Flowers laid in the wake of the Christchurch mosque attack on March 15, 2019. (File photo)
Two years after a terrorist killed 51 people and injured dozens at two Christchurch mosques, victims and their families are still struggling with the wide-ranging impacts of the horrific attack. MARINÉ LOURENS reports. Since March 15, 2019 a terrorist has been jailed for life, a royal commission of inquiry completed, the Ministry for Ethnic Communities is close to being established, police’s response to hate crimes strengthened, programmes implemented to prevent terrorist and violent extremism, the Christchurch Call signed by 48 countries, and New Zealand has decided to join the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime.
Joseph Johnson/Stuff
The government has announced new initiatives to support the survivors, families of victims, and others affected by the terror attack on two Christchurch mosques on March 15, 2019. (File photo)
A fund to strengthen victims and families’ input into the government’s implementation of the Royal Commission of Inquiry recommendations is among new initiatives announced on the eve of the second anniversary of the Christchurch terror attack The announcement came alongside a new report summarising community feedback from 33 nationwide hui (meetings) with Muslims and other faith and ethnic groups earlier this year to identify their key concerns and priorities.
Muslim groups are calling for more action and accountability over the mosque attacks in a new report out today.
They want immediate action on a dozen of the Royal Commission s 44 recommendations including mandatory reporting of firearm injuries and better training in security agencies.
The 42-page report from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ) is in response to the government s series of 28 hui nationwide last month.
Some Muslims have dismissed these hui as a talkfest, but others appreciated government ministers turning up.
The report calls for the urgent setting up of a network to help victims, and for amending the Public Finance Act to require the security services to undergo performance audits.
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