Media Release: Urewera trial start, crown propaganda begins

Date:Monday 13 Feb 2012

From: October 15th Solidarity

"After more than four years, the start of the Urewera raids trial “ the trial of our four friends Taame, Urs, Emily and Rangi “ will begin on Monday morning in the Auckland High Court., This is a political persecution of Tuhoe, and of people who support tino rangatiratanga. We call for the trial to be abandoned and the charges to be dropped,” said Ana Cocker, October 15th Solidarity spokesperson.

“Most people will remember the raids on the 15th of October 2007 when the police cried “terrorism”. The reality was that the police rolled into Ruatoki and terrorised the community, holding women and children captive in their own homes while searches were carried out through the entire community.”

“We can expect that the crown will try to paint the four people as terrible violent individuals. The reality is very different. These four people are political activists working for freedom, justice, and self-determination: things we should all believe in and be proud of. These four people are involved in positive and progressive social change in their communities.”

“The crown has said that the trial will last 3 months suggesting that they will be waging a war of attrition wearing out the jury to try to secure convictions.”

“These political prosecutions are happening all over the world as part of the so-called “war on terror”. People who are struggling against war, greed and exploitation are being criminalised and terrorised and then labeled terrorists.”

“We hope people in this country will see through the crown propaganda of the next few weeks and see this case for what it is: the state stifling political dissent and repressing the aspirations of Maori for control over their lives, the lands and their resources.”

ENDS

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