Indian community seeks answers on violent attacks
Over 100 people including government ministers, MPs, the Mayor of Auckland, police officers and community leaders attended a meeting convened to mourn the death of Indian taxi driver Hiren Mohini at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Eden Terrace on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Mohini family and many of his taxi colleagues also attended. The New Zealand Central Indian Association (NZICA) and the Auckland Indian Association jointly convened the meeting.
Two weeks after the brutal killing of Hiren, the killer is still at large and the purpose of the meeting was to hear from political leaders and the police about the progress on the case and what the government proposed to do to prevent such incidents, Mr Ashok Darji, chairman of the law and order committee of the Auckland Indian Association said.
The proceedings began with prayers and a welcome by NZICA general secretary Veer Khar, Auckland Indian Association president Harshad Patel and Mr Darji. This was the seventh time that an Indian was killed while working at their jobs, Mr Darji said, recounting previous victims Naveenbhai Govind, Shiu Prasad, Navtej Singh, Sai Krishna Naidu, Baghubhai Waghela and Jasmatbhai Patel. The Indian community totally condemned these attacks and the meeting was to show solidarity among the people, Mr Darji said.
Minister of Social Development Pansy Wong, leader of the opposition Phil Goff, Members of Parliament Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Jackie Blue, and Rajen Prasad, Auckland Mayor John Banks and NZ Police Area Commander West, Jim Wilson addressed the gathering.
Ms Wong, Mr Goff – who served as Justice Minister in a previous Labour government – and Mr Banks called for law change. Ms Wong said that although the community was appreciative of the police, most people felt that the law did not match the seriousness of the crime.
Mr Banks was most vocal and said not enough had been done to address the deterioration of law and order. “The gangs are in charge of Auckland,” he said and recommended the strictest possible deterrent punishment for heinous crimes.
New Zealanders hadn’t condemned such criminal activity and the reasons that fuelled it – alcohol and drugs – loudly enough and until that was done, there was little hope he said.
The audience clapped and cheered when Mr Banks said nothing less than a life sentence would do for killers like those of Mr Mohini and other innocent victims.
Mr Bakshi and Mr Prasad, while outlining their own responses to the tragedy, also engaged in a bit of political debate about what the National and Labour governments had done (or not done) in regard to the law and order situation. Mr Darji requested speakers to stick to the subject and refrain from making political statements. Jackie Blue spoke briefly.
All the speakers singled out the NZ Police for praise for its efforts and community leaders said that people had great faith in the police department.
Co-op Taxi head Ian Graham said the tragedy had united taxi companies like never before. The 700-member strong Co-op Taxis had no communication with rival company Alert Taxis for seven years but the aftermath of Mr Mohini’s murder had brought the two companies together, he said.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce had met with concerned officials, ministers and taxi representatives and had asked government officials to revert with a plan for prevention of the repeat of such instances within four weeks, Mr Graham said.
Among options considered were close circuit cameras and shields. Drivers tended to prefer the shield option but the taxi men had agreed to abide by the ministry’s recommendations, he said. Co-op taxis was in the process of setting up a trust for the Mohini family which was expected to take about three weeks and funds for it are being collected in a special account. The account would be open for collection for another two weeks, Mr Graham said.
Police Area Commander for the western region Jim Wilson said his department was doing all it could and had employed the best resources for tracking down Mr Mohini’s killer. "I am unable to talk about specifics because it will come before the courts, but I can report that the investigation is moving forward," he said. A liaison officer, Neil Pimenta, had been assigned to assist the family, he added.
Other community leaders who spoke were GOPIO President Mr Bhatia, Anil Channa of the Manukau Indian Association, Roshan Nauhria of Bharatiya Samaj, Ramanbhai Ganda of the Auckland Indian Association, Cecil Ram Lochan, Raj Bedi of the NZ Sikh Society and NZICA vice president Paul Singh Bains. Also present was Wellington-based NZ Police ethnic affairs adviser Rakesh Naidoo.
Mr Bains the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the meeting that lasted over two-and-a-half hours.
Over 100 people including government ministers, MPs, the Mayor of Auckland, police officers and community leaders attended a meeting convened to mourn the death of Indian taxi driver Hiren Mohini at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Eden Terrace on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Mohini family and...
Over 100 people including government ministers, MPs, the Mayor of Auckland, police officers and community leaders attended a meeting convened to mourn the death of Indian taxi driver Hiren Mohini at the Mahatma Gandhi Centre in Eden Terrace on Sunday afternoon. Members of the Mohini family and many of his taxi colleagues also attended. The New Zealand Central Indian Association (NZICA) and the Auckland Indian Association jointly convened the meeting.
Two weeks after the brutal killing of Hiren, the killer is still at large and the purpose of the meeting was to hear from political leaders and the police about the progress on the case and what the government proposed to do to prevent such incidents, Mr Ashok Darji, chairman of the law and order committee of the Auckland Indian Association said.
The proceedings began with prayers and a welcome by NZICA general secretary Veer Khar, Auckland Indian Association president Harshad Patel and Mr Darji. This was the seventh time that an Indian was killed while working at their jobs, Mr Darji said, recounting previous victims Naveenbhai Govind, Shiu Prasad, Navtej Singh, Sai Krishna Naidu, Baghubhai Waghela and Jasmatbhai Patel. The Indian community totally condemned these attacks and the meeting was to show solidarity among the people, Mr Darji said.
Minister of Social Development Pansy Wong, leader of the opposition Phil Goff, Members of Parliament Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, Jackie Blue, and Rajen Prasad, Auckland Mayor John Banks and NZ Police Area Commander West, Jim Wilson addressed the gathering.
Ms Wong, Mr Goff – who served as Justice Minister in a previous Labour government – and Mr Banks called for law change. Ms Wong said that although the community was appreciative of the police, most people felt that the law did not match the seriousness of the crime.
Mr Banks was most vocal and said not enough had been done to address the deterioration of law and order. “The gangs are in charge of Auckland,” he said and recommended the strictest possible deterrent punishment for heinous crimes.
New Zealanders hadn’t condemned such criminal activity and the reasons that fuelled it – alcohol and drugs – loudly enough and until that was done, there was little hope he said.
The audience clapped and cheered when Mr Banks said nothing less than a life sentence would do for killers like those of Mr Mohini and other innocent victims.
Mr Bakshi and Mr Prasad, while outlining their own responses to the tragedy, also engaged in a bit of political debate about what the National and Labour governments had done (or not done) in regard to the law and order situation. Mr Darji requested speakers to stick to the subject and refrain from making political statements. Jackie Blue spoke briefly.
All the speakers singled out the NZ Police for praise for its efforts and community leaders said that people had great faith in the police department.
Co-op Taxi head Ian Graham said the tragedy had united taxi companies like never before. The 700-member strong Co-op Taxis had no communication with rival company Alert Taxis for seven years but the aftermath of Mr Mohini’s murder had brought the two companies together, he said.
Transport Minister Steven Joyce had met with concerned officials, ministers and taxi representatives and had asked government officials to revert with a plan for prevention of the repeat of such instances within four weeks, Mr Graham said.
Among options considered were close circuit cameras and shields. Drivers tended to prefer the shield option but the taxi men had agreed to abide by the ministry’s recommendations, he said. Co-op taxis was in the process of setting up a trust for the Mohini family which was expected to take about three weeks and funds for it are being collected in a special account. The account would be open for collection for another two weeks, Mr Graham said.
Police Area Commander for the western region Jim Wilson said his department was doing all it could and had employed the best resources for tracking down Mr Mohini’s killer. "I am unable to talk about specifics because it will come before the courts, but I can report that the investigation is moving forward," he said. A liaison officer, Neil Pimenta, had been assigned to assist the family, he added.
Other community leaders who spoke were GOPIO President Mr Bhatia, Anil Channa of the Manukau Indian Association, Roshan Nauhria of Bharatiya Samaj, Ramanbhai Ganda of the Auckland Indian Association, Cecil Ram Lochan, Raj Bedi of the NZ Sikh Society and NZICA vice president Paul Singh Bains. Also present was Wellington-based NZ Police ethnic affairs adviser Rakesh Naidoo.
Mr Bains the vote of thanks at the conclusion of the meeting that lasted over two-and-a-half hours.
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