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Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis says protesting Waikeria prison inmates are responsible for “reckless criminal acts” after the 16 men surrendered today, in his first remarks since the protest began.
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After days of silence, Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis has now struggled that the inmates have surrendered. Source: 1 NEWS
The men were escorted at noon by Rawiri Waititi, the Waiariki MP and co-leader of the Maori Party, after destroying the “upper jail” facility at the prison in their six-day standoff.
“As I stated earlier, I have had constant contact with the whānau involved in this protest and they insisted that they would only surrender with me present to ensure that no officers or protesters were injured,” Waititi says.
Davis has declined to comment until the confrontation is resolved.
In his first public comments today, published in a written press release, Davis says that most of those involved in the protest were members of Mongolian and Comancher gangs, with five of them deported from Australia.
Three were subject to reinstatement orders due to their criminal convictions.
“The arson, violence, and destruction carried out by these men were reckless criminal acts that put themselves, other prisoners, Corrections personnel, and emergency services in danger,” Davis says.
“No one should glorify the actions of these prisoners. They damaged hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property and put their own lives and the health and safety of staff and other inmates at risk.
“There is never an excuse to resort to violence and destruction.”
Possible charges for the destruction will be up to the police, Davis says.
In a joint statement, ActionStation, People Against Prisons Aotearoa and JustSpeak say that no charges should be brought and that Corrections and the police should “review this situation in the context of the continuing human rights violations in Waikeria.”
“These conditions are well documented and Corrections has an obligation to urgently address them to ensure the safety and well-being of the men detained in Waikeria, as well as the staff working at this facility,” advocacy groups say.
“We ask for compassion for the men who have been protesting violations of their legal and human rights.
“Further violations of the human and legal rights of prisoners will only lead to future confrontations until fundamental problems are resolved.”
The Corrections minister says he had chosen not to give in to the inmates’ demands or make public comments.
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The Corrections minister said that, in his opinion, the “reasons for his actions” were not due to conditions in the prison. Source: 1 NEWS
The men said they were protesting the inhumane living conditions in the prison; complaints that were supported by a recent surprise visit by the Ombudsman last year.
“These men wanted political attention, and sadly, those who jumped into it to generate headlines only helped embolden them, extend the duration of the event and increase the security risk,” he said.
“I made the decision not to give in to the demands of these men or make public comments that would simply have opened a political negotiation with them and would not have accomplished anything to bring the event to a safe resolution.”
The fixes “would carry out a comprehensive review of how this situation was able to evolve and escalate as it did and inform me of its findings,” Davis said.
“They will also assess the damage done to the prison, but no one is expected to return to the ‘upper jail’ facility,” he said.
Waititi, the co-leader of the Maori Party, said in a press release today that he had arrived at the prison at 9:30 am “at the request of the 16” remaining inmates.
Previous attempts by National Corrections spokesperson Simeon Brown and Taranaki-King Country Representative Barbara Kuriger to enter the prison were denied.
Waititi praised the prisoners for “standing up to fight for their rights” and “making the right decision to surrender.”
“They were ready to go down. Naturally, they were tired and hungry, but they were still very determined to see change, ”he says.
“They have achieved what they set out to do when they embarked on drawing attention to their mistreatment in prison.”
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The showdown heads into its fourth night as violence escalates. Source: 1 NEWS
“When injustice is normalized, challenge and protest are necessary. These men are the product of such injustices and with their protest they have changed the face of Corrections forever.
“While people who commit crimes must serve their sentences, they must also be treated fairly and humanely.”
Waititi says that “even the prison guards” had recognized that “the state of the unit was unacceptable.”
“These men are not animals, they are human; they are brothers, parents and children and they deserve better treatment ”.
Davis says a world-leading new high-security prison with a one-of-a-kind mental health facility is currently being built at Waikeria Prison and will open in 2022.
