22 October 2007: Urgent - International appeal for assistance

New Zealand activists arrested as terrorist suspects

It’s a grim time for democracy and civil rights in New Zealand. We need international help.

In a wave of massive state repression, 300+ para-military Police, in many cases armed, raided houses around the country on Monday October 15th 2007, making 17 arrests. Search warrants were carried out in Auckland, Whakatane, Ruatoki, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch. The warrants mentioned that the Police were searching for evidence for possible charges under New Zealand’s Suppression of Terrorism Act 2002 making this the first timest time the Act was invoked in a search warrant.

The arrestees are not terrorists. They are decent kiwi activists who have been active in the Maori sovereignty movement, peace and environmental movements and in their communities. They are alleged to have taken part in a series of training camps in the Urewera ranges of New Zealand’s North Island over the past 12 months where firearms were used.

Those arrested include prominent Maori Sovereignty activist Tame Iti who was among the first arrested at his home in Ruatoki at 4am Monday morning. The towns of Ruatoki and Taneatua were blockaded by armed police for several hours, with no cars allowed in and many searched, including a school bus full of children.

> At 6am raids were carried out at A Space Inside anarchist social centre in Auckland and the 128 activist Community Centre in Wellington. All the arrestees were charged with various breaches of the Arms Act and most received multiple charges. Police have said they may still lay further charges, including under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002. All but three of the arrestees, Tame Iti and Jamie Lockett, have received name suppression.

Since the initial arrests, many people around the country have been questioned by police, more properties have been searched, and more arrests have been made.

Support for the arrestees has been vocal across the country, with many solidarity demonstrations and packed courtrooms. There have also been demonstrations in Australia and messages of support from around the world.

For many people the situation is confusing at best but for those who know the people arrested it is astonishing. How could the police believe a group of Maori sovereignty activists, peace campaigners and environmentalists could pose a credible terrorist threat to New Zealand?

It is very clear to the activist community that the police allegations of terrorism in the Urewera ranges are trumped up to create the right
political environment to justify the current anti-terrorism laws as well as to set the groundwork for even greater extensions of police power in the future.

For more information about the issue go to www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz

The demands of our campaign include:

• No terror charges
• Immediate bail for all arrestees (innocent until proven guilty)
• Withdraw the Terrorism Suppression Act and its Amendments

We need the support of the international community. Please consider the following:

• Sending messages of international support to be posted on the website.
• Issue a statement of support and solidarity to us via the website.
• Write to the New Zealand High Commission or Embassy in your country expressing your feelings about the use of anti-terrorism laws to demonise activists.
• Make a donation to the campaign to support the defendants

Yours in solidarity,
Civil Rights Defence Committee, Aotearoa New Zealand