New Zealand Parliament: Maori MPs Face Suspension Over Protest Haka

New Zealand: Maori MPs Face Suspension After Protest Haka Wellingon, New Zealand – Three Maori Members of Parliament (MPs) are facing potential suspension from the New Zealand Parliament following a protest haka performed last November. The protest, which gained significant international attention, was a response to a controversial bill seeking to redefine the country’s founding treaty, the Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840. The haka, a traditional Maori war dance, was performed by the MPs during a parliamentary session. A parliamentary committee has since ruled that the dance could have been perceived as intimidating to other lawmakers. The committee has recommended a one-week suspension for MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who initiated the protest. The Maori Party co-leaders, Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, also face potential suspensions of 21 days each. "The recommendations are a warning shot to all of us to fall in line," said a spokesperson for the Maori Party, expressing their criticism of the proposed suspensions. The proposed suspensions will be put to a vote on Tuesday. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding the Treaty of Waitangi and the representation of Maori interests in New Zealand's political system.