New Zealanders must offer kindness and understanding to combat the hate which led to the March 15 Christchurch terror attacks, Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon says.
On March 15 last year, 51 people were killed and 49 others were injured in shootings in two Christchurch mosques.
“What the Muslim people have gone through, they’ve shown extreme strength and goodwill and kindness," Mr Foon told Breakfast this morning.
“They come here for a better place, and so what we have learnt is that we’re more aware that it can happen here, and we know that the far right is, anecdotally, on the rise, and that’s why we actually do need data collection from the police, from the Christchurch Corps, from the internet firms, those social media firms.
Farid Ahmed survived the Chrischurch mosque attacks which killed his wife Husna and 50 others. (Source: Other)
“It’s great that they’re having conversations now.”
He said the Human Rights Commission, alongside the Government, will look to create an action plan against racism to eliminate the rise of extremist views online.
"We know it’s here. We don’t accept it. We need to do everything that we can do to eliminate that, and part of our plan is for a national action plan against racism," he said.
Lance put his life on the line to help those who had been hurt, including Wasseim, who was shot three times. (Source: Other)
“Throughout the nation, in terms of the percentage of bullying in the workplace and education, violence in the families, all comes from those permeations of those thoughts.
“It was only a couple of weeks ago that a young 19-year-old was actually arrested for perpetrating an attack on a mosque, and it sort of brings the worst out of some people, but it’s good that the police were on to it and they caught the person."
It’s been just shy of one year since the massacre, and the community is still coping. (Source: Other)
Mr Foon said the Muslim community is "always on high alert and high anxiety" over anti-Muslim views.
"They report to me and they tell me that there are always anti-Islamic stuff happening on the web, and even with the Jewish community with the swastikas and that sort of stuff.
"It’s important for the nation to be upstanding, that we stand up to this nonsense, this hate. We must do that, and the nation has my back.”
Neighbour Len Peneha saved five people on March 15 last year. (Source: Other)
He said the Muslim community has a "high resolve to "contribute to our country and they want to live here peacefully".
"It’s important that we all support each other in that nation of a harmonious community right throughout New Zealand."
Mr Foon said while the hate which led to the March 15 Christchurch terrorist attacks must be tackled by countries around the world, it “still comes back to home”.
“The actions still needs to be back at home to offer kindness, to share our stories, to invite people in the Muslim community to open their doors, say, ‘Come to our mosque and see and take away those stereotypes, those unconscious biased thoughts that we’ve all had in the past in terms of what we perceive people to be, and learn more about it.’
“It’s great that we’re actually learning more and being more confident each day about each other.”
Sarah Rowlands was welcomed into the mosques at the centre of the March 15 terrorist attack with the photographs to go in a new exhibition in the city. (Source: Other)
He said a lot of violence and hatred “absolutely” comes from fear of the unknown.
“Confidence dealing with authority is very important, so the government departments need to be very responsive. I mean, we’ve had Dame Susan [Devoy] bringing the voices of the Muslim community to the government departments and it wasn’t really listened to, and now we, unfortunately, had that situation of the murders in Christchurch.
“We need to be vigilant all the time.”
The Remembrance Service will be broadcast live on TVNZ 1 and 1NEWS.co.nz from 3pm on Sunday.
SHARE ME