Rival gang members see eye to eye

Doug Laing
Perceptions of possible confrontation as unexpected but welcome gang members arrived at a conference of Black Power, Mongrel Mob and Sensible Sentencing leaders in Hastings during the weekend were replaced by almost euphoric belief in the historic meeting's outcome.
The most testing moment came soon after the opening of the 2 1/2-day think-tank on Friday night, when patched Mongrel Mob members arrived at what was an already tense get-to-know you session of leaders, who in some case had met only during confrontations in the street. Even lead tutor and New York-based corporate psychologist John Wareham, veteran of many crises in the tough Rikers Island prison colony, said later he didn't know which way the meeting was going to go. "We could have lost it all, right at the moment," he said. A Black Power leader said that he had been confident the situation was in control, that everyone had come with the same determination to co-operate, although no side knew what the other had in mind.
Wareham, accompanied by leading protege and Rikers Island felon-turned-counsellor Joseph Roberts, thought for a moment, and then approached the new arrivals, had them introduce themselves, and set the tone for what some would later call "a miracle."
By the final session yesterday, there was a ready flow of profound interpretations of what the men, still in their respective patches, had gleaned from the literature of Plato, Freud, the New Testament (Matthew, chapter 5) Malcolm X, Kipling, and others, and the messages carried by the visitors from North America.
Wareham was unequivocal in putting his arm on the shoulder of Black Power life member and Napier-based gang behaviour consultant Denis O'Reilly who co-ordinated the gathering.
"You put this together," Wareham said as the understanding of what had taken place stretched into excited belief that there had been history in the making.
It was, everyone agreed, the start, as gang members, on both sides, pledged to take messages back to create positive family situations, and to meet again later to keep the process alive.
Veteran mob member John Nepe-Apatu, who sat throughout side-by-side with a Black Power leader from Wellington, talked of the seed which had been put in the ground, and what the leaders had to do "to make it grow."
A Black Power leader, reflecting that much remained to be done to address years of issues, addressed the gathering and said: "We are under no illusions that we are going to walk out of here as one, but we are going to walk out of here with one thought."
A veteran associate of one of the gangs said later that the leaders had been offered the challenge or wero of tikanga and wairua, which had prevailed.
Sensible Sentencing's high-profile spokesman, Garth McVicar, spoke with confidence of what he had heard, as did the organisation's patron, Sir Russell Pettigrew.
Sir Russell said later there had been others who had asked what he was doing getting "mixed-up with that," but he said the organisation had to hear all sides.
Both men said they had learnt much, and could take messages back to others in places to help guide change in the ultimate goals of a society where family prosperity and community safety prevailed.
Mr O'Reilly emphasised the purpose of the meeting was not merely about getting the gangs together, but teaching leaders their role in their own destinies, and the destinies of those who relied on them.