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Regional | Kēnge

Moerewa community seeks resolution

The Moerewa community met with gang members seeking solutions to a number of incidents that have occurred on the streets of the town recently.

Community representative Peeni Henare says the town needed to sit down together with the gang members as the majority of them were family and the goal was to reach some kind of resolution in an attempt to possibly co-exist peacefully.

While media wasn’t permitted inside the meeting, from outside our reporters say they could hear extremely fiery discussion going on in the hui.

Herby Kelly who helped organise the hui says it was essential to meet and speak directly with members of the gang to ensure the safety of the towns children and attempt to make gang members realise essentially the people they were fighting were their own relatives in many cases.

Mr Henare says discussions in the meeting were very emotional with residents venting their anger and frustration at gang members who took part.

Four men will appear in court following a volley of gunfire in the streets and a stabbing. The community has appointed an action committee to help follow through on the wishes of the community.

Essentially the entire community agreed the goal was to ensure the children in the community would be safe on the streets whether going to school or playing outside.

Reporter: Dean Nathan.