BY JANET ROTH AND FELICITY COGGAN
OHIWA HARBOUR, New Zealand -"The Crown [British colonial
authorities] stole our land and it's time to give it back. We
do not want money - we want the land," said Sharon Campbell,
spokesperson for 30 Maori protesters occupying land here on
the North Island's east coast.
The group, named Te Tatau Pounamu o Mataatua, set up camp on January 13 to commemorate the Jan. 17, 1866, eviction of Maori from the area under the New Zealand Settlements Act.
A leaflet produced by the group explains, "The history of this struggle is well known. We are concerned that it not be forgotten in the current climate of Crown-imposed Treaty settlements that would have Maori accept money for mana [prestige] and money as a substitute for whenua [land]. We as descendants of those who fought and died for our land will not buy into this illusion of restoration of rights and obligations, particularly as we watch our lands being privatized and sold to the highest bidder."
The government has negotiated agreements with tribes in some other regions, involving monetary compensation and the return of some land and other resources, which aim at ending all further claims. A settlement of a land confiscation claim by Whakatohea, one of the local tribes, is currently being prepared. If it is signed, Campbell told the Militant, "it would extinguish all future rights to lands and fisheries."
The site of the occupation is part of this land claim. Campbell explained that prior to 1866, the area around the harbor was one of the most densely populated in New Zealand. The produce of the harbor was shared by several tribes. Whakatohea had 17 trading boats and 1,000 acres in produce, she said. "We had a very good economic base. They came and destroyed all the boats and took the economic base away."
The occupation drew national media coverage and sharp criticism from the government, which stated it will not negotiate with the protest leaders.
The deputy leader of the right-wing ACT party and its environmental spokesperson, Kenneth Shirley, immediately visited the site. In a report to the acting prime minister, he condemned the protest as "unauthorized and illegal" and urged the government to "uphold the law."
"Any sign of deterioration involving violence, obstruction or threats to property owners must result in swift action," he said.
The occupation also drew criticism from the member of parliament for the region's Maori seat, Tuariki Delamere, who negotiated an earlier $NZ40 million (NZ$1 = US$0.53) settlement for Whakatohea that was signed, then rejected by the tribe before final ratification.
The news media has also prominently reported on opposition from elders of some of the four tribes represented in the protest. Several other elders were present at the protest site when these reporters visited.
A steady flow of visitors was welcomed onto the occupation site during our visit. Campbell said an important part of their protest was raising public awareness of their history and their concerns, "including among our own people." A number of visitors have been environmental activists, she said, concerned about the pollution of the harbor that the protest is also highlighting.
The protesters have issued "eviction notices" to local landowners, notifying them they are living on stolen land and that they have 12 months to vacate the land. The notice then invites these residents to visit the occupation site and talk with the protesters.
Campbell told the Militant that a local church minister, Jim Greenaway, has been acting as an informal mediator between the protesters and the residents. He has been telling residents who ask him what to do about the eviction notices to "bake some scones and go down to the campsite."
Felicity Coggan is a member of the Engineers Union and Janet Roth is a member of the Service and Food Workers Union, in Auckland.