Christchurch mosque shootings: Whanganui Muslim community still heartened by local support

The Whanganui community held a vigil for victims of the Christchurch terror attacks at the Handspan peace sculpture at Pukenamu Queenspark. Photo / Lewis Gardner

ChCHStrap

One year on from the Christchurch mosque shootings, Whanganui Muslims are still feeling supported by the community, Imam Mukarram Mairaj says.

"The outpourings of love from the community really helped us come to terms with what had happened," he said.

After Whanganui people learned of the attacks a year ago tomorrow, many bouquets and messages were placed at the Masjid-E-Bilal mosque in Whanganui East.

Nga Tangata Tiaki o Whanganui led a dawn karakia where people of all races and religions gathered at Putiki to send thoughts, prayers and intentions to those afflicted in Christchurch and a peace vigil was held at the Handspan peace sculpture in Pukenamu Queenspark.

Mairaj, who is president of the Islamic Association of Whanganui, said he is still heartened to remember how the community rallied around local Muslims.

"It is still a concern that something like that could have happened in New Zealand and it was disturbing to learn about a masked man making threats outside the Al-Noor mosque in Christchurch last week."

As a doctor working at Whanganui Hospital, Mairaj says he struggles to understand bigotry.

"When I attend to a person's medical needs I don't think about their beliefs or their race," he said.

"I just think of them as human and I can't understand how a person could feel such hatred towards other members of humanity."

The anniversary of the terror attacks coincides with Race Unity Week and New Zealand's Race Relations Commissioner, Meng Foon is visiting Whanganui this weekend will be a guest in the UCOL atrium on Saturday morning.

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