The myth of white genocide in South Africa has fuelled far-right violence the world over, including the attack on Christchurch’s mosques. Ross Webb calls on his fellow South Africans to stop helping those who perpetuate the myth and who use South Africa to support their deluded fantasies. Lusaka, 1986 In 1986, a New Zealand man … Read more
Neighbours Day Aotearoa, the annual celebration of neighbourhoods and the power of human connection, starts this weekend. It’s a timely reminder of the big rewards that can come from small gestures, writes Sarah Lang. I have a confession to make. I don’t know the names of my next-door neighbours on the left-hand side. I do … Read more
Will a large scale gun buyback and subsequent arms control help prevent future massacres? We can look to Australia for inspiration, writes University of South Australia professor Rick Sarre. As she foreshadowed in the aftermath of the Christchurch massacre last Friday, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just announced a ban in that country on … Read more
The media needs to take some responsibility for the prejudice that Muslims and other minorities have faced in New Zealand, writes Shilo Kino. I became a journalist for all the wrong reasons. Honestly, I just wanted to interview famous people. As a kid I would cut out faces of the Backstreet Boys and stick them … Read more
Al Noor Mosque Imam Gamal Fouda today spoke to thousands of people of all faiths at Friday prayers in Hagley Park, a week after the terrorist attack in which many of his worshippers were murdered. Below, an abridged transcript of what he said. Last Friday I stood in this mosque and saw hatred and rage … Read more
Some have argued that non-Muslim women wearing headscarves today is a tokenistic gesture, or that the hijab itself is oppressive to women. Mahvash Ali, an associate producer for The Project NZ on Three, has this to say in response. Every time I get a call I stick my phone in my hijab and go about my … Read more
Literal fake news is fuelling attempts to divide New Zealand’s religious communities, writes Aaron Hendry, an Auckland youth worker and Christian. In the wake of Friday’s horrific attack there is no doubt that New Zealand has changed. But perhaps one of the most welcome changes to emerge from the shock and horror is the overwhelming … Read more
The fifth work in Yona Lee’s In Transit series is currently exhibiting at Wellington’s City Gallery. Megan Dunn writes on the aspirations of the piece and how comfortably it sits in a gallery context. On a Sunday afternoon I opened my laptop and sat in In Transit, the most ambitious and nimble exhibition on in the country … Read more
The sudden closure of Wellington’s Central Library was a shock to residents in the capital. Gem Wilder reflects on her love for the library and her hopes for its future. I received the news via the Wellington City Council twitter account, posted at 2:50pm on Tuesday afternoon: Wellington’s Central Library building will be closed from 8.30pm … Read more
The removal of extremist content alone isn’t going to solve the problem of right-wing terrorism. Instead, we need to harness new technology to find such individuals early and intervene. Last week, 50 lives in Christchurch were lost in another act of terrorism by a white nationalist. This follows 11 dead in Pittsburgh. Nine dead in … Read more
This Race Relations Day, we call on all New Zealanders to take time out of their day to reflect. To stand united in mourning with victims of Christchurch, write Pancha Narayanan president of Multicultural New Zealand, and Paul Hunt, the chief human rights commissioner We are all in sorrow and mourning with the loss of our … Read more
I want to forgive, but right now all I feel is anger, writes Lamia Imam. إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ – inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un – we belong to Allah and to Allah we shall return. This is what Muslims say to one another when they hear news about someone who has died. I’ve … Read more
Australia has had no mass shootings since the 1996 massacre in Tasmania. Not one. New Zealand has much to learn from Australian gun laws, an expert says. US late night talk show host John Oliver took a short break from poking fun at New Zealand this week to praise the country for its collective strength … Read more
Yesterday it emerged that 10 years of public documents from NZ spy agencies contained zero mentions of rightwing extremism. Yet narratives invoking racialised fears and myths of Pakeha superiority run deep, writes criminologist Elizabeth Stanley We have officially experienced two acts of terrorism in New Zealand. The first was the bombing of the Greenpeace Rainbow … Read more
Almost as soon as police arrested the Christchurch shooter, conspiracy theories began proliferating. Those narratives are perilous and self-perpetuating. Friday’s mass shooting, which led to 50 deaths and just as many injured, prompted an outpouring of grief and aroha for the country’s Muslim community. It has also been the subject of conspiracy theory after conspiracy … Read more
As Christchurch tries to come to terms with the atrocity perpetrated at the Al Noor and Linwood Mosques, the people who call the city home have found novel ways to support those who are affected. James Dann talked to a few of the helpers. Charmed Flowers Ginny Fagan, the owner of Charmed Flowers, lives in … Read more
The terrorist is clearly an extremist, but it is an unfair leap to assume we can blame mental illness for his actions, writes Shaun Robinson of the Mental Health Foundation Following Friday’s appalling terrorist attack, the Mental Health Foundation has been disappointed but unsurprised to see some people speculating the terrorist must have been mentally … Read more
Over recent days, Jacinda Ardern has been acclaimed internationally for her response to the atrocity in Christchurch. Below, a selection of statements that have resonated “It is clear that this can now only be described as a terrorist attack.” – Press conference, a few hours after the attack, March 15 “[March 15] will now be … Read more
In New Zealand we’re waiting to see if the all-powerful Facebook boss means what he says about ‘moral responsibility’, writes Toby Manhire More than four days have passed since the world’s weakest man launched an assault that took the lives of 50 people at prayer in Christchurch. He did it with a camera stuck to … Read more
An open letter from the CEOs of Spark, Vodafone and 2degrees to the global CEOs of Facebook, Twitter and Google To: Mark Zuckerberg, Chairman and CEO, Facebook Jack Dorsey, CEO, Twitter Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google A call from the companies providing internet access for the great majority of New Zealanders, to the companies with the … Read more
In the first address to parliament since Friday’s terrorist attack on Christchurch, Jacinda Ardern paid tribute to the Muslim community and pledged to deny the perpetrator the notoriety he craves Al salam Alaikum. Peace be upon you. And peace be upon all of us. The 15th of March will now forever be a day etched … Read more
If you’re still feeling down in the wake of the horrific events of Friday, you’re not alone. Here are some simple ways to care for yourself and others. It’s been a horrific few days in New Zealand. People have been affected in different ways, but for many of us, our reaction to the events of … Read more
At any time, but especially as New Zealand’s Muslim and migrant communities recoil from an inhuman attack, you can play a role, writes Lucy Lawless I wrote this in Nov 2018 and am now infuriated and ashamed that I didn’t get it published. Want to know how to actually be part of a healing process? … Read more
Calls to foreground the voices and perspectives of our Muslim community in the days following the Christchurch attacks have been heeded by many newsrooms, but are all too soon drowned out again by the sheer number of headlines. Here we’ve highlighted Muslim voices from across the media in the wake of the white supremacist terror … Read more
History has shown us time and again how atrocity begins with cheap opportunistic hate speech against minorities. It has to stop in New Zealand, now, said refugee and MP Golriz Ghahraman in a speech at the Aotea Square rally on Saturday. Below, an edited transcript E nga mana, e nga reo, e nga karangatanga maha. … Read more
After the vigils, the flowers, the messages, and the grief, what happens next? Donna Miles-Mojab, an Iranian New Zealander based in Christchurch, has a list of simple yet practical steps all New Zealanders can take. Let’s all stand “shoulder to shoulder” and circle the mosque, a friend writes. He suggests we should build a human wall, “a … Read more
The words of the Christchurch gunman were vile, vicious and unhinged. What they were not was shocking. In fact, they were ordinary, recycled lines from the political mainstream, writes Mehdi Hasan in this post originally published at the Intercept “IT’S THE BIRTHRATES.” So begins the online manifesto of the man accused of shooting and killing at least … Read more
In the wake of the Christchurch terrorist attacks, there’s been an outpouring of support from all over New Zealand and around the world. Here, a selection of the best images (including several from our Spinoff readers). This post will be updated with new images over the week. If you have any photos from NZ/around the … Read more
Wellingtonians gathered at the Basin Reserve last night to mourn the loss of 50 lives, grieve together, and stand against terrorism, Islamophobia and white supremacy, reports Emily Writes. Many wore white. Many cried. There were many tamariki there, in the sunshine, sitting quietly on the laps of their parents. A young girl stood at one of the entrances … Read more