Target: Gerry Brownlee, Speaker of New Zealand House of Representatives
Goal: Support full retention of Treaty of Waitangi and respect its importance to the Maori people.
The struggles of indigenous peoples around the world to retain their rights and their identities has been well-documented. In New Zealand, the indigenous Maori people – descended from Polynesian culture – began establishing deep roots on the island in the 14th century. The arrival of Europeans centuries later began a series of often-violent conflicts that would bring New Zealand’s first settlers under constant assault. While a document central to New Zealand’s official founding has brought a measure of stability to the Maori, this important agreement is once again the target of unscrupulous and divisive politicians.
The Treaty of Waitangi was first signed in the mid-19th century and became a tool for ensuring the Maori people had certain legal claims and assurances. Government forces nullified the agreement after several years, which led to land grabs and other discriminatory practices against the indigenous populations. A 1975 law, however, restored the ability of the Maori to fight for their rights and attain a more equal legal status in New Zealand.
Various efforts over the years have sought to diminish or outright remove the treaty, and a current effort would “reframe” the document while – critics contend – undermining education, land security, and other objectives for a long-oppressed population. Sign the petition below to help ensure this latest attempt at insidious discrimination is stopped in its tracks.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Speaker Brownlee,
The Treaty of Waitangi is recognized as a founding document. Its creation is celebrated as a national holiday. And for decades, it has fostered unity and equality. Do not set back this hard-won progress by giving consideration to any proposal to remove or “reframe” this consequential agreement.
The treaty has endured through wars, through countless leadership changes, through multiple efforts to neutralize it, and through cultural zeitgeists. Please continue honoring it as a central tenet of New Zealand life and as a validation of the rights of the indigenous Maori people. By honoring this treaty, you will affirm New Zealand’s commitment to the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in words and, more importantly, in action.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Broddi Sigurdarson
