Occupiers: Put it in writing
The group leading the Ihuma¯tao occupation say they will not leave the area until there is written confirmation from the Prime Minister no building will take place on the land.
Save Our Unique Landscape (Soul) has also again called on Jacinda Ardern to make an appearance, while requesting that Fletcher Residential and remaining police leave the area.
Thousands joined the fight at the weekend to protect the 32ha block in South Auckland from a housing development, after those occupying the land were served an eviction notice on July 23.
More people arrived yesterday, including a busload of students from Te Wha¯nau a Apanui in the Bay of Plenty.
After saying the Government would not intervene, Ardern sought to calm the situation on Friday by calling a halt to construction while a solution was sought.
Soul leader Pania Newton said yesterday the group would continue to hold the land “peacefully and passively” until there was written confirmation there would be no construction until there was a resolution reached by all affected parties.
They were asking Fletcher and police to leave to allow them to exercise their kaitiakitanga and guardianship over the land, she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said seeking a letter of confirmation was a “statement of bad faith. She [Ardern] gave her word, and she is entitled to be believed.”
The dispute would not be decided by “the view of a whole lot of outsiders . . . it comes down to who’ve
been keeping that land warm over the centuries all the way to 2019.”
Soul and members of Makaurau Marae nearby want to see the entire block, which borders O¯ tuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve, returned and made into a public reserve.
Meanwhile, one of the iwi regarded as mana whenua, Te Kawerau a¯ Maki, backs the development that would have 8ha of land returned and 40 houses set aside for them. Te Akitai, Te Wai o Hua and Tainui are also regarded as mana whenua, but people from the same iwi and hapu¯ stand on both sides of the divide.
Support continued to pour in, including busloads of rangatahi.
Te Wha¯nau a Apanui head girl Manaia Sorensen said they had travelled six hours: “I know as soon as we get back to school, what we’ve learned here, it won’t stop at just us.”
Capone Herenaia, 15, said he hoped he was doing well by future generations by being there.
“It’s pretty empowering to hear Pania [Newton]’s wero [challenge] that she laid down to us rangatahi to come out to support this kaupapa of getting back the whenua.”
Counties Manukau police superintendent Jill Rogers said there was a “relaxed atmosphere and peaceful behaviour” at Ihuma¯tao, with no arrests on site since Wednesday. Police were having “positive ongoing dialogue with organisers . . .”
Police had reduced their numbers at the site, but some would stay to keep the peace and for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, David Rankin, who described himself as a Te Kawerau a¯ Maki senior leader, said he would lay a complaint with police over Ardern’s Ihuma¯tao “interference”.
Ardern had interfered in a legal transaction and in doing so would deprive the iwi of dozens of homes.