The Muslim community is being targeted by a pamphlet’s malicious misinformation, says the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ).
The pamphlet claims Wellington City Council wants mosques to broadcast the Islamic Call To Prayer throughout the city.
The Better Wellington campaign group behind the pamphlet expected 80,000 of them to be delivered this week – but posties are refusing to do so.
What the pamphlet says
The pamphlet asserts that “the Council wants the city’s six mosques to broadcast the Islamic Call to Prayer across the city”.
Not true, FIANZ’s Abdur Razzaq said. In fact Better Wellington’s statement was so far from the truth that he initially thought it was a prank.
But it’s not a joke though. It’s not even just misinformation. “It’s malicious misinformation” Razzaq said.
What the Muslim community actually asked for
Razzaq said Wellington’s Islamic Association had approached the Council on 15 March about the possibility of broadcasting the adhān, or call to prayer.
The adhān was to commemorate the 51 people who were murdered in the Christchurch mosque attacks in 2019.
It was to be a one-off adhān and the Muslim community has no desire to do it more often than this, he says.
Better Wellington’s statement reinforces anti-Islamist sentiment and risks provoking others into action.
“This is not free speech. Coming out and telling this kind of lie and trying to incite hatred against a community. It’s wrong, plain and simple. They should actually apologise” Razzaq said.
Better Wellington’s view
A Better Wellington supporter disagrees the pamphlet risked calling up anti-Islamic sentiment.
It just regurgitates media reports about Wellington Council and the Call to Prayer.
He said “left wing” councillors are undermining Better Wellington’s efforts, in order to distract the public from the other issues.
“It could be an Anglican faith having hallelujah doing the same thing. We’re a secular organisation and a secular country. We take no position in regard to Islam or any religion or faith.”
Posties refuse delivery
National co-president of the Postal Workers Union, John Maynard said the Union supports the posties who refused to deliver the pamphlet.
“We considered that New Zealand Post has an obligation under the State Owned Enterprises Act to exhibit a sense of social responsibility in regard to the interests of the community and we think they [Better Wellington] are doing exactly the opposite …” Maynard said.
Leaflets are not posted into boxes which show a No Circular notice unless they are from a government authority – though posties were asked to deliver the pamphlet to everyone.
ACT Party leader David Seymour doesn’t think the Postal Union has the right to choose whether or not to deliver items.
“People have a right to express themselves … It is absolutely not the right of any union to tell the public what they can and can’t hear” Seymour said.
Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau told RNZ she is proud of Postal Union members who refused to deliver the pamphlets.
She will be seeking advice about how best to deal with a growing disinformation problem.
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