October 15th Solidarity - Remember the state terror raids

16th October 2007

"Weapons" training camps in the eastern Bay of Plenty raided by police yesterday were merely fitness camps with an emphasis on health and education, a member of the group running them said today.

However, a woman has told how an alleged activist cell tried to recruit her and how she was terrified on meeting balaclava-clad men at what she thought was going to be a Maori genealogy wananga.

The woman, who did not want to be named, said she went to meet a group in the Ruatoki Valley, about 15km west of Whakatane.

She told a newspaper she asked the men, kitted out in army-style clothing, which whanau they belong to, but they wouldn't say.

"They told me I had to come out and do an initiation, and said they were looking for special people from each individual valley of Tuhoe to join their freedom fighters, and I asked 'what are you trying to fight? What are you fighting for'?"

She said she it was like "secret service stuff".

"I just told them I was leaving and they were wasting their time."

The woman said she was still unclear as to the group's objectives and motives. She knew of others who had been approached, but did not know how big the group was or whether it had a hidden weapons cache.

A member of the group, known only as Dave, said the organisation was about 4000-strong and had been running monthly fitness camps in the Ureweras for more than a year.

He described the group as well-organised and well-disciplined, focusing on racism, mental health and "corruption in our Government".

Dave said the camps were training for health.

"You go down there, it's a very open forum. You can talk about things, you can go for a decent trek through the bush but you have to be reasonably fit do so."

He refused to comment on whether weapons were involved in the camps or with the group, but did say: "We have the ability to protect New Zealand in the event of any threat from any other country".

Dave said the group was not just about activism, although it did want land titles changed so land was returned to Maori.

It was made up of Europeans, Maori, Pacific Islanders and Americans. It was open to men and women and had no links to terrorist organisations.

"It's not a Maori activist bunch of people. We are there for fitness, we are there for education, we are there for mental health and we are there for the long-term goals of New Zealanders."

Maori broadcaster and Nga Puhi elder Kingi Taurua, who was approached by Tame Iti to teach "bush craft survival" in the Urewera ranges, said he saw nothing sinister in the courses.

"I don't know nothing about weapons. All he said was to train the kids (in) bushcraft survival in the bush."

Iti told him he was training young people and asked him to help because of his experience in the army, Mr Taurua told Radio New Zealand.

"I didn't see anything wrong with teaching people. I mean if you ring me and asked me to teach you how to survive in the bush, I will teach you and that's what it was.

"That's how I took it. I thought it was a good idea to teach young people survival skills."

He was unable to do it because he had other commitments and had to look after his wife, who had suffered a stroke, during the weekends, he said.

He had spoken to police about this yesterday, and everything that had gone on had given him a "bloody fright", Mr Taurua said.

"It gave me the bloody s---s...and I'm bloody glad I didn't go."

One left-leaning commentator who says he has links to political activist movements says "middle New Zealand will recoil in horror" when it hears the reasons behind yesterday's raids by police.

Martyn "Bomber" Bradbury said on one blog site that he had been talking to people in the activist community and was concerned that the activities of some "clowns" could lead to a backlash from the wider public.

"If the allegations as I understand them are true, this country is about to get very, very, very angry," Mr Bradbury said.

"Though I don't believe for one moment what will be revealed is anything more than stupid arrogant boasts... middle New Zealand will recoil in horror."

Mr Bradbury said he believed the police had been right to be concerned.

"There is going to be outrage when the full story gets out the likes of which talkback has never dreamt of."

Mr Bradbury gained some public attention for his public defences of Tim Selwyn who was jailed for sedition.

Elsewhere on anarchist web sites and independent media blogs meetings and protests were being against what they described as continuing repression by the state.