Gregory Fortuin
Wellington, March 29, 2026
Shameless does not convey my disgust at our UN Vote naming Slavery “the gravest crime against Humanity,” by standing with the US, Israel and the European colonisers.
You either condemn not just the enslavement but the raping of the slave-women, the murder of their husbands, the hanging from the rafter, the lynchings and then preaching to them from the bible on Sundays, or you agree by your silence.
I only had to call the white Supremist ‘Baas’ (Master), and I still weep.
New Zealand has always punched above its weight, and our leaders have consistently championed Human rights.
We were never lackeys of anyone and have always had intestinal fortitude.
Our size did not matter. Our moral compass did.
An excellent image eroded
We were the first to give women the vote. Staring down the might of America, (former Prime Minister) David Lange led us (1984-1989) into a brave nuclear-free vision, championing non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.
Our focus on peace has earned us a global reputation for contributing to peacekeeping and supporting human rights.
Our civil society in defence of International Human Rights shone brightly during the Apartheid days.
After walking the Genocide sites of Rwanda, I had a meal with Prosecutor General, Judge Gerald Gahima, who sang the praises of New Zealand’s “credibility and champion of Human Rights.” He praised Ambassador Colin Keating, who shone the spotlight on their plight.
Keating’s stance was vindicated 20 years later when the UN apologised for its failure in responding to Rwanda’s genocide.
Our global reputation of fierce independence and unwavering commitment to Human Decency has not just been eroded but seriously betrayed over the past two years.
Erosion of Maori Rights
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of Indigenous Peoples was scathing regarding the erosion of Māori rights following the Treaty Principles Bill and related legislation. This has seriously set back relationships with Māori.
This wilful disregard for honouring our founding document was abundantly evident in the punitive reversing of names like Waka Kotahi back to the cultural hegemony domination.
When the High Court ruled that the appointment process for our Chief Human Rights Commissioner was unlawful, the Minister of Justice was indifferent.
The utter arrogance of the custodian and defender of our Justice system, responsible for upholding fairness, protecting human rights and maintaining moral order, speaks volumes about this government’s approach.
Do not get me started on gender equity reversal or blatant disregard of the 15 March Royal Commission’s recommendation on Diversity and Social Cohesion, as we follow United States President Donald Trump.
The woeful silence on Gaza
Our gutless approach to not restating New Zealand’s long-held position on the two-state solution, in not wanting to offend Trump, resulted in woeful silence on the genocide in Gaza.
Yes, Hamas and Hezbollah are evil and should never have leadership roles in a decent society. We are all agreed, so let us remove that as an excuse for our silence on Benjamin Netanyahu’s atrocities.
We condemn dictators like Vladimir Putin for suppressing freedom of speech, yet the independent media has been banned from Israel, and countless journalists have been murdered. Only deafening silence from us.
The Illegal War in the Middle
Then there is the illegal war in the Middle East. No one is shedding a tear for the brutal Iranian regime. This government had an opportunity to designate the IRGC a terrorist organisation and was found wanting.
Now they are “disgracefully silent”, to quote (former New Zealand Prime Minister and UNDP Administrator) Helen Clark, in speaking out against wannabe King Trump, who has scant regard for international rules. At least say something about the murder of 160 innocent school children.
Do something about special visas to reunite families.
To the Iranian Solidarity group, my many Iranian friends and extended family, either part of the Global Diaspora or still back home, I understand that the current situation is complex, sensitive and emotional.
You know my heart, when I spoke at your parliamentary function, I stood with you.
Most of you want regime change, so do I. The question is, at what price?
You are in my heart and prayers as I lift you before the Almighty.
Trump is clueless about the endgame and is led by the nose by Netanyahu’s nightmare of turning Iran and Lebanon into the rubble of Gaza with zero regard for the innocent.
In 1995, Netanyahu led a mock funeral procession featuring a coffin and a hangman’s noose, chanted death to (former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.
A few months later, Rabin was assassinated, and the chance for peace was in tatters.
Netanyahu bombed Trump’s plane-gifting friends in Qatar whilst they were facilitating peace negotiations in Gaza. He did the same during Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner’s negotiations with Iran.
As Putin apologist Tucker Carlson said, “Trump is fighting Netanyahu’s war. They do not care for ordinary Iranians; they are cannon fodder.”
Back to New Zealand and this government. Grow a Spine, stop the betrayal. Be the champion of Human Rights that the Rwandan Minister of Justice lauded.
Our DNA is still the same. International rules and Human rights have not changed.
The world just has one more despotic manchild. And after he bombs Cuba and Greenland, Putin murders Zelenskyy, and China takes Taiwan, who knows?
Maybe next time the despots will come for us.
Our silence is acquiescence.
Gregory Fortuin is a Former Race Relations Commissioner and South African Honorary Consul to New Zealand, appointed by the late South African President Nelson Mandela.