We should listen to the victims

The Herald reports:

Members of the Muslim community are unhappy about a planned service to mark one year since the Christchurch terror attack. …

A service will be held in Christchurch on March 15, the anniversary of the attack that left 51 people dead and many more injured at the Al Noor and Linwood mosques.

The Christchurch City Council said it had been in touch with those affected since October as part of organising the event.

However, Otago Muslim Association president Mohammed Rizwan said many of the victims and their families were not consulted about the service, and were unhappy it was going ahead.

Other Muslim associations have also distanced themselves from commemorative services.

Part of the issue was that in Islamic culture, marking anniversaries was not typically done, Rizwan said.

If anniversaries are not done in Islamic culture, why are we forcing one on the victims and their families?

He said those affected were “just informed” that a service would be happening, rather than being consulted about whether they wanted one.

“If you talk to the victims and families of the victims, most of them will tell you, they don’t want it.

“They just want to move on; they don’t want to remember it again.”

I can understand that.