Rangi Kemara-Indigenous Webmeister

In my view, those arrested in the October 15th 2007 anti terror raids-the “Urewera 17″ are merely the tip of the iceberg.

These people have support networks, both nationally and internationally.

They are part of an international movement of anarchists and indigenous radicals, supported by various NGOs, up to UN level.

Links between Maori “Urewera 17” supporters and US, Canadian, Australian and Latin American indigenous activists have been evolving for some years.

Inspired by the example of the Mexican Zapatistas, indigenous radicals have put a big effort into networking their respective causes through internet forums.

One of the “Urewera 17″ has played a key role in that effort.

I quote from the UN’s Advocacy Project Network website, June 2003

The UN’s Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, which is badly strapped for money, has been told by the UN’s Legal Counsel that it cannot accept an offer of a fully-paid staff member from the Metis Nation of Ontario (Canada), according to the Indigenous Media Network (IMN).

The offer was worth $100,000 and would have eased some of the financial pressure on the Forum, which has been asked to coordinate all indigenous issues in the UN on a shoe-string budget. But the Forum has been told it cannot enter into direct agreement with indigenous peoples for fear of infringing the sovereignty of UN member states.

Several indigenous journalists established the IMN at last year’s Forum and asked The Advocacy Project to construct a website. This has since evolved into an important virtual forum for the airing of indigenous concerns.

It has also been quickly and efficiently taken over from AP by indigenous media experts. The site was designed by an Australian firm, Ecomaccess, with financial support from the Mohawk Internet Technologies, a business initiative of the Mohawk Council of Kahnawake (MVK) in Canada.

The site is currently managed by Rangi Kaiwhiria, with help from the chief sub-editor, Kalani Tarawa – two Maoris in Aoteroa/New Zealand. Over 50 indigenous writers have posted articles on the site, and editorial policy is decided by seven indigenous media experts in Aoteroa/New Zealand, Australia and the US.

Rangi Kaiwhiria is of course Rangi Kaiwhiria Kemara, webmeister of the “Urewera 17

Kalani Tarawa is a close associate of of Kemara’s Maori Internet Society colleague, Teanau Tuiono.

Both Tuiono and Tarawa are believed to have been connected to camps in the Ureweras.

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