New Year Honours: Mazhar Krasniqi

By AINSLEY THOMSON

Mazhar Krasniqi, called the father of the New Zealand's Albanian community and a tireless worker for refugees' rights, has been awarded the Queen's Service Medal for community service.

When Mr Krasniqi arrived in New Zealand as a political refugee more than 50 years ago he had nothing but the clothes he was wearing.

He worked the length of the country in jobs such as farm work and helping to build the Meremere power station.

Eventually Mr Krasniqi settled in Panmure with his wife and three children, setting up a restaurant and later a successful export business.

The 71-year-old has established himself as a leader in the Muslim and Albanian communities.

Yesterday, from his son's house on the Gold Coast, he said he was surprised and flattered by the award.

"To have this honour is a great surprise, it really shocked me."

He said New Zealand was a great country, which had welcomed him as a refugee and allowed him to make his home.

Despite immigration tensions, Mr Krasniqi believes New Zealand is still the same welcoming country and a model of democracy and freedom.



During the 1960s and 70s Mr Krasniqi worked to unite Muslim immigrant groups, and helped to organise anti-Soviet Union protests.

He has stayed involved in refugee issues, acting as an advocate for migrants from Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, and in 1999 during the Kosovo crisis he successfully lobbied the Government to accept around 600 refugees.

In 1979, Mr Krasniqi became the first president of the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand - an organisation that he was instrumental in establishing. He was also one of the founders of New Zealand's first mosque in Ponsonby.

He is president of the Albanian Civic League of New Zealand, and helped establish New Zealand's Halal meat exports to the Middle East.

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