Revolutionary Writing From "Uruwera 17" Arrestee

One of those arrested in the October 15th anti terrorism raids was Te Rangikaiwhiria (Whiri) Andrew Kemara (Ngāti Urunumia), a 38 year old Manurewa man.

An IT manager for a Maori owned strategic services company and former vice president of the New Zealand Maori Internet Society, Kemara was arrested at the same address as Vietnam veteran, Tuhoe Lambert. Kemara is also Former flatmate of Tame Iti.

Kemara is bailed on firearms charges. The Police unsuccessfully applied to charge him under the Terrorism Supression Act.

Mr Kemara carries a full facial moko, but I believe it is still illegal to publish his image.

Check out this article Mr Kemara posted on the Maori chatsite Aotearoa Cafe (currently off-line)which was subsequently re-posted on the anarchist run website Indymedia 5th may 2005

Hikoi one year on-an observation, a conclusion

Thoughts and observations of the last 3-4 years from a relatively new participant in the Tino Rangatiratanga movement, as to the effectiveness of the movement within this current paradym.

On the Maori Party:

There have been many thoughts go through my head in the last year about the Maori Party, and their emergence at this stage in our hystory. Its been a difficult conclusion to come to, but I now see this Party as an appropriate reaction and representation of where a lot of Maori are at, and I can see why they will garner a lot of Maori support. It is an avenue that Maori are yet to fully explore – the avenue of political minority representation within this parliamentary MMP system. It is a road we seem to need to travel, if nothing more than to see where it ends.

On Revolution/uprising:

I doubt there will ever be a revolt lead by ‘Maori’ per se unless we somehow have a [[massive]] shift in base thinking (notwithstanding this is still a dream prevalent in the hearts and minds of many Maori around the motu).

Why i say that is not to put Maori down or the movement down but to point out what is now more obvious to me now than ever before.

1/ Apart from the reality that many Maori resistance leaders are now worn down by years of tireless action (and as Dei Hamo sings) “years of having no shit”, and are turning to more ‘stable’ lifestyles.

2/ Apart from the obvious fact that Maori do not have the financial backbone at the moment to resource an effective revolt

3/ Apart from the sad fact that the Crown is wholeheartedly dependent and expectant of Maori to quell any Maori revolt

Those reasons and many more are not behind why I am thinking this way at the moment.

The Observation:

The reason I believe we have focussed and restricted our level of action to these arenas such as endeavouring to set up alternative parliaments, alternative systems of law, alternative dollar notes, why we ‘hikoi’ off to Parliament of all places seek some form of justice, why grass roots movements are continually so easily snatched from the clutches of the people and placed in the hands of courtrooms or political party’s, is because deep down…

…many believe there is still hope (within this system).

From what we have seen with the killing of Stephen Wallace and subsequent acquital of his murderer, also what I have witnessed at Ngawha – the wholesale destruction carried out there on whenua there, the backhand slap in the face given to the people there by the crown and its Maori ministers, and also with the Seabed and Foreshore and the eventual confiscation of million of acres of Maori ancestral lands by the Crown. These have left me under no illusion that the only real hope we have is to accept the glaring fact that there is no possibility for real justice within the realms of this system…not now, nor ever.

…and I think the sooner we participants in this movement called Tino Rangatiratanga can accept this fact, the sooner we will be able to function as an effective resistance movement is supposed to.

Te Rangikaiwhiria Kemara
www.aocafe.com

Emphasis added.

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11 thoughts on “Revolutionary Writing From "Uruwera 17" Arrestee

  1. Yeah, most New Zealand media “celebs” are really sub-standard and wannabee. Gimme a Fisk…..Gimme a Dwyer !

    From Holmes and Ralston to The Terminally Pompous Oh So Intelligent (???) Ockerette Leighton Smith, then down through Quack Quack Soper, Nappies Espiner, and Francesca Moll – although she’s OK.
    Nice person at least, seemingly. And I have to admit that Paullie Henry is quite funny with his bitchy little tongue…..

    What gets on my goat is their constantly telling us what we’re “supposed” to think about a certain set of “facts”.

    Wickedly presumptuous of them I say. Especially since they’re all to be seen on any Friday night self-consciously preening them dumb and none too attractive selves, talking a heap of “nouveau” shit in the “now” bars of Auckland and Wellington. Yuk !

    ‘Magine if any one of those bastards ever had to really, really take responsibility for anything more challenging than mouthing off with prissy counsel of perfection ?

    The country’d be completely stuffed !

  2. What I find very interesting about all this is: You say Trevor that Mr Kemara has a full facial moko. Mr Iti also has a full facial moko. As someone who does not know all that much about ‘ta moko’ what I do know is to have a full facial moko in maoridom is to have reached a position of status and prestige. Those who wear the full facial moko understand the responsibility this carries. I have read Mr Kemara’s comments and referred to your blogs from time to time. He appears to be a highly intelligent man with a great sense of reasonable conscience. His struggle is obviously one he cares for deeply and has an even deeper passion for. In my view from reading your blogs and reader comments, Mr Kemara has shown nothing but dignity and concern for the issues discussed on your forum.
    Unfortunately in today’s society, we all carry the responsibilty for the state our world is in. I am impressed with his knowledge and willingness to put himself and his views out there for other’s to see. If he had something to hide, it isn’t evident.

  3. Two comments from that section make a very different point that the Herald reporter either missed or neglected to mention:

    They are yet to be tested in a situation of war, and far be it my desire that they are, I am merely speaking to the fact of the matter.

    Negotiation is good isn’t it pundito? I mean it beats the alternative hands down in my opinion…surely if the opportunity is there it should be used, whether it is technically correct or not?

  4. I think its easy to create a perception of a persons opinions by merely focusing in on certain comments while ignoring others. In this mornings Herald are a carefully selected list of comments made by Kemara Kiwiblog while leaving out comments that perhaps could have given some balance to the angle the reporter was trying to portray.

    example: I read this comment from the same blog which was clearly missed in the Herald.

    pundito said: “TRK, if what I’m interpreting by your posting that the only way sovereignty can be gained is by way of war.”

    As an observance of historical sovereignty changes yes, sovereigntys change via war. Sovereignty was never gained in Tuhoe and other parts of the country by war/invasion or as many assume by the treaty of waitangi, Tuhoe never signed it.

    It was assumed by the group with the biggest army/police, their use of trickery and prejudice interpretation of law and treaties. Which is why i refer to the Crowns claims to complete sovereignty as merely that, a claim, or assumption. They are yet to be tested in a situation of war, and far be it my desire that they are, I am merely speaking to the fact of the matter.

    A point of interest, there is enough case evidence and documentation in archives to show that the Crown/Govt viewed Tuhoe almost as a separate nation state up to about 1920.

    “and therefore as you didn’t sign the treaty then you should not be part of it…”

    Negotiation is good isn’t it pundito? I mean it beats the alternative hands down in my opinion…surely if the opportunity is there it should be used, whether it is technically correct or not?

  5. For some reason I cannot delete the first comment on this thread.

    The word terrorist is unproven and so this comment will be deleted when I can get the system to work.

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