Thursday 23

November 2006

Alliance says New Zealand forces should not prop up undemocratic Tongan regime

The Alliance Party has joined the growing numbers demanding the Government withdraw New Zealand troops and police from Tonga.

Alliance Party Foreign Affairs spokesman Paul Piesse says it is nonsense for the Prime Minister to say she supports democracy in Tonga, while at the same time sending in "enforcers" to keep anti- democratic forces in power.

"The Alliance rejects the New Zealand Government's claim that our forces are only in Tonga to 'maintain law and order' when the real question is: Whose law and whose order?"

"Clearly the answer is the law and order of the undemocratic feudal regime is being protected. New Zealand forces are backing that regime's army and police."

Mr Piesse says New Zealand is in danger of being bully-boys interfering in the internal democratic struggles in the South Pacific.

He says the situation looks like a modern day version of the arrogant imperial gunboat diplomacy of the last century.

ENDS

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