Maori leader chides Mutu for 'inflammatory' remarks

By RUTH BERRY and JON STOKES

A Northland Maori leader yesterday rebuked Professor Margaret Mutu over her warning of "civil war" around the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

Waitangi Fisheries Commission chairman Shane Jones labelled Professor Mutu's warning an appalling attempt to incite violence.

Professor Mutu, the head of Maori studies at Auckland University and chairwoman of the Far North's Ngati Kahu tribe, made her remarks on Wednesday during submissions in Auckland on the controversial foreshore legislation.

The comments were attacked by a number of committee members and Mr Jones, of Te Aupouri, who has previously clashed with Professor Mutu over Far North Treaty negotiations, yesterday joined in.

He said he found the comparison between New Zealand and Palestine and Israel "appalling".

"It is totally unacceptable that a sinecured academic should be speaking in this vein in public. God knows what she is teaching the rangatahi [youth] if this is what she is spouting in public.

"It is a gross distortion and devaluation of the situation in the Middle East and her desire to incite Maori and Pakeha to look towards the Middle East as a model for New Zealand is pathetic.

"Her rhetoric does not represent the views of Far Northern iwi.The logical conclusion of what she is saying is that she expects the rangatahi to start strapping on explosives and blowing themselves up."

Eighteen police officers were at the select committee hearings yesterday after the tensions of the day before. About 40 people attended yesterday.