NZAID Questioned Over Zapatista Travel Funding

Don Clarke has been director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s NZAID Global Group since the agency was established in 2002.

NZAID Global group has an annual budget of well over $300 million p.a.

I have just sent this email to NZAID.

Attention Don Clarke

Dear Mr Clarke

I note that the organisation that you were once the executive director of (1990/94) of and still work closely with, the Council for International Development recieves NZAID money.

According to the CID website

CID administers the Travel Fund at the request of NZAID to assist New Zealand NGOs to participate in significant international development conferences, meetings or workshops on development

Please note this allocation from the CID NGO Travel Fund listed in CID’s 2007 Annual Report.

Latin America Solidarity Committee – Richard Jeffrey to attend the Encuentro of the Zapatista Communities with the Peoples of the World conference to be held in Chiapas Province, Mexico, 21-31 July 2007 $3,500

Could you please tell me why NZAID/taxpayers money is funding travel to Zapatista run “Encuentros“?

What does such travel contribute to New Zealand’s foreign aid programme?

The Zapatistas have in the past, murdered Mexican civilians and soldiers.

Their current relations with the Mexican government are at best tense.

As Mexico is a friend and valued trading partner of New Zealand, why is NZAID funding travel to Zapatista events?

How does it serve New Zealand’s interest to be giving taxpayers money to Zapatista supporters?

Is the Mexican government aware that mr Jeffrey’s travel was funded by NZAID?

In case you are not aware Mr Clarke, the Wellington Zapatista Support Group is part of the Wellington Latin America Solidarity Committee, which is in turn a CID member organisation.

Your prompt reply to these questions would be much appreciated.

Trevor Loudon

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9 thoughts on “NZAID Questioned Over Zapatista Travel Funding

  1. I worked with Richard Jeffrey before he went to Mexico. He thought it was great you could get funding for a holiday.

  2. First, the mexican government is illegitamite so any ties mexico and new zealand have are out of the question.

    “Mask Man”? You New Zealand’s must be completely ignorant of the exploitation and genocidal practices the world has had on indigenous people around the world including the Mayan population in Chiapas, Mexico. EZLN is a revolutionary front that fights for mexico’s indigenous population.

    I’m sorry to generalize all of you in such a way but honestly read up on the Zapatistas before you post comments where you make yourself seem ignorant and racist.

  3. To the previous poster.

    You should have added “mask man” also would also have to learn to read and write properly.

  4. Hey “a mask man”…

    What an idiot you are. You are deluded enough to have been in the Urewera 17, children playing with grown ups’ weapons.

    You could of course join the army, if you weren’t so overweight, unfit, short, myopic, and neurotic.

  5. This “Markos” idiot proves the Urewera-type supporters of the Zapatistas are just nut cases.

    If he’s as lousy a marksman as the Tuhoi so-call firearms enthusiasts shown in the TV news propaganda, Trevor’s neighbours are far more at risk then he and his family are.
    In fact the Tuhoi mob makes me think “Markos” would be more likely to shoot himself in error.

    Despite that, his threat is despicable and cowardly.

  6. “The Zapatistas have in the past, murdered Mexican civilians” what factual evidence do you have to support this claim?

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