OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - “Honest and constructive debate to settle differences between Maori and Pakeha (people of European origin) ”: Bishop Peter Cullinane, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference

Tuesday, 11 May 2004

Wellington (Fides Service) - “Maori have a deep need to know that the guarantee given them in Article 2 of the Treaty still holds. And Pakeha (people of European origin Fides) need to know that at the end of the day they have acted honourably”, Bishop Peter Cullinane of Palmerston North, president of Catholic Bishops’ Conference said referring to recent conflict between Maori and non-indigenous New Zealanders, and demonstrations in the capital Wellington
In the last two weeks some 10,000 Maori walked almost 1,000 miles to protest against a proposed Bill to regulate land rights on beaches and coastal areas. The first draft of the Bill, to nationalise coastal areas and thus impede Maori traditional right of use, was approved today by the New Zealand Parliament. According to a survey more than half of New Zealanders think the Bill will increase tension between Maori and non-Maori.
The proposed bill to nationalise sea bed, Maori protesters say, would infringe ancestral rights and they recall theWaitangi Treaty stipulated with the British Crown in 1840 granting the Maori “ the full, exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries”.
Maori are 530,000 people, or 12.5% of the population and they are among the poorest of New Zealanders
In his statement, a copy of which was sent to Fides, Bishop Peter Cullinane says, “No claim to special treatment is being made “on the basis of race”. Certain rights have been claimed on the basis of historical realities. Whether we like it or not, this country had been home to the Maori people for a long time before the Europeans arrived. On this basis they had the rights that belong to any indigenous people. The British acknowledged these rights by entering into a Treaty with them”. The Bishop stresses the “ moral obligations” and underlines that “ True integration of Maori and Pakeha actually presupposes acceptance of each other’s identity. That is how it differs from assimilation and homogenisation”.
The Bishop concludes: Whether or not we need special provisions for consultation should indeed be calculated ‘on the basis of need’. But is need to be understood in narrowly materialistic terms, or does it include all the essentials of human wellbeing? Maori have a deep need to know that the guarantee given them in Article 2 of the Treaty still holds. And Pakeha need to know that at the end of the day they have acted honourably.”
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 11/05/2004 Lines: 45 Words: 452)


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