Activist hits back at detractor

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 8

Activist hits back at detractor

Special correspondent A Maori activist accused in Parliament of planning with radicals to overthrow the Government last evening branded her attacker a “Maori basher.”

Titiwhai Harawira denied the assertions of the National M.P. for Hobson, Mr Ross Meurant, that she was in an extremist group with links to Libya and Cuba and whose activities were funded by money paid to trusts and welfare bodies. She challenged Mr Meurant, a former police inspector, to repeat his statements outside Parliament She said he would find himself sued for defamation.

Other Maoris joined in condemning Mr Meurant last evening. They said he had embarked on a campaign of "Maori bashing” and showed that the Opposition was incapable of facing up to racial issues. In his maiden speech, Mr Meurant named Atareta Poananga, Donna Awatere, Dr Pat Hohepa, Ripeka Evans, Hone Harawira and his mother, Titiwhai, as radicals planning to overthrow the Government.

He attacked the' Labour

Administration for failing to maintain surveillance of radical Maori groups and called for a public inquiry into the distribution of $1.5 million in public money "through the hands of these terrorists.”

He told the House that the political activities of the Waitangi Action Committee were funded by money "stolen” from public sources. Mr Meurant also said that a Maori group controlled a ward at Carrington Hospital and had met secretly with the Palestine Liberation Organisation. According to Mr Meu*rant, the group asked the P.L.O. how to obtain firearms and explosives.

Mrs Hawawira is in charge of the Carrington Maori health group and a member ,of the Waitangi committee.

She said last evening, "He doesn’t know a thing. He hides behind the walls of Parliament and defames me.

“I want him to say

these things in public. I will take him to the cleaners. He is on a Maori bashing campaign. It started with the Maori loans, then Mana Enterprises and now this.”

Mrs Harawira said she would respond to any specific allegations. The place for that was in public or the courts.

Mr Meurant had “empty space between his ears. He showed that with the Red Squad and he is showing it again now.”

Mrs Harawira said that Mr Meurant seemed determined to damage race relations. His outburst showed how desperate the National Party was and why it had no appeal to Maoris, as the General Election results showed.

“If he truly believes the things he is saying he would have enough guts to step outside Parliament and repeat them. I would welcome the chance to debate with him on any platform in an honest and open way.”