Mana Vice president John Minto

Prime Minister John Key made a disgraceful decision in February when he announced New Zealand troops would be sent to help wage war in Iraq.

Our troops are not going there to risk their lives defending New Zealand interests. Instead Key says it’s part of the “price” we must pay to belong to the five eyes “club”.

(The “five eyes” are the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand who conduct global spying together, mostly for the US)

Key says New Zealand should join the fight against ISIS because we should stand up for human rights around the world.

ISIS is a violent terrorist organisation but it was formed from groups fighting against the 2003 US invasion of Iraq.

New Zealand getting involved militarily will only make matters worse. Instead of troops we should instead be providing humanitarian funding to non-governmental groups working hard to support refugees and help provide schools and health clinics for those fleeing the fighting.

Meanwhile John Key has nothing to say about the grave human rights abuses taking place much closer to home in places like West Papua and Sri Lanka.

Key refuses to speak out for the people in those countries who are under brutal military rule – the indigenous people of West Papua under Indonesian military occupation and the indigenous Tamil people of Sri Lanka under occupation by the Sri Lankan regime.

New Zealand has no place in Iraq adding to problems there. Instead we should be standing up for human rights much closer to home.