New Zealand Jewish Council condemns comments targeting Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities
The New Zealand Jewish Council has condemned recent comments by Brian Tamaki targeting New Zealand’s Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities.
Tamaki is the founder and leader of Destiny Church, a conservative Pentecostal church based in Auckland.
In a Facebook post on 18 June, Tamaki called for New Zealand to be “purged” of Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims and raised the prospect of burning mosques and temples as “tit for tat” retaliation for alleged attacks on Christians and churches in India. His comments came ahead of an expected visit by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Brian Tamaki (photo: Wikimedia)
The council said New Zealand was a diverse and pluralistic society built on the principles of religious freedom, mutual respect and equal citizenship.
“Calls to exclude, marginalise or vilify people because of their faith or ethnicity have no place in our national discourse,” it said.
The council said the Jewish community could not remain silent when any religious or ethnic minority was targeted.
“We know from our own history that prejudice directed at one community rarely ends there. When hostility towards any group is normalised, it undermines the security and wellbeing of all communities.”
Ben Kepes is spokesperson for the New Zealand Jewish Council
It expressed solidarity with New Zealand’s Hindu, Sikh and Muslim communities and affirmed their right to practise their faiths freely, openly and without fear.
“These communities are valued and respected members of New Zealand society whose contributions enrich our country in countless ways,” the council said.
It said that at a time when tensions and divisions were being amplified around the world, New Zealanders should seek common ground rather than deepen fault lines.
“Public figures and community leaders have a responsibility to choose their words carefully and promote understanding rather than division.”
The council described religious freedom as a cornerstone of a democratic and inclusive society that protected people of all faiths and none.
“Defending that principle requires us to speak out consistently whenever a religious or ethnic minority is singled out because of its beliefs or identity.”
The New Zealand Jewish Council joined faith leaders and community organisations across the country in rejecting rhetoric that fostered hostility between communities.
It encouraged New Zealanders to uphold the values of respect, tolerance and peaceful coexistence that had long served the nation well.
“New Zealand’s strength lies not in uniformity, but in our ability to live together despite our differences,” the council said.
“We remain committed to working with all communities to combat antisemitism, racism and religious intolerance in all their forms.”
