Division - Part 1. "New Zealand's Darkest Day", Seen from India

Warning: No holiday pictures, no descriptions of where we have been. No humour.

A couple of weeks ago I thought I’d write a blog I would call “Division.” It was about the things that I have noticed in India that divide the nation and its people; the things that are an indicator of the nation but not touted as part of the tourist trail. I was thinking of it being an almost observational piece about what makes India, well…India. When I travel I like to try and understand what makes a place tick; to observe the quirks that make it different.

But then, just over a week ago, Chris and I woke up on another sunny morning at Palolem Beach in Goa and watched with horror the unfolding of events in our home city of Christchurch, NZ. This couldn’t be. New Zealand is so far away from the madness of the rest of the world. It’s a safe place. Nothing like this was ever going to happen there.

Jacinda Ardern called it "New Zealand's darkest day."

I cannot walk in the shoes of those who have been directly affected and feel pretty powerless from where we are right now.

I know, my tears and sadness are nothing compared with the emotions that those actually living and breathing what’s going on in Christchurch, but it has struck us both hard. I can turn my brain off for chunks of time and be present and enjoy our surroundings - the sun, the swims in the warm sea and the feel of the sand between my toes.

And then I remember - divisions live at home too.

Divisions in perspectives led to a killer specifically targeting those of the Islamic faith as he wanted to ‘protect’ the rest of us from Muslims. Killing 50 people, injuring many more. Ruining the lives of families across the world. Shaking our city in a completely different way than the earthquakes had done. Shocking our country. Stunning the rest of the world.

Do I feel protected, or that the world is a better place because of his actions, and others like his? Of course not. I feel shattered and depressed. Part of me feels disconnected with Christchurch, my city as I’m travelling at the moment.

Part of my feels re-affirmed that this is my home. I feel positive when I see the response to the murders and the coming together of communities. I hope it lasts. Something positive definitely happened to my city, my home after the devastation caused by the earthquakes. I do hope that something positive and lasting comes from this.

I haven’t read his manifesto, but I know he gave evidence of his "Scottish, Irish and English descent."

It appears he saw no irony in the fact that as a man of this heritage he was in fact a migrant himself. A newcomer to a land; one who had enjoyed freedom to travel wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

In fact, this perspective is definitely not unique to mass killers. In the last 15 years, I have heard many people in NZ say things that are against migrants and the ‘problems’ with them taking jobs, houses, health-care. Said in day to day conversations, online and in the media.

Much as I hate to admit this, many in NZ are racist.

Sometimes these conversations come from people who can trace their histories back to other countries. Sometimes, their migrations are quite recent. I’ve listened to people who have themselves had the freedom and pleasure to jump on a plane to come and live in New Zealand then having the audacity to talk about the negat

ive impacts of migrants. I just don’t understand it???

I’ve had many a conversation with people who are bemoaning how difficult it is to get skilled people to work for their company, yet have been unwilling to consider someone who is outside their normal circle of “people like me”. Someone with a different sounding name; perhaps with an accent; someone who may have lived and been educated overseas, without first thinking whether they have the skills and could bring value to the company.

If I am honest - not all migrants are treated equally.

I’m British, visited NZ in 2000, liked it so much I chose to move there. I got a job, residency and later became a citizen. I have never to the best of my knowledge suffered from discrimination because I had an accent (which I do... it's from the South East of England), look different, or went to the wrong school. I’ve seamlessly ‘fitted in’ because I don’t stick out.

I also think there is still confusion for some (promulgated by some media) about the difference between a migrant and a refugee. I had a choice about where to live. It’s virtually beyond my comprehension to think about what it would be like to live in a country where I fear for my life, are then forced to leave all my family and possessions behind and seek refuge in another country.

I know not everyone has these attitudes, but like a lot of people, I have been reflecting since the killings and am sad to acknowledge that it is real in NZ.

Not only that, but I have also been guilty. Just by trying to be polite or because I have at that moment lacked the energy, facts, time or words to articulate a counter perspective I have sometimes shied away from calling out these comments and let them go.

What’s been clear from the discussions I have heard, has been to call this out as being just as bad as having these perspectives in the first place.

Much comes from ignorance and one thing I know is that most people aren’t inherently evil; comments often come from a lack of understanding of facts.

People generally like people they know….if I don’t actually know a Muslim, or a Hindu or someone from France, China, or Afghanistan I’ll still create impressions of what they are like based on what I've read or heard about in the media. If I meet people my perspectives get changed based on this new reality.

The irony is certainly not lost on me that I have travelled halfway across the world to ‘get to know different cultures and perspectives’ when I could have done a better job of that right on my doorstep.

Who says you don’t learn when you travel, eh?!

Who Are We?

A few facts I have looked up to try and educate myself:

• NZ has a population of 4.7m

• We have a further diaspora of over 460,000 Kiwis living overseas. That’s 14% of our population. I’m not sure if that includes people travelling on the move, or those just working and living semi-permanently overseas?

• Kiwis are known as a nation of global citizens - this brings us different perspectives, the chance to earn money, an appreciation of our country and the freedom to easily roam the globe. New Zealand citizens currently have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 181 countries and territories, ranking our passport 10th in terms of travel freedom. This ranking is joint with Australia and Iceland (Henley Passport Index)

• NZ is a multi-ethnic society - 74% of us identify as European, 14.9% Maori, 11.8% as Asian, 7.4% as Pacifica, 1.2% as Middle Eastern/Latin American/African and 1.7% as 'other'

• NZ doesn't have a state religion. According to the census stats, 49% of us identify as Christians (we might not be active though); Hindus are 2.11%; Buddhists 1.5% and Muslims only make up 1.8%

• Skills shortages - I couldn't find the latest figures on this, so please share if you have them (ironic, seeing as this was something I worked on before travelling!), however, the NZ Government and many employers know that NZ has a skills shortage which is not going to go away. In Christchurch alone, the estimates are that there will be a massive 73,500 shortfall of skilled workers by 2031. Given Christchurch's population is currently 404,500 that's a significant number. That's why some government policies are aimed at increasing skills through our education system and some are actively seeking skilled migrants from overseas to fill the gaps for current job vacancies. We need people from other countries

• In terms of refugees NZ currently accepts 1,000 refugees per year (an increase from 750 pa in 2018 - the first increase in 30 years). In 2020 this will be increased again to 1,500. We are currently ranked somewhere around 87th in the world for the number of refugees per 1000 residents

Will This Make Us A Better Place?

I am sure there are lots of people who have written far more eloquently over the last week and a half about this topic. It also feels a bit disconnected to write a blog when I am so far from home. I’m not really aiming to be a part of the debate, this is probably more of a therapy for me and I didn’t feel I could write a blog about division in India when it is clear there is deadly divisions at home.

I never thought I’d write a blog like this, but I realise it's not entirely a new subject for me either…I’ve written so many things about ‘diversity’ in the past. They have mainly been about gender diversity, but the themes are the same …. the value of having diverse communities around you (Feel free to check them our on LinkedIn here). In today’s global climate New Zealand can and should be a leader and influencer in changing the rhetoric that has seen this growth and acceptance in many places of division, of individuality and of hatred.

I believe diversity and unity will make a better society, a better country and a better world.

But I know that I need to also act more when I see things being said and done that aren't helping NZ be what many of us want to be.... an open and welcoming society that values peoples' differences.

I will write my original blog about division in India. Maybe it will be less painful to write as it’s not so personal and close to home.