New Zealand's Indian community unites in condemning Kashmir terror attacks
About a hundred people gathered at Auckland's Aotea Square on Thursday evening for a candlelight vigil expressing solidarity with victims of a
terror attack in Indian-administered Kashmir
, which took place on Tuesday afternoon India time.
At least two dozen people died after gunmen opened fired on tourists near the picturesque town of Pahalgam in the Himalayas.
Foreign Minister Winston Peters strongly condemned the terror attacks in a social media post.
The post said, "New Zealand strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Kashmir. We send our deepest condolences to the victims, their families and to the Indian people. We stand with our Indian friends at this difficult time."
Meanwhile, organisers at the vigil shared the reason for the gathering.
"We have come together to pay our respects to the victims and condemn the terror attacks which has really shaken us," main organiser Rahul Chopra said.
"[The victims] were a bunch of tourists who had gone there just to enjoy and now they are not coming back home. As all of us are Indians at heart, we have come together to stand in solidarity with our homeland."
Dr Primla Khar, who works as a GP in South Auckland and comes from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, broke down while sharing her emotions at the vigil.
"What happened in Kashmir this week has brought back memories of utterly senseless violence, which we Kashmiris have faced for decades.
"We have gathered here today to tell our motherland India that we are with you, no matter what," Khar said.
Rahul Chopra is the organiser of the vigil.
Photo:
RNZ / Blessen Tom
Former MPs Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Mahesh Bindra called on the Indian government to take appropriate actions against the terrorists who have killed innocent people.
"The mood today, of every Indian, is that people responsible for this should be brought to justice. As simple as that," Bakshi said.
"What I want to say to the terrorists of this world, whoever they are, wherever they are, that they are dealing with this new India. And when this new India retaliate, it's going to hurt," Bindra added.
Meanwhile, ACT MP Parmjeet Parmar in a statement expressed deep sorrow at "this senseless violence".
"Every human being has inherent dignity and deserves to live in peace. Disputes must be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy - not through cowardly acts of brutality," Parmar said.
President of the New Zealand Indian Central Association Veer Khar said, "The Kiwi Indian community is with the people of India in this hour of extreme pain and anguish".
A poster listing the names of the victims of the Kashmir terror attack in India.
Photo:
RNZ / Blessen Tom
Supreme Sikh Society of New Zealand also "condemned the killing of innocent individuals in the strongest possible terms".
"It is imperative to question who is behind this and what the motive could be," president of the Supreme Sikh Society Daljit Singh said.
"Such acts are beyond human conscience. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families, and we stand with them in this difficult time."
The Hindu Council of New Zealand called on the international community "to take unequivocal stands against such acts of violence".
"Terrorism must never be rationalised, justified or relativised based on political or ideological motives.
"Any form of violence against civilians, especially when driven by religious or ethnic hatred, must be denounced in the strongest possible terms," a spokesperson of the Hindu Council of New Zealand said.
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