11 July 05

Waitakere muslims must not be punished for the evil of fanatics half a world away says Mayor Harvey

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey has appealed for tolerance towards Waitakere’s muslim community, in the wake of attacks on mosques in parts of Auckland region over the weekend.

“Islam is a religion of peace and muslims are peaceful people. They are as shocked and horrified by what has happened in London, as the rest of us and they must not become a target for hate and spite,” says Mayor Harvey.

“The terrorists who attacked London, Bali, Madrid and New York, did not care who got killed. They knew that the trains, buildings and buses and streets in all those places, were swarming with jews, hindus, muslims, christians, buddhists and people without a religious belief.

“Their true evil is that they hate everybody,” Mr Harvey says. “Peaceful, decent honest, humane muslims are no safer than the rest of us.

“The muslims we see in Waitakere City who clearly had no connection with the London bombs. The followers of the prophet Mohammed in Waitakere, are people who want to build cross-cultural communities and share their faith and contribute to a richer, more diverse, city.

“I appeal to all the people of this city not to punish our fellow New Zealanders for the random violence of a few fanatical, evil, individuals half a world away. That must not happen,” says Mayor Harvey.

ENDS

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