A foreign policy analyst says the Government’s decision to send Defence Force personnel to join the US-led action against Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea is a serious breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Dr Arama Rata from Waikato University’s National Institute for Demographic and Economic Analysis says New Zealand has supported calls in the United Nations for a ceasefire in Gaza – but it’s now directly supporting Israel and the United States.
She says this country should instead be backing South Africa’s case to the International Court of Justice to have Israel’s action’s recognised as genocide.
There was no attempt to get a Māori perspective before the decision was made to commit the forces to Tūmatauenga to a foreign conflict.
“One area Māori are particularly not listened to, not given a say, not even consulted is when it comes to foreign policy so our voices are not heard at all, the decisions regarding foreign policy, how New Zealand impacts rest of the world are made solely by the crown and this is a massive treaty breach,” Dr Rata says.
She says Maori understand what’s going on in Gaza because they have experienced colonialism here.
