Gabbing with gangs

Fresh from the furore over Maori TV's joint bid for the broadcast rights to the Rugby World Cup, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples has become embroiled in another row, after the Sunday Star-Times reported details of a hui he held with gang members back in March.

Political rivals are outraged that Sharples is trying to open up dialogue between the Government and gangs, saying the meeting legitimises gangs.

"Meeting with gangs - whose stock line of business over the year has included murder and rape as well as peddling drugs - sends them a message that they are equals," sneered Clayton Cosgrove.

Equals? Yes, we can't have the nasty dirty gang members thinking they are human beings like the rest of us.

Sarcasm aside, because of course I abhor the violence and drug abuse that is promoted by the gang lifestyle, let's put this in perspective. Sharples didn't call the gangs to Parliament so they could sit round a table and talk money. He's not doing business with them. He's not 'in bed' with them. He's just trying something a little different - talking to them.

But should a government representative be 'fraternising with the enemy', or 'negotiating with the terrorists', however you want to phrase it?

"We talked about what they could do to reduce gang violence; I asked them to support my stand against violence; and they told me about their dealings with government agencies," Dr Sharples said.

Okay, so Sharples hasn't solved the whole issue of gangs in New Zealand overnight. I'm pretty sure that wasn't the aim. But he may have begun to make a difference.

Obviously this isn't going to please those of you whose answer to any social issue is to a) shoot, b) imprison or c) deport the perpetrators. But guess what? Trying to eradicate gangs by engaging in an all-out war would be sheer stupidity and would no doubt result in the loss of many lives. So how about we dismiss that idea up front?

I saw Paul Henry on Breakfast yesterday saying (among other inflammatory suggestions) that we should "kick them out of the country".  Where to, exactly?

Here's the thing: we all want to get rid of gangs (or rather, those of us not in gangs do). But even if we could somehow forcibly remove all patched members from New Zealand, the root of the problem would still be there. New chapters and new gang members would spring up.

So we need to address why people join gangs, and how gangs make money. If there were no new gang members, eventually gangs would die out. If gangs didn't have a way to make money, eventually they will die out.

Interviews with gang members reveal the same answers, over and over, about why they joined up. Because they feel disenfranchised and marginalised. Because they don't feel they fit in 'mainstream' society. Because gangs take them in and offer a roof, an income, protection and a sense of belonging. Because gangs seem cool.

And gangs continue to make money from drugs, because people - not just 'criminals', but social users from all classes, continue to buy and use drugs.

These are the root causes we need to attack. Don't throw violence and abuse at the problem. Target those most susceptible to the gang message and enable them to seek other paths. Target drug users of every kind and give them the help they need to rehabilitate.

And as a parting shot, I'd like to point out that Sharples has shown a heck of a lot of guts by holding the meeting at all. There aren't many politicians who'd have the nerve to walk into a meeting comprising 16 Black Power and Mongrel Mob members and try to get a dialogue going. Would you?