Christchurch terror Nation to fall silent in honour of dead

Vigils planned across NZ as grieving Muslim community holds first funerals

New Zealanders are being asked to observe twominutes’ silence tomorrow to remember the victims and survivors of the attacks in Christchurch.

It will be one week tomorrow since 50 people lost their lives and just as many suffered gunshot wounds in the mosque assaults. The exact time of the commemoration is yet to be announced. A call to prayer is to be broadcast on Radio NZ and TVNZ on Friday.

The gesture is being organised following the first funerals in Christchurch of the shooting victims.

Hundreds of men, women and children gathered at the service yesterday morning — some hugged, others reflected. Four more funerals followed later in the evening.

Earlier in the day, Police Commissioner Mike Bush said 21 victims had been formally identified and were in the process of being released to their families.

By late yesterday, 30 bodies had been returned to their loved ones.

Bush acknowledged the time it had taken, but said it was vital to ensure absolute accuracy in the identification process and for prosecution.

The grieving Muslim community suffered a further blow when a man returning to work after helping affected relatives in Christchurch died in a car accident about 3am yesterday. His vehicle left the road near Palmerston, north of Dunedin.

He was a halal butcher at a Silver Fern Farms plant, and his workmates, devastated by the shooting atrocity, were left reeling from the cruel tragedy.

In Christchurch, while hundreds went to the Memorial Park Cemetery burials, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern paid a visit to Cashmere High.

The school lost Year 10 student Sayyad Milne and Year 12 student Hamza Mustafa last Friday.

Ardern shared an embrace with Bri, a Year 9 student, who opened a question and answer session by asking the Prime Minister: “How are you?”

“I am very sad,” Ardern replied. She also told the pupils: “It’s okay to grieve, it’s okay to ask for help.

“I also know a lot of people . . . will be feeling a sense of helplessness. [Asking] ‘what can we do?’

“Never underestimate the power of just sending a message, looking out for someone, performing a haka. There is power in that.”

Ardern also preached an intolerance for racism in New Zealand and cautioned the students about the perils of social media.

“Racism breeds extremism. Let

New Zealand be a place where there is no tolerance of racism, ever.”

In a later address, Ardern said she had felt the grief of the nation, but had a duty to keep going.

She said if the imam at the Deans Ave Mosque could continue to be a leader of the community, then she could too.

Ardern also met with first responders, briefly speaking with them individually.

“I saw you moving with speed, pace and care,” she said. “I have no doubt that you have saved lives.”

Bush said said it took 21 minutes until the gunman was arrested and was stopped from causing any further harm to the public.

At the accused’s next court appearance on April 5, there would “undoubtedly be more charges” laid.

Meanwhile, Green MP Golriz Ghahraman — a refugee to New Zealand — said MPs and breakfast “shock jocks” are among those responsible for the hate speech that led to the mosque shootings.

Ghahraman used a condolence speech in Parliament yesterday to criticise other MPs.

“The truth is that this happened here, and it began with hate speech, allowed to spread [online]. History has taught us that hate speech is a slippery slope to atrocity,” she said.

“The truth is that we as politicians, and I mean on all sides of this House, are also responsible.”

Ghahraman said it needed to be acknowledged racism existed here.

“I know it as my daily truth as a politician. I receive the threats — the death threats, the rape threats, and the threats of gun violence, online.

“Every minority in New Zealand knows this as a little bit of our truth. So now we have to pause and listen.”

Today, March 21, marks Race Relations Day.

Pancha Narayanan, national president of Multicultural NZ, said: “Let us mark this important day by remembering those who died; learn their names and their stories; and honour their lives and their legacies.”