The Ninga Invasion Of Tuhoe

The Independent Inquiry of the Urewera Raids in 2006 have finally concluded and in doing so have  applied spots of black in their white wash of the police actions against mainly but not only Tuhoe. They concluded that such actions as the road blocks, photographing and taking the names of innocent people going on about their lawful business like taking children to Kohanga Reo were "illegal" which is a kinder word for "criminal". Anyone who did the same would be jailed quick smart. Think what would happen if you confined a child to a room without access to a toilet and you had that ridiculous Ninga outfit copied from American TV shows, dark glasses and a gun. A child wouldn't know which planet you came from.

www.maortelevision.com/news/national/ipca-recommendation

www.maoritelevision.com/news/regional/harawira-calls-police-commisioner-resign

The report says that road blocks and the manner in which the police conducted themselves etc were illegal. In fact that word is apparently repeated a number of times. But it's rather like buying a car from second hand dealer Min.Justice Car Dealers and saying it's a good car even though the gear box and the radiator is missing. The report maintains that the reason for the raid is OK but like the car, a few things were not right. It's odd really. The top brass who organised the "Urewera Raid" must surely have spelt out to the Ningas in detail what they were to do; ie block the road at the aukati  line that separates Tuhoe from land confiscated off them in the 19th Century, photograph people, and do other illegal things. They were following orders not using their initiative.

What should happen now? Well an inquiry should be widened to do the following;

1. Who were the top brass responsible for ordering what turned out to be illegal? (With a view to dismissing, demoting or charging them for ordering those "illegals.") The Big Kahuna however is already gone.

2. A thorough review of what happened to the innocent victims children and adults and giving them their "day in Court."

3. Compensation for sure to fix damage to property like broken doors bashed down in order to gain illegal entry. And some acknowledgement and assistance for the victims.

4.  An inquiry into the extent to which the SIS or GCSB were involved in gathering information for the raid. The then Minister of Police Annette King says Ministers are not involved in police raids but the PM responsible for Security Intelligence may have known.

These boys were locked in a shed by the Ningas 

while they illegally searched the house. As you can

see they are Tuhoe. 

Let's hope that no more such armed raids are ever contemplated again against any group. It does seem that we are developing far right paranoia similar what what is daily spewed out by "Fox TV."