MEDIA RELEASE
1 October 2009

Maori Party expresses sorrow for Pacific and Indonesian neighbours

Maori Party co-leader, Tariana Turia, has today shared her profound grief at the loss of well over 100 lives in Western Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga in the wake of yesterday's massive tsunami and the rapidly rising death toll tipping over 200 for Sumatra Island in Western Indonesia, with thousands still trapped under the rubble in the aftershocks of a violent earthquake.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to the peoples of the Pacific and of Indonesia, as they start to confront the horrific aftermath of the devastation that has shattered their lands".

"We understand that the impacts of these events on the children and elderly are particularly severe" said Mrs Turia. "And we think, inevitably, of the heartache for family members living in Aotearoa, who are desperately trying to contact their loved ones".

"The helplessness for families as they fail to make contact must be truly harrowing" said Mrs Turia.

"We call on all New Zealanders to reach deep, and express our love and compassion for families effected by these disasters in their homelands - to donate, to be a listening ear, to care".

"The challenge for communities as they seek to restore and rebuild will be enormous, and we can play a significant role to support our neighbours in the months ahead" said Mrs Turia.

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