Symposium in Turkish capital marks third anniversary of New Zealand terror attacks

By Fuat Kabakci

ANKARA (AA) - A symposium in Turkiye’s capital Ankara was held to mark the third anniversary of terror attacks at two mosques in New Zealand that killed 51 people.

On March 15, 2019, Brenton Tarrant, an Australian white supremacist, killed his victims and injured 40 others at the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Islamic Centre in Christchurch.

He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole last year in the first such ruling ever handed down on the island nation.

Organized by the International Knowledge and Perception Association and Haci Bayram Veli University under the auspices of Turkiye’s Culture and Tourism Ministry, the “Hello Brother: World Peace Symposium” was attended by victims’ families and activists.

“The 15th of March 2019, marks the dark day in history around the world,” said Yama Nabi, son of Davud Nabi who greeted the shooter at the gate of the mosque with, “Welcome brother.”

“Fifty-one martyrs showed the beauty of Islam,” said Nabi, who was a guest of honor at the symposium.

“Hello brother, was the last words of my father to the shooter. This is what we represent,” he added.

Activist Osama Qashoo said being discriminated against puts Muslims in a powerful position. “That is something that should empower us and make us unique,” he said.

Qashoo said he is in favor of action and information is nothing without action.

“There is Islamophobia. There is injustice. There is prejudice. What are we going to do about it? Very easy and very simple. Action,” he said. “You can take action if you're a butcher, if you're a farmer, if you're a teacher, if you are an imam, if you are a student, if you are disabled, if you're able, you can take any action.”