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So the reason why we're here is because of the incident that's happening in Chechnya. It's, uh the reports that I've heard have come from London and Canada, and that is 100 gay men have been dragged out of their homes, tortured and abused. One lady made a statement to the British press that her 18 year old son you [00:00:30] know how you bend your knee like this. His knee was smashed so that his leg bent up, not down. He was dragged out of his home. Now you imagine as a mother or as a brother of an 18 year old boy being dragged out of your home and then going missing. Nobody knows where this boy is because England has made a big fuss. Then America. And Sunday it was Canada [00:01:00] in New Zealand. We decided to run concurrently with Auckland to show our disdain for what's happening in Chechnya and to bring awareness to our New Zealand government to the foreign minister of foreign affairs, to ask him if he would do something you imagine. Do we all know about AWI that happened in the Second World War with the Jews? That same process is happening now and the more silent [00:01:30] we are national internationally, the more people will die. So if we weren't here tonight, those people over there that are suffering and that are frightened about what tomorrow's gonna bring, just the fact that there is someone listening on the outside. Can you imagine how uplifting it is for them? I talked to the police commissioner yesterday and told him what we were doing today. Apparently, the Russians are very anti protest, [00:02:00] so they're gonna get very angry feelings. So what the police commissioner has asked in Auckland? They're gonna chant and they're gonna make a lot of noise because they're in a square because we are here in Wellington. We were offered the steps of Parliament, but I said to them I'd rather not go to Parliament. We have the embassy right here. Why don't we stand outside the embassy and just be quiet? And I think taken take this opportunity [00:02:30] to be still and think of the three men that were murdered on Thursday and that 18 year old boy that disappeared. Now there are there are four questions that need to be addressed, So we're going to ask them concurrently. Oh, Hello. Oh, I can't hear you like to know what happened. Oh, a There have been three murders, my love. We're just here. It's three murders in Chechnya, my [00:03:00] love. So we're just here paying, um, homage to the people that were killed. Now can she can all my love bubble I. I can't hear you screaming at me like that from way up there. So what did you say? Oh, no, no, no. Could you kindly come out and converse? That would be delicious. OK, so I guess if they do want to talk, we're going to be as diplomatic [00:03:30] as possible. Is that OK? And I think as honest as possible. If they're asking questions, we will be deliberate with our answers. But I'm gonna hand this time over to Jan, and I'm just going to converse with Roxy and I'll go and see what these people are doing. Well, um, I'm here on behalf of the Green Party, but also the parliamentary Rainbow Network, which is a, um, group of MP S across [00:04:00] all the different parties in parliament, Um, who are standing up for LGBTI rights. And we just, um, were asked to come and talk about what's been happening, and Amanda's, you know, talk to you a bit about that in some of the reports. And we know that the US, um, have condemned what's happening in Chechnya. The European Union president has also spoken out, and the cross party network has written to our [00:04:30] minister of foreign affairs asking, um, him to stand up and ask the Russian government to investigate what's happening, that there needs to be clearly immediately an end to the violence. The men who are being illegally detained must be released, and there needs to be a proper investigation into what's going on. Um, [00:05:00] and that and around the world, we need to stand in solidarity with those men. And they are gay and bisexual men and men who are perceived to be gay or bisexual, who have been taken and detained in what has been described as concentration camps and that we know that speaking up is that silence is a form of death, and without [00:05:30] speaking up, we are in some ways, um, allowing that violence to happen. So it's really great to see all of you here, and we will keep um and letting them waiting to hear from the minister and, um, pushing if we don't hear back from him soon about the New Zealand government's response so that, you know, our government can stand up on behalf of all of us to make sure that we're part of a really [00:06:00] strong position internationally, that human rights are universal. They're not just for some groups of people, you know. And there, sadly, are still too many countries in the world that don't see us as fully human. And that means that in places like a where we've made certain progress, we have more duty to be able to stand on behalf of those other people who have been silenced [00:06:30] and indeed murdered, as is the case in Chechnya. So thanks. Oh, and I should have said, too, that Grant Robertson said he wasn't in town today and I did say I would pass on that. He's here in spirit and as part of the cross party network, um, and is doing whatever he can and looking for the opportunity to support as well. So Jan, why has the government been so slow to respond? I I'm not sure, um [00:07:00] we know that actually, New Zealand's been really good on these issues in the past. And I know when Russia was, um, pushing the traditional family values platform in the UN Human Rights Council as a trying way to suppress LGBTI rights and discussion, New Zealand was one of the active campaigners against that. And we've we've traditionally been one of the global leaders, so I'm hoping it's just for administrative reasons that they haven't, you [00:07:30] know, spoken up yet. But apparently there are no gay people in Chechnya. I yes, yeah, there's no problem. And there's no gay people and, um which, you know, like, how disturbing is that? It's just such an extreme comment. And it, you know, though, there are echoes of that for me in terms of some of the schools in New Zealand who have said that there's no yeah [00:08:00] to take your government sending this to the people in Chechnya who have been detained for being gay or bisexual. OK, what's your position with the embassy? Hi. Ok, thank you. Just repeat, repeat. What's your position here? [00:08:30] What's your position here at the embassy? You know I am not speak good. Speak English. You speak in Chechnya [00:09:00] on in here. This guy. Yeah. I want to show more picture. Please, please, [00:09:30] Please. Please. You, You, you, you No, no, no. You He likes cameras. Ok, Ok. Oh, uh, my yes. Hasn't [00:10:00] list. Yeah, yeah. So if you if you could imagine if this is what they're doing here in our country, imagine what they're doing to the gay men in Chechnya. [00:10:30] And it was another. I don't know whether Roxy given you any information yet. Roxy, have you been able to talk? The rock has got amazing information of how we can support, um, the people over there. But another thing that I noticed was I didn't realise out of the population of Chechnya, they have no gay people. Yes. Yes. So neither do I. But, you know, this is this is we're creating history here. Everybody, and [00:11:00] this is empowering to know that, especially seeing so many young faces you people little do you know it? We won't be around forever. We are like your or the on the but we won't be around forever. And the thing that absolutely grabs me and excites me so much is that there are young people willing to stand up and have a voice and speak when no one else can. [00:11:30] Everyone, uh, as Amanda touched on before she said, I had a few more ways in which you could help raise awareness and help with the cause. There's not much that we can do being in New Zealand, but the smallest things really can make a difference. The first thing that you can do is you can write to your ministers. You can write to your local MP S, your government officials. I know we've got Jan here and we are waiting to hear back. But the more pressure that we can apply, the further and faster we'll get a response [00:12:00] I'm gonna get run over by cars, makes me nervous. Um, the second thing we can do is that there is an Amnesty International petition running at the moment. What I'll do is I'll post it into the Facebook event when I get home so that y'all can click through and link on that, Um, there are a number of organisations collecting donations directly for um LGBTI Q a plus groups on the ground in Chechnya. They're operating underground. Obviously you can't be open. You can't be proud. [00:12:30] You can't outwardly help the people in need. But there are organisations that are working externally to provide that money. Um so I'm sure you will know the background to this that has been covered before. Um, the most important thing is that this is a peaceful vigil of solidarity. This is this is not an outspoken action. This is This is a call to our government for action to show that Oh, hello. [00:13:00] That we care and that we're we're watching and we support our gay brothers in Chechnya. Um, here is the release Gay men arrested in a purge in the Russian region of Chechnya are being held in concentration camp style prisons. Russian newspapers and human rights group report that more than 100 gay men have been detained in connection with their nontraditional sexual orientation or suspicion of such as part of a purge. Several people [00:13:30] were also reportedly feared dead following violent raids. Um, as a follow on from that, there have been three confirmed fatalities and the dissemination of information is not really flowing freely. So there's no counting how far that's moved on. Oh, reports have emerged since that the men arrested are being kept in horrific, horrific, concentration camp style prisons where violent abuse and torture is common. There's reports of electrocution. There is reports of brutal beatings, the [00:14:00] men of their some of the men. Some of the hostages are being released on the proviso that when they are released back to their families, their families murder them. There is no there's. There's no way you can escape from that And a chilling response, The Chechen government spokesperson denied that there are any gay people to detain, insisting that you can't detain and harass someone who doesn't exist in the republic. That is a direct quote from the spokesperson. The Kremlin also denied any knowledge of a purge, [00:14:30] so they're denying anything is even happening in the first place, which is delightful. The purpose of this evening is just a peaceful standing in solidarity with those affected with their families, their lovers, their Children, their coworkers and everyone affected as such. Yeah, so basically, go and check out the links for that. The event for those petition links and make as much noise as you can. Silence is apathy, [00:15:00] and apathy is not what we need in 2017, and not what we need fighting against something like this. Someone else want to say something to anybody? How do you young people feel? II. I remember when I first got the, um Oh, hold it up. Call. Um, I remember when I got the news alert on my phone, Um, that this was happening. [00:15:30] Um, And it it immediately broke my heart because obviously we know that Russia doesn't have the best track record with, you know, LGBT rights or human rights, for that matter. Um and then, yeah, reading the reports that there have been people murdered that they, um they're being tortured. But I think worst of all that they're being forced to torture each other. There are reports that they're forced to beat each other and out each other and, um, cause more harm in their community. And that really breaks my heart as a as [00:16:00] a 19 year old gay man. It really breaks my heart that there is that I live. I'm so privileged to live and to be born in New Zealand, where I don't have to worry about holding my boyfriend's hand down the street that I'm fear of being tortured and imprisoned for being who I am, um and yeah, I think it's really important. And it's so heartwarming that we're all here together to share in that message of so solidarity and that message of hope, Um, and stand with human rights across the world. Because if [00:16:30] if if not us, then who? Um and yeah, we we can't go unheard. And, um, it's a real, um I think privilege to be able to stand here and speak openly with a pride flag around my neck. Um, without fear of, um, Reprisal. So, um, I'm really privileged to be standing here, Um, and glad that I can share that privilege to help share the voices of those that have been silent. So, yeah, thank you for being that killed her. Right. [00:17:00] Hi. Hi. Is Amanda here? You're a OK. Cool. Um, you can't stay on the road. You need to move on to the footpath in a way, and it's the driveway. You you have to do it. We're happy to do what you do need to do, but you need to do it on the footpath. You cannot. People come in. It's a very great street. Um, [00:17:30] onto the footpath, please. Not blocking the driveway. What is the protest about the gathering for? Is it a protest? Or is it? No, it's just a vigil. There's been a tonne and chicha with three men. So what we doing here? And they were LGBTI. So we're just here paying homage. OK, how long do you intend to stay here? We didn't actually have a time frame. Do you have to? Not at all. [00:18:00] But it is half past seven at night and you're not making work. And to make sure those men are taken out of detention and released and kept safe you are you going to be here? It's OK. Don't get [00:18:30] about the sedation here. The situation. How can you not be aware? There is no So there's no situation in Chechnya and there's no situation outside your embassy. So does everyone need a little update on what's happening in my love? Oh, yes. [00:19:00] OK, So what's happening thus far is the New Zealand Police Department has officially come to support us, Really. And their biggest concern is that we stay off the road as much as possible because what we're doing is we're frightening people as they come around, they see a great big, huge white Christmas tree and they want to run. So if we can frighten people, stay to the left. The boy who I spoke with his name is Bastian. He didn't give an [00:19:30] official position with the Russian embassy, and he didn't really want to speak while he was being recorded. So I couldn't ask him any questions and that the police have just informed us if I can put it to you simply. This is just like being on a We have to have as much respect for their for their people for their as we would if we were gonna step onto a [00:20:00] I'm Stefan. I'm part German, and I actually grew up with the history of the German people and concentration camps, and it took me. It's part of the German psyche. I guess you you take a long time to process the history. And, um, I had lots of conversations with survivors of concentration camps, um, and family members who experience this and I'm I'm just horrified that in my lifetime, [00:20:30] um, people would be taken away and locked up in consultation camps for being just like me. And like you, I'm just and and I'm also disgusted that our government hasn't put out any statements in that regard. Um, I think the European Union is showing the way. And I, I just wish that our government, you know, lived up to their dreams of being, you know, liberal democracy. An example [00:21:00] to everyone else. Um, there's so much more that we can do to raise awareness. And, um, yeah, I just want to thank you. You and everyone who's here. Uh, because this is really, um gives me warmth, uh, to my heart, uh, that there are people around the world who care enough, uh, to stand up and and and say, This is not good, and that's that's not good. Uh, we need to change things. Um, but I also like to to remind everyone that what's happening [00:21:30] in Chechnya is horrible. But there are other countries in the world like Uganda and, uh, lots of African countries where gay men and women, um, and others are persecuted as well, and we should we we cannot forget about them as well. So, um, our, um you know, the rights and the freedom that we enjoy here in New Zealand is really, um a privilege. Um, we need to remember those who are elsewhere who are not enjoying the same rights. [00:22:00] Um, and and still activate to to try to change that. Thank you. Thank you so much. Uh, my name's Shelley. Some of you know me. Um, yeah, I came here with the intention of protesting and to give a bit of an explanation of the markings on my hat and on in the back of my jacket. I was struck by the irony that, uh, police and Russian [00:22:30] police carry the label homo on their, uh, on their uniforms. That's Russian for police, but but the irony is completely not lost on me. Um, and II. I wore that label and represented myself as a outlandish police person for the purpose of highlighting the ridiculousness of what is going on. Uh, and not just with the, um [00:23:00] programme that's going on at the moment for gay people in in Chechnya, but for the whole issue of bigotry and non inclusiveness that permits the whole world at the moment, it's a global issue, and and it affects all sorts of different people. Queer folk are not alone in the struggle. People of colour still struggle. Women still struggle for status and [00:23:30] recognition in so many different countries. There is an awful lot of work to do in the in the forum of of Human Rights and and it's we all of us are fighting for the same in gold. While it is great for us as a queer community to come together in A in A situation like this, we shouldn't lose sight of all of those other, um, people who are suffering in dignity and bigotry around the world and for many of them, various [00:24:00] forms of violence and abuse. And we need to, uh and we need, I think, to pull together as a whole, all of our groups and all of our supporters and come back to it as a whole because I firmly believe that if we can do that and start pulling together in the commonality of of the of our own, uh, individual goals and achievements, that we will suddenly realise that actually we are probably the majority and that we can if using [00:24:30] the power of people, affect real physical change, we need to change the narrative by which we think and operate, and that means turning the binary on its head and accepting that diversity is the human condition, not not binary. Binary is just a part of the human condition, and all of us are human. And we should start from that level of thinking and approach all of our problems and all of the issues from that perspective, not trying to accommodate [00:25:00] around the binary narrative. That's where we lose all the time. Shelley. Sorry. Can I just get you to stand there? Does everyone know what binary means? We all do. Just because I'm not used to this. Shelley, can you explain to me what binary means? The binary narrative, uh, that I refer to as the narrative that I grew up with, that men were males, women were female, [00:25:30] that there were only two genders, that that was the basis for all existence, life in particular human life. And that all of the rules, all of the regulations that I grew up with were built and based around that. So the segregation in terms of toilets and and all of those other things that we've come to accept as normal and that's the danger that's become the normal, so everything that has happened since. In terms of human rights, even the [00:26:00] even the homosexual law reform is based around a accommodation to fit with that normal. That should be the other way around. That's my argument. Thank you. Thank you. Ok, um my, um my Hi. I'm Lynn. And my first response on hearing about the, uh, church near torture council is that any society that persecutes one group makes the whole society unsafe because that means there is no freedom [00:26:30] at all. For anyone in that society, there's just a climate of fear, and it stifles growth and creativity and just freedom. That's my basically my response. Thank you. Hi. So, um, I'm American, so I think especially concerning my country and everything that's just been going on lately. Um, I think it's so important. I think what matters most is education [00:27:00] is people just don't understand. They just they just see it and they're like, Oh, I don't want to bother or I just don't They just don't understand it. And I think it just takes education and just understanding. And and I know it's kind of ironic because we have Donald Trump. So, um, but that's why I came to New Zealand because I was like, I do not want to put up with that. So I just left. And I think a lot of people now realise how important it is just to get educated [00:27:30] and see even the people that you're putting in power. You know, just how how much power they have and what they can do. And it's scary. And welcome to New Zealand. Thank you for having me. Hi. Sorry. I wish I had a stool. Um, I'm Adrian. Um, tomorrow, I'm going to, um, be working, um, at a that we throw every [00:28:00] year for clear Go. Um, and, um, i'll be doing a couple of workshops there and just hanging out with, um, our young ones. And, um, I know that a lot of them have been feeling really feeling this. Um and so a lot of what we plan to do with the is, like support and uplift and build back the confidence and strength again. And I definitely will be mentioning this because this is a lovely turnout and a lovely thing that we're doing. So I just wanted to thank everyone for doing this, [00:28:30] So thank you Mr Gay. Well, congratulations. Well, I was talking before, and somebody suggested I should perhaps get it on record. Um, a a couple of years ago, there was a protest outside the Australian High Commission. I think it is here in Wellington where we, um, were concerned about, uh, West Australia and its legislation to take, um, indigenous people from their tribal lands and bring [00:29:00] them into, um, settlements, not which probably turned out to be not, unlike concentration camps in form. But anyway, as an aside, um, we gathered as a slightly larger party outside the Australian High Commission. We did block the entrance way, and we did block part of the road. Um, there was no police presence, so I just thought that might be a point of interest in relation to what's going on here. [00:29:30] Does anybody know any Maori songs? Um, I don't wanna know about peace and love. She's been saying very silent, but she she is, um a very, um um amazing, uh, young, um uh, Maori leader. And, um, she's been saying very humbly quiet, but I think she should come up the front. What? What's a gorgeous song? [00:30:00] Um, there's so many gorgeous songs. Uh, you too. [00:30:30] Oh, you haven't finished yet? One more, you know, Does everyone know? Does anyone know? Oh, God. [00:31:00] Tea. Oh, my Oh, OK, I [00:31:30] Yeah. Oh, mhm. Fuck. Hey, no Pick up, OK? [00:32:00] Yeah. Oh, hey, the Oh, ok. Mhm. Oh, on to hey! Oh, [00:32:30] oh, no. I mhm fuck to pick up, OK? Oh, my [00:33:00] to table. Mhm. OK, to I Oh, first point. Oh, hey, [00:33:30] Uh, mean yeah. Did you feel the and the way I sang that in in, um where I'm from? That song is always sung to that pass. So as a child, [00:34:00] I was told When you sing it, you sing it as if that queer was inside your your your inside your body So that when hears it he knows that you are singing to the dead and I think that's appropriate. So while I sang that second verse in my heart I thought of those men that may have been alone and they didn't [00:34:30] have a And I hope that somewhere and that they would have heard that song. I knew that I was singing like I was singing it to my own because really, when we pass from this world. Everyone, we are all blood and bone and sin you. There is no distinction between colour [00:35:00] or gender. The only distinction that we have is the and the love that we leave. And this is something you can all be proud of because right now you are showing your and you are showing your love. And hopefully those men that passed and the people that are in pain right now are feeling us and knowing that somebody in the darkness keys So that's a great thing. [00:35:30] And for all the people, all our that are passed. If you're here tonight and you have a mummy or a hurt, share that quietly to yourself and know that someone's listening and that someone cares, I think that would be a really poignant time to just bow our heads. Would anybody like to offer [00:36:00] our prayer for tonight just in memory of those that aren't here and also to commemorate those men in Chechnya that had passed? No. Because they're the reason why we've come together. Ah God, we just, um [00:36:30] no matter where we come from with this we are all hurting because our brothers and sisters are hurting um we just want to leave it at your feet and show our love and how much we deeply care for, um our across the world. And we just we we put it down and we rest and that things can and will change and have changed. Um, And we we have faith in the power of community and of coming [00:37:00] together and of singing and not of violence. And we just pray that it at a time such as this that we continue to come together, continue to put love at the forefront of our tongues and our actions. God, we're so thankful for this privilege that we have to sing together and to use our privilege for those who don't have the same rights as we do right now in your name, we [00:37:30] pray. Amen. Sure. Right. Let's sing one song together, shall we? Pork? Yeah. Water [00:38:00] my Oh, come Yeah, [00:38:30] out here. No way. Tell you VD oil. No. Yeah, yeah. [00:39:00] No. Yeah a you. [00:39:30] Thank you so much for being here. I'd like to especially thank Roxy. You little trooper. Just amazing. Anybody needs anything done, find her on Facebook. She is amazing. She's like I dream of Jeannie. Honestly, Roxy, thank you. From the the bottom of my heart. Man, I thank you so [00:40:00] much for for coming and doing this and being here. You are delicious. And to our gorgeous MP. Jen Lo, let's have a huge round of applause for Jen. Thank you for your continued support. Thank you. Is your favourite.
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