2 minute read
Muslim Views. April 2019
Floods devastateMozambique
Advertisement
Vol. 33 No. 3 SHA’BAAN 1440 l APRIL 2019
IN the aftermath of the terrorist attack by a white supremacist on two mosques in Christchurch, which killed 50 people, a powerful message against racism marked the solidarity demonstrations as New Zealanders stood with the Muslims, the broader immigrant community and the Maori people. On Sunday, March 24, a protest against racism in Auckland alone drew 12 000 people. South African-born labour activist, Anna Majavu, who was part of the march, said that while much of the media – and picture – focus has been on Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, ‘it is important to make the point that solidarity is from the ground up’. As can be seen from the poster displayed, the message of the protests went beyond showing sympathy; it affirmed the rights of all communities, including the indigenous people of Aotearoa (the Maori name for New Zealand). See pages 3 and 11
ONE of a number of villages that were left completely submerged after Cyclone Idai made landfall on the night of March 14 near the port city of Beira, in Mozambique. The cyclone went on to wreak destruction in Zimbabwe and Malawi. According to government and United Nations officials, the death toll at the time of going to press was 447 dead in Mozambique, 179 in Zimbabwe and 60 in Malawi. Mozambique bore the brunt of the cyclone’s force which injured 1 500 people, destroyed or damaged 33 600 houses and wiped out 500 000 hectares of crops. A total of 1,85 million people were affected.
Dr Qasim Bhorat, who led the medical team of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, was on the SANDF helicopter that helped to evacuate people trapped in this flooded area and relocated them to the government clinic at Gwaragwara. In a moving account of his experience, he said, ‘The aftermath of the cyclone and flooding is not merely a physical one with only injuries and illness but also a deeply emotional one for the many victims.’ He added that, due to limited capacity, rescuers and medical personnel had to make some difficult choices during the evacuation process. Photo GIFT OF THE GIVERS FOUNDATION
3
Lessons in dignity from NZ tragedy
