The General Secretary of the Celtic League has protested to the Government of New Zealand about the misuse of anti-terrorism legislation against members of the indigenous Maori community.

In his correspondence Rhisiart Tal-e-bot indicates that the Celtic peoples can empathise with the current situation in New Zealand because of past abuses in our own countries of so-called home security legislation.

The Celtic League have over the years identified with the plight of other indigenous peoples (see 'other articles' reference below).

The full text of the General Secretary's correspondence is also set out below:

"Annette King Minister of Police Parliament Office Parliament Buildings PO Box 18-041 Wellington aking [at] ...

Dear Minister Annette King

Maori community of New Zealand

I am writing to you to express the Celtic League's concern about the apparent misuse of anti terrorism legislation in New Zealand with regard to the Maori community.

We have received reports that Maori language and cultural activists have recently had their homes raided and a number have been detained in prison under the Terrorist Suppression Act. Our members are obviously concerned by this news and I am therefore looking for clarification and/or an explanation as to why these raids and arrests have been made on members of Maori civil society.

As you will be aware new extensions to anti terrorism legislation are now a feature of many state Governments and in a number of cases, abuse of the new laws by the police have been highlighted in different countries, including the Celtic countries. We believe that is the responsibility of the Government to closely monitor how these anti terrorism laws are implemented and the utmost care should be made to ensure that members of civil society are not punished for undertaking democratic activity. If the democratic rights and civil liberties of citizens are being impinged upon as a result of any new law then as far as we are concerned the law is democratically unsound.

To all intents and purposes it does appear that the Suppression of Terrorism Act in New Zealand is being taken too far in its implementation with the restrictions imposed on the democratic rights and civil liberties of the Maori activists. We therefore urge you to launch an investigation as to why members of this group have been treated in a brutal way and to release the Maori detainees immediately.

We will be making representations to the different Governments in the Celtic countries asking that they also take up this matter with you.

Yours sincerely

Rhisiart Tal-e-bot

General Secretary"

See these Celtic News articles relating to support for various indigenous peoples:

(voir le site) (voir le site) (voir le site)

See also the two major Celtic League articles which list (amongst other abuses) human rights violations against minority or indigenous people in a number of countries:

(voir le site) (voir le site)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

02/11/07

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