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New Zealand’s first African MP has brought politicians to tears by telling the story of his journey of “hope” from war-torn Eritrea to a Sudanese refugee camp and finally to the government as a Labor MP.
“I am Eritrean. I am a former refugee. I’m Muslim. I am a trade unionist and defender of a living wage. But the most important thing is that today I am here before you like a kiwi brimming with pride, “said Ibrahim Omer in his inaugural address after the October elections.
He is the second former refugee to become a MP in New Zealand, the first being Green Party MP Golriz Gharaman, who fled Iran as a child.
Omer’s speech came after Jacinda Ardern delivered a half-hour opening speech before parliament in which she reaffirmed her electoral commitment to declare a climate emergency and said her priorities would be the housing crisis, the management of Covid- 19 and child poverty.
“We have always viewed climate change as a major threat to our region, and it is something we must take immediate action on,” Ardern said of the climate declaration, which will be formally released on Wednesday.
Omer, recalling an initially happy childhood, said that a brutal dictatorship ended the dreams that he and his compatriots had. “I saw politics ruining people’s lives and that’s why I gave up my dream of being a politician,” he said.
“Most of my life in Eritrea there was a war.”
Omer recalled living without electricity, with little food, and with constant fear and fights in the street. In high school, he was drafted into the “dead end” national service.
“I knew I had no choice but to leave before my time came, so, Mr. President, I left everything I loved, my family, my friends, my home and my dreams.”
Omer headed for Sudan and risked the crossing where the patrolling fighters would shoot to kill. “I would rather risk dying, then slowly die in Eritrea,” he said.
In Sudan he was accepted as a refugee and the UN told him they would send him to New Zealand. Omer knew little about the country on the other side of the world, but the immigration officer told him it was “one of the most peaceful countries in the world.”
“And that was good enough for me,” Omer said.
“My early life in New Zealand was not easy,” he recalled, saying that he worked as a fruit picker, security guard and cleaner, collecting all he could from his minimum wage to send to his family in Eritrea.
“I did 80 hours a week. Ten years ago all I did was stay clean, clean, clean, day and night. He didn’t have a life, he didn’t know people, he wasn’t active in the community, he didn’t have time to think, much less dream ”. Omer said.
Omer’s life changed when he was asked by a union organizer to make a public speech on the demands for a living wage in front of the Wellington mayoral candidates.
The speech was enriching and, after a raise in salary, Omer decided to start attending university and studying politics. He continued to work as a cleaner at Victoria University at night while attending classes during the day, often sitting in lecture rooms that he had cleaned the night before.
The Christchurch terror attack in March last year was “terrifying,” Omer recalled, and he feared New Zealand would fall into violence against Muslims.
Instead, the community was filled with love [love] and Kiwis’ reaction reinforced his commitment to New Zealand and the kindness policy of Jacinda Ardern, whom he thanked for being of great “personal support”.
Omer said he loved that despite disagreeing in Parliament House and having heated debates, New Zealand politicians “would go out for lunch or coffee together as friends.”
Omer said he would fight on behalf of workers, refugees and “all New Zealanders fighting for low wages,” or during a difficult time in life. “The reality is that many millions of people have not been as lucky as I was,” he said.
Speaking in his mother tongue, Omer said: “I see you, I feel you, I will be by your side and I will fight alongside you.”
Omer’s speech was met with strong emotion by New Zealand politicians, some of whom erupted into song as politicians from all sides of the house hugged the new MP, or tilted their noses at him in a hongi, a traditional Maori greeting.
The speaker, Trevor Mallard, had to call to order three times before the long line of MPs queuing to hug Omer returned to their seats, amid laughter throughout the house.
Labor Deputy Chairman Kelvin Davis said it was the strongest and most moving maiden speech he had ever heard, and Ardern gave the new MP a long hug.
Omer said he was proud to be part of a caucus “that is so much like New Zealand.”
