Leadership of Bulgaria’s Muslim community condemns terrorist attacks in Christchurch
The office of the Chief Mufti, spiritual leader of Bulgaria’s Muslim community, has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks on mosques in the New Zealand city of Christchurch.
Acts of violence against innocent people, regardless of religious, ethnic and cultural differences, were unacceptable and profoundly reprehensible, the Chief Mufti’s office said on March 15.
“These brutal acts bring incurable wounds to human civilization and compromise the pursuit of peaceful coexistence,” the statement said.
“Once again, we have witnessed a serious crime hatred of hatred and xenophobia,” the statement by the Bulgarian Chief Mufti’s office said.
The statement said that heedless speech by politicians to extract political dividends, the use of hate speech, and opens calls for division in society by far-right and far-left organisations over the past 10 to 15 years were “bearing fruit”.
“A huge burden lies on the mass media, the public and the intellectuals who shape public opinion, but unfortunately the failure is in all directions in terms of humanism and human rights,” Bulgaria’s Chief Mufti’s office said.
It said that from the “manifesto” that had emerged amid the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, “we understand that it is strongly influenced by the Balkans and Europe, and we all know that the Balkans is a powderkeg”.
This was a reference to the so-called “manifesto” making reference to conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims in the history of the Balkans.
“In view of this, we, living for centuries in these lands, are obliged to preserve the good tone, coexistence and peace of the world for our children and future generations.
“Hatred, hostility, justification of hatred, racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia or other forms of hatred based on intolerance and discrimination create walls among people, fuel prejudice and lead to severe consequences,” the Chief Mufti’s office said.
“Political and media propaganda based on hatred and racism, provokes violence against certain people, and unfortunately there are always people who are affected by it.”
The Bulgarian Chief Mufti’s office conveyed its sincere condolences to the families of the dead and wished a speedy recovery to the wounded, while expressing solidarity and sympathy with all Muslims in New Zealand and prayers for great forbearance.
(Photo, of the Banya Bashi mosque in Sofia: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
