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«Waikato-Raupatu Claims Settlement Bill» (1995) - excuses de la Couronne
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En 1995, la Reine d'Angleterre s'est déplacée en Nouvelle Zélande pour signer le «Waikato-Raupatu Claims Settlement Bill», par lequel était restituée aux Maoris la terre qui leur avait été volée en 1863; des dommages et intérêts ont été versés, et la Couronne a présenté au nom de la Grande-Bretagne des excuses solennelles.
[Traduction anglaise du texte Maori]
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The
Crown recognises the protracted labours of the Ngai Tahu ancestors
in pursuit of their claims for redress and compensation against
the Crown for nearly 150 years, as alluded to in the Ngäi Tahu proverb
He mahi kai takata, he mahi kai hoaka (It is work
that consumes people, as greenstone consumes sandstone). The
Ngai Tahu understanding of the Crowns responsibilities conveyed
to Queen Victoria by Matiaha Tiramorehu in a petition in 1857, guided
the Ngai Tahu ancestors. Tiramorehu wrote:
This
was the command thy love laid upon these Governors ... that the law
be made one, that the commandments be made one, that the nation be
made one, that the white skin be made just equal with the dark skin,
and to lay down the love of thy graciousness to the Maori that they
dwell happily ... and remember the power of thy name.
The
Crown hereby acknowledges the work of the Ngai Tahu ancestors and
makes this apology to them and to their descendants.
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The
Crown acknowledges that it acted unconscionably and in repeated
breach of the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in its dealings
with Ngai Tahu in the purchases of Ngai Tahu land. The Crown further
acknowledges that in relation to the deeds of purchase it has failed
in most material respects to honour its obligations to Ngai Tahu
as its Treaty partner, while it also failed to set aside adequate
lands for Ngai Tahu use, and to provide adequate economic and social
resources for Ngai Tahu.
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The
Crown acknowledges that, in breach of Article Two of the Treaty,
it failed to preserve and protect Ngai Tahu use and ownership of
such of their land and valued possessions as they wished to retain.
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The
Crown recognises that it has failed to act towards Ngai Tahu reasonably
and with the utmost good faith in a manner consistent with the honour
of the Crown. That failure is referred to in the Ngai Tahu saying
Te Hapa o Niu Tireni! (The unfulfilled promise
of New Zealand). The Crown further recognises that its failure
always to act with good faith deprived Ngai Tahu of the opportunity
to develop and kept the tribe for several generations in a state
of poverty, a state referred to in the proverb Te mate o te
iwi (The malaise of the tribe).
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The
Crown recognises that Ngai Tahu has been consistently loyal to the
Crown, and that the tribe has honoured its obligations and responsibilities
under the Treaty of Waitangi and duties as citizens of the nation,
especially, but not exclusively, in their active service in all
of the major conflicts up to the present time to which New Zealand
has sent troops. The Crown pays tribute to Ngai Tahu loyalty and
to the contribution made by the tribe to the nation.
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The
Crown expresses its profound regret and apologises unreservedly
to all members of Ngai Tahu Whanui for the suffering and hardship
caused to Ngai Tahu, and for the harmful effects which resulted
to the welfare, economy and development of Ngai Tahu as a tribe.
The Crown acknowledges that such suffering, hardship and harmful
effects resulted from its failures to honour its obligations to
Ngai Tahu under the deeds of purchase whereby it acquired Ngai Tahu
lands, to set aside adequate lands for the tribes use, to
allow reasonable access to traditional sources of food, to protect
Ngai Tahu rights to pounamu and such other valued possessions as
the tribe wished to retain, or to remedy effectually Ngai Tahu grievances.
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The
Crown apologises to Ngai Tahu for its past failures to acknowledge
Ngai Tahu rangatiratanga and mana over the South Island lands within
its boundaries, and, in fulfilment of its Treaty obligations, the
Crown recognises Ngai Tahu as the tangata whenua of, and as holding
rangatiratanga within, the takiwa of Ngai Tahu Whanui.
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Accordingly,
the Crown seeks on behalf of all New Zealanders to atone for these
acknowledged injustices, so far as that is now possible, and, with
the historical grievances finally settled as to matters set out
in the Deed of Settlement signed on 21 November 1997, to begin the
process of healing and to enter a new age of co-operation with Ngai
Tahu.
Source - http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/office-claim-apology.html
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