather in solidarity with October 15th arrestees and against the Terrorism Supression Act (1 Dec. 07) | Tame Iti back in jail for one night (11 Dec. 07) | UN to investigate New Zealand Government over conduct of the Oct 15 raids (26 Jan. 08) | Waitangi Day protests across Aotearoa (6 Feb. 08) | More Raids, 3 More Arrests in Tuhoe (19 Feb. 08) | La Lucha Sigue… Protests against raids and arrests (23 Feb. 08) | 'Operation 8' defendants back in court on March 5th (3 Mar. 2008) | Labour Party conference to be held responsible for Operation 8

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Tour of Oppression: Waitangi Day procession

View of Alexandra Barracks, Mount Cook, Wellington

Press Release: Media Statement

Tour of Oppression: Waitangi Day procession in Wellington From: October 15th Solidarity - Poneke

Members of the October 15th solidarity crew invite you to join on a Waitangi Day procession from Waitangi Park to the Mount Cook Prison Barracks to commemorate victims of Crown violence and acknowledge the continued colonisation of Aotearoa New Zealand. We will also be drawing attention to the continued prosecution of the ‘Urewera 16’ who still face a political trial on charges under the Arms Act. We will be leaving the south west corner of Waitangi Park at 4pm on 6 February. We invite you to bring tino rangatiratanga flags or other appropriate banners and placards.

The area now known as Mount Cook is defined by the hill, Pukeahu, where there was a pa prior to the arrival of the New Zealand Company. Settlers renamed it after Captain James Cook. Mount Cook was the main Armed Constabulary depot from 1869. Between 1882 and 1900 there was a maximum security prison, which became a military barracks circa 1902. As a site for both the Armed Constabulary and the prison, the Mt Cook barracks on Buckle Street was a centre of colonial oppression and occupation.

The October 15th Solidarity crew is a grassroots community group that formed in response to the nation-wide raids. The group has been working on five common points:

-Free the prisoners -Drop the charges -Support Tino Rangatiratanga and Te Mana Motuhake o Tuhoe -Repeal the Terrorism Suppression Act -Justice for all those raided on October 15th

For more information, check out www.october15thsolidarity.info and www.indymedia.org.nz

ENDS

"Interior of the Alexandra Barracks, Mount Cook, Wellington"
1930