14 September 2001

AMERICA'S TRAGEDY NO EXCUSE FOR RACIAL SLURS

United Future leader, Hon Peter Dunne, says the horrific terrorist attacks in the United States are no justification for increased racial tension in countries like New Zealand.

He says those who seek to manipulate the United States' tragedy for political advantage in this country by attacking various ethnic minorities are behaving in a despicable way.

"Nothing can ever condone the cruel barbarism inflicted upon the people of New York and Washington in any way, and no mercy should be shown the perpetrators of this unspeakable evil."

"The test for democratic, freedom loving people the world over is to respond to this crisis in a clam and determined manner, chillingly resolute in our commitment to root out the cancer of terrorism, but never to stoop to the level of the terrorists in doing so."

"Striking out recklessly and indiscriminately against ethnic minorities in this country for no other reason than the prospect of naked political advantage has no place in the response of civilised people to the current circumstances."

"Terrorism knows no boundaries and respects no ethnic or other origins."

"Its hallmark is its universal arrogance and callous indifference to suffering, not the colour of its skin, or the sound of its voice."

"Those who seek to stereotype terrorism or terrorists as being of one type or origin only, or who seek to milk bloodshed and brutality elsewhere for narrow political advantage in this country show those same vain characteristics that motivate the terrorists."

"Both their selfish interests first and those of wider humanity a distant second," Mr Dunne says.

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