[nativestudies-l] Maori Party calls for resignation, apology, compensation

[jkauanui at wesleyan.edu]

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http://www.stuff.co.nz/4266443a25364.html

Police Commissioner Howard Broad should resign after police incited fears
Maori terrorists were ready to act, the Maori Party said today.

It also wants police to compensate the people of Ruatoki and Tuhoe for the
damage done to homes, property and their feelings as a result of the
police raids.

And it says the Tuhoe people are owed an apology from police.
People arrested during police raids over alleged training camps in Bay of
Plenty will not face charges under the Terrorism Suppression Act after
Solicitor General David Collins said he was 'unable to authorise' the
prosecutions under the Act.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples said use of the Terrorism Suppression
Act was 'too severe' and that had been vindicated by Dr Collins.
He said the Maori Party expected police to make 'full compensation for the
structural damage to the people of Ruatoki and around Tuhoe'.
'We're talking about the damage to their houses and property, we're
talking about the damage to their ... feelings.'

Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia said New Zealanders had been terrified
at the thought there could be terrorists in their midst, and police should
not have tried to use terrorism laws.
Charges could have been laid under the Crimes Amendment Act, she said.
'This has placed the police in an invidious position and our party will be
calling for the resignation of Howard Broad,' she said.
'The mere fact that he chose the anti-terrorism Act means that as far as
I'm concerned, he should resign. He knew that that was a high threshold,
he knew it would terrify other New Zealanders to think that we have
terrorism in our midst.'
Police had 'scared the nation' with the thought there were terrorists here.
Mrs Turia said New Zealand's reputation had also been damaged and there
were people overseas thinking 'what is being experienced in America, in
Iraq, in Baghdad and possibly in Iran can happen here in New Zealand'.
Mr Broad and Police Association president Greg O'Connor, who had commented
on the matter, should go to the Tuhoe people and apologise, she said.
The party had not been opposed to police acting on those involved in
illegal activity.
'But what we are opposed to is the way in which the police turned this
into an act of terrorism, terrified the whole community, terrified the
country when they didn't need to, ' she said.
Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell said the Ruatoki community had been
traumatised by the raids, and had been stuck with the terrorist label.
Police had made a bad 'error of judgement', he said.
Dr Sharples said this had to be the last time police went in 'storm
trooper-style' into people's homes and villages.
A spokesman said Prime Minister Helen Clark had noted Dr Collins' decision.
The solicitor general had made the point, however, that 16 people were
facing serious charges under the Arms Act.
She also noted Dr Collins was satisfied police had sufficient and proper
basis for investigating under the Terrorism Suppression Act and referring
the evidence to his office.
Attorney General Michael Cullen said he would act on the solicitor
general's recommendation to refer the Terrorism Suppression Act to the Law
Commission for consideration.
He noted, that contrary to what some had been saying in recent weeks, the
solicitor general stated the Act had a 'high threshold for the laying of
terrorism-related charges'.
Green MP Keith Locke said Dr Collins had had a clear test to meet:
'Evidently, the hurdle proved too high for the police to meet.'
The decision was the first step back towards a more sensible assessment of
the terrorism risks facing the country.
'The solicitor-general is to be congratulated for ensuring that criminal
charges are pursued and prosecuted in the criminal courts while political
action is treated as a threat to national security in only the most
extreme situations - which this case evidently was not,' Mr Locke said.