The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution that strongly condemns continuing violence and acts of terrorism targeting individuals, including persons belonging to religious minorities, based on religion or belief, Xinhua News Agency reported.
In the wake of the horrific attack at two New Zealand mosques, in which 50 people were killed and 50 others injured in March, the assembly yesterday convened the meeting and adopted the anti-hate resolution, titled "Combating terrorism and other acts of violence based on religion or belief."
The assembly condemned "in the strongest terms" the heinous, cowardly terrorist attack aimed at Muslim worshippers in Christchurch, and expressed its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and the people of that country.
The assembly urged all countries to protect and promote freedom of religion and belief and to foster a domestic environment of religious tolerance, peace and respect.
Introducing the resolution, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told the assembly that the international community "must stand up against the spiral of hate".
Sending condolences to the families of the Muslims who were killed in Christchurch in a terrorist attack, Cavusoglu said that "Islamophobia and racism go hand in hand".
The draft of the resolution proposed by Turkey declares that the member states are "deeply alarmed by all terrorist attacks against places of worship that are motivated by religious hatred, including anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim hatred."
New Zealand’s permanent representative to the UN, Craig J Hawke, told the meeting that after the horrific attack, New Zealand is taking action "to stop such a senseless attack in the future", including the announcement of "new, stronger gun control laws".
"All semi-automatic weapons used during the terrorist attack on March 15 will be banned.
"The government is addressing the role social media platforms played in these events, and is identifying steps we can take, including on the international stage, with our partners," Hawke said.
"Condemnations of violence and terrorism must now turn to a collective response. We all have a part to play. New Zealand is committed to turning our despair into meaningful action," he noted.
- Bernama
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