(Adnkronos) – Representatives of over 80 Maori tribes have appealed to King Charles III, asking him to intervene in New Zealand politics, at a time of growing tension over the government’s policies towards the aboriginal population. The National Iwi Chairs Forum, a collective of tribal leaders, has sent an open letter to the sovereign asking him to “ensure that the New Zealand government does not diminish the honor of the Crown” due to what they believe are violations of the promises made by the Crown itself to the Maori in the Treaty of Waitangi, the founding document of New Zealand.
Since taking office last year, New Zealand’s right-wing coalition government, the Maori have sparked numerous protests over the respect of their rights and the condemnation of the Waitangi Tribunal, an institution that investigates violations of the Treaty of Waitangi. The Treaty is an agreement signed in 1840 between over 500 Maori chiefs and the British Crown and is instrumental in upholding the rights of the Aboriginal people.
Ngati Wai tribe chairman and chairman of one of the forum groups, Aperahama Edwards, told the Guardian – which previewed the Forum’s letter signed by over 500 people, including tribal leaders and Maori organization representatives – that their concerns remain unheard. “We have had to indulge the goodwill of the government for 184 years and have not been reciprocated, so the thought here is to bring these issues to the attention of King Charles in the hope that he can intervene”.
The rationale behind many of the government’s proposals is to end “race-based” policies, tackle crime and cut red tape. The coalition said it is committed to improving outcomes for Maori and all New Zealanders. But critics fear its policies, including abolishing the use of the Maori language in public services, dismantling an institution designed to address health inequalities and introducing a controversial bill that aims to radically change the way in which the treaty is interpreted, are undermining the rights of indigenous people, fueling anti-Maori rhetoric and eroding their relationship with the crown.
