Waikeria Uprising: Prisoner Who Surrendered Assaulted By Inmates – Corrections

A Waikeria inmate who surrendered was assaulted by other inmates who tried to stop him from leaving, it has been revealed.

Disturbing new developments have emerged in the ongoing prison siege, which is now heading into its fourth day, with inmates still setting fire to its badly damaged wing and firing projectiles at personnel patrolling the area.

A Corrections spokesman said an inmate who decided to leave the group of 17 was unable to physically turn himself in.

“A prisoner turned himself in to staff late yesterday afternoon. Before surrendering he was attacked by the others, who tried to prevent him from leaving.

“The prisoners continued to light fires last night and caused further damage. They also threw objects at Corrections personnel patrolling the area.”

A spokesperson said the prisoners had twice reneged on their promises to surrender if they could speak to kaumatua and a politician.

“Yesterday, the prisoners agreed with the negotiators to surrender if they could speak with kaumatua. This was facilitated, however it did not resolve the situation,” the spokesperson said.

“Later that day, the prisoners promised to surrender if they could speak to MP Rawiri Waititi. This was also facilitated and did not resolve the situation.”

New Zealand Fire & Emergency, Police and St John remained at the prison and were working closely with Corrections staff.

“We are grateful to them for their help and also to the Corrections staff who have responded with courage and professionalism despite very challenging circumstances,” the spokesperson said.

“We have highly trained staff with specialized skills who continue to negotiate with the prisoners involved, supported by the police. We are not going to speculate on matters that are relevant to those negotiations.”

The co-leader of the Maori Party, Rawiri Waititi, this morning called on the Corrections Minister to intervene immediately to resolve the ongoing confrontation with the inmates who riot at the Waikeria prison.

Waititi made an urgent appeal to Kelvin Davis to resolve the situation for the safety of all involved.

Waititi visited the prison last night to meet with the remaining 16 men who had taken control of the prison’s main jail in a fiery uprising Tuesday afternoon. It occurred when another prisoner surrendered to the authorities.

After meeting with the men, Waititi warned that things would get worse in prison if there was no high-level intervention.

“When injustice becomes law, defiance becomes duty. These men are at the limit of their wits.

“This situation is indicative of a dysfunctional justice system that has been failing our people for years.

“Until resources can be transferred to the Maori to be designed and implemented by the Maori for Maori approaches, things are going to get worse.”

He said that a government that prided itself on its kindness had allowed an inhuman environment to rot.

“They are willingly allowing violations of basic human rights to occur. They need to fix it now,” he said.

A spokesman for the Minister of Corrections said today that he would not comment until the situation is resolved.

Rawiri said the men faced dire and inhumane conditions inside the jail.

“The environment in the Waikeria prison is dehumanizing. The water they are expected to drink is brown. They do not receive adequate clothing or bedding. They are expected to wash their clothes in the patio shower.”

He said yesterday’s meeting with the prisoners besieging the now extensively damaged upper jail was to hear from his korero.

“They are clear that this is not a riot, it is a protest for their human rights for all prisoners, past and present.

“They are protesting for their right to basic human needs.”

He said some degree of negotiation with Corrections would be needed before the men came down from the roof.

“I feel sorry for those who work in that particular space and also for our whānau who have to live in it. Our people have done wrong, yes, and they have to accept that, but at the end of the day 2020 in Aotearoa people have to be treated by a human being and not an animal. “

It came about when a manifesto was released yesterday detailing the dire conditions inside the Waikato jail, including dirty drinking water and inmates are expected to eat food in paper bags next to shared open bathrooms.

The document also alleges that inmates have had to use towels for three weeks in a row, and some have not changed bedding in five months.

A Corrections spokesman said the situation was unchanged this morning.

Yesterday, Corrections said that the prisoners remained within the security perimeter of the “upper jail” facility and that “there is no risk to public safety.”

“We continue to engage with the prisoners to encourage them to cease their actions,” a Corrections spokesman said.

“We are concerned that they are putting themselves at significant risk by staying where they are. The damage to the building is significant.”

He followed men who previously broke an agreement that they would surrender if they could speak to kaumatua.

“However, an operation involving the support of our advanced control and restriction personnel was planned to allow this to happen safely. [it] it did not resolve the situation, “the spokesperson said.

“We would like to express our appreciation to the Kaumātua for their efforts and their willingness to help with the safe resolution of the incident.”

Initially, 21 prisoners were on the roof of the prison after the riot, but four have since surrendered.