Photo by: Gary Raynaldo /  United Nations World Headquarters in New York City USA

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The United Nations  Secretary-General António Guterres  urged the international community to ‘stand united against anti-Muslim hatred’ following a mass shooting in New Zealand on Friday targeting two mosques, which has left at least 49 dead and many others wounded, some critically. New Zealand law enforcement is holding four people — three men and one woman — in connection to the massacre, including an Australian man who’s been charged with murder. That suspect appears to have posted a manifesto online just before the shooting in which he attacked non-white immigrants as “invaders” and expressed hopes of starting a global race war, according to media reports. 

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I’m saddened & strongly condemn the shooting of innocent people as they prayed peacefully in mosques in New Zealand. I express my deepest condolences to the victims’ families. Today and every day, we must stand united against anti-Muslim hatred, & all forms of bigotry & terror.”

UN Secretary-General Guterres said via twitter

Photo by: Gary Raynaldo / Secretary-General António Guterres

In a statement issued later Friday morning, the UN’s Spokesperson said Guterres was ‘shocked and appalled’ by the terrorist attack, recalling the “sanctity of mosques, and all places of worship. He calls upon all people on this holy day for Muslims, to show signs of solidarity with the bereaved Islamic community.”

 Shootings at Christchurch mosques are only the latest on a long list of acts of white supremacist terrorism in the West

“Today’s New Zealand mosque shootings, which killed at least 49 people and were allegedly carried out by white supremacists, are only the latest on a long list of recent acts of white supremacist terrorism. Despite the growing and constant threat, Western governments have failed to adequately address the danger of white supremacy,”

wrote Mohamad Elmasry,  an Associate Professor of Media and Cultural Studies at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, in opinion piece for  Aljazeera.com . 

U.N. Security Council Denounces Deadly New Zealand Terror Attack 

credit:  /toronto.consulfrance.org/  U.N. Security Council President François Delattre (France)

Also on Friday, the U.N. Security Council issued a statement condemning “in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly terrorist attack that took place at Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in Christchurch.”  Security Council President François Delattre (France) said in the statement:

“The members of the Security Council reiterated that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.  They reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.”

Ambassador Delattre also stated that the members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.