The beating deaths of twin 3-month-...

The beating deaths of twin 3-month-old Maori lads in New Zealand is fueling demands by means of lawmakers, doctors and child-welfare lobbyists for a ban upon spanking and stricter rules forward corporal punishment of children.

recently made known Zealand has the third-worst record for child deaths from maltreatment among the 27 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and disentanglement according to a 2003 United Nations report. A disproportionate number of cases involve families of indigenous Maori the public

The deaths of Chris and Cru Kahui in June sparked vigils against domestic violence across the political division soul-searching by Maori leaders and state deposits of funds.

"It is a fact that we are a race of nation that are abusing and killing our children," said Tau Huirama, 56 joint chief executive officer of Jigsaw, a community form into groups based in Wellington that tackles child abuse.

"As a Maori man, my heart still cries when I hear that."

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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