The Independent Industrialists and Businessmen Association (MÜSİAD) released a message of condemnation in 35 languages following the terrorist acts that took place in New Zealand on 15 March 2019
MÜSİAD, which since the first day it began its activities has taken a stand in favour of brotherhood and peace, standing against the oppressor and alongside the oppressed, carried out a series of activities in order to demonstrate a common stance following the terrorist acts that took place in New Zealand on 15 March 2019.
As Türkiye's most widespread NGO in the world with 223 contact points in 93 countries, MÜSİAD mobilized its organizational network across the whole world simultaneously after the events, and conducted public diplomacy by contacting press organizations and public counterparts through its branches abroad in order to draw attention to the anti-Islam and anti-Muslim aggressive attitudes and to raise awareness on a global scale.
MÜSİAD, which issued press statements all over the world, primarily in Asia, Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America and America, signed a message of condemnation in 35 languages consisting of English, German, Arabic, Georgian, Malay, Uzbek, Chinese, Kazakh, Hindi, Azerbaijani, French, Greek, Macedonian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Bosnian, Indonesian, Sawihi, Russian, Portuguese, Spanish, Hausa, Persian, Lingola, Dutch, Japanese, Hausa, Kiswahili, Sri Lankan, Urdu, Danish, Kyrgyz, Tatar, Hungarian and Turkmen.
Support Was Provided to the Relatives of the Martyrs and the Wounded
On the day following the attack, the MÜSİAD delegation, led by MÜSİAD Sydney President Hasan Gençtürk, visited the Turkish citizens receiving treatment in hospital and contacted the families of Zekariya Tuya, Mustafa Boztaş and Temel Ataçocuğu, who were injured in the attack, offering them support.
Following the hospital visits, the MÜSİAD delegation went to the places where crisis desks had been set up and met with the Muslim leaders there, holding consultations on the assistance that needed to be provided.
On the second day of the attack, the MÜSİAD delegation met with Vice President Fuat Oktay and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşuğlu, who came to New Zealand in order to assist the Muslims, and subsequently met with the families of the Muslims injured in the attack.
The MÜSİAD delegation proposed to Minister of Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu that a “monument” be built for the Muslims martyred in the attack. A promise of support was received from Minister of Foreign Affairs Çavuşoğlu for the monument to be built under the leadership of MÜSİAD.
The Attacks Are Reflections of Islamophobia at the Level of Madness
President Abdurrahman Kaan, who made assessments regarding the attack, said,“It is essential for the peace of the entire world that this aggressive attitude, which is clearly being carried out in a planned and strategic manner, be prevented as soon as possible, and that islamophobia be treated and eliminated before it becomes chronic. In the face of this incident, we invite the presidents and representatives of all countries to adopt a collective stance and to condemn it in a manner that leaves no room for even the slightest doubt.”