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Chief Human Rights Commissioner Dr Stephen Rainbow apologises for 'offence' caused to Muslims
Dr Stephen Rainbow, who has been the Chief Human Rights Commissioner since August, is apologising to Muslims after three community groups (two representing Jewish voices, and the Federation for Islamic Associations in New Zealand) accused him of Islamophobia.
Philippa Yasbek, spokesperson for Alternative Jewish Voices and Dayenu: Jews Against Occupation, said he made the comments in a February 24 meeting, and via email, and is calling for him to resign. However Paul Goldsmith, the Minister of Justice, says he has "no intention" of asking for Rainbow's resignation. "By his own admission, in this instance he did not express himself as well as he could have. I will be meeting with the Commissioner in the next few days and encouraging him to be more careful with his comments in future,” Goldsmith said.
What did Rainbow say?
According to Yasbek, Rainbow said Muslims were the greatest threat to the Jewish community in New Zealand, and not white supremacists. He also claimed Afghan refugees in West Auckland were antisemitic. Rainbow, in emails with Yasbek, said he based his views on the NZSIS Threat Assessment, because it states "the conflict in Gaza is being used to drive online radicalisation and recruitment. These are global trends but similar signs are beginning to appear in our environment."
However Yasbek, via email, pointed out the NZSIS report explicitly states white-identity motivated violent extremism "remains the dominant identity motivated violent extremism ideology in New Zealand". The report also said it "does not single out any ethnic community as a threat to our country, and to do so would be a misinterpretation of the analysis". Rainbow in response said he would "consider your information ... and revise my position accordingly, if appropriate".
The complaint
Yasbek then wrote to Goldsmith with a formal complaint about Rainbow's conduct, and her views on his comments. She believed Rainbow's explanation for his views further demonstrated Islamophobia because "Dr Rainbow seems to read the phrase terrorist organisation as a synonym for Muslims".
FIANZ, which is the national umbrella for Muslim organisations, also said it was "profoundly disappointed" with Rainbow's comments - especially since they were made in the weeks leading up to the anniversary of the March 15 terror attacks, which were a very sensitive time for the Muslim community.
Abdur Razzaq, chair of the FIANZ Royal Commission and Advocacy Team, said he also met with Rainbow where he sought an explanation. The meeting was initiated by Andrew Kibblewhite, the Secretary of Justice. Razzaq said Rainbow apologised and said his statements were in the context of a “robust conversation” with a senior leader of the Jewish community. But Rabbaq said this also further suggested "deep-held Islamophobic view. "For us this is not an explanation, but an admission that Dr Rainbow has deep held Islamophobic views and he expressed them with no thought of how such views impact on a community which is already suffering from the massacre of 51 Muslims in Christchurch."
In his apology, Rainbow said: "On the 28th of February, I learned that at an engagement with Alternative Jewish Voices I had caused offence to Muslim communities. In realising my error, I met with FIANZ and apologised in person. The Commission and I have continued to engage to repair the relationship, which I was attempting to build. I have read the statement by FIANZ and wholeheartedly publicly apologise to our Muslim communities. They should always feel that they can trust the Human Rights Commission to protect their rights. I am even more committed now to ensure that I am the Chief Human Rights Commissioner for all New Zealanders. Our relationship with Muslim communities is very important and I have a deeper understanding of their experiences because of this episode."
According to Yasbek, Rainbow said Muslims were the greatest threat to the Jewish community in New Zealand, and not white supremacists. He also claimed Afghan refugees in West Auckland were antisemitic. Rainbow, in emails with Yasbek, said he based his views on the NZSIS Threat Assessment, because it states "the conflict in Gaza is being used to drive online radicalisation and recruitment. These are global trends but similar signs are beginning to appear in our environment."
However Yasbek, via email, pointed out the NZSIS report explicitly states white-identity motivated violent extremism "remains the dominant identity motivated violent extremism ideology in New Zealand". The report also said it "does not single out any ethnic community as a threat to our country, and to do so would be a misinterpretation of the analysis". Rainbow in response said he would "consider your information ... and revise my position accordingly, if appropriate".
The complaint
Yasbek then wrote to Goldsmith with a formal complaint about Rainbow's conduct, and her views on his comments. She believed Rainbow's explanation for his views further demonstrated Islamophobia because "Dr Rainbow seems to read the phrase terrorist organisation as a synonym for Muslims".
FIANZ, which is the national umbrella for Muslim organisations, also said it was "profoundly disappointed" with Rainbow's comments - especially since they were made in the weeks leading up to the anniversary of the March 15 terror attacks, which were a very sensitive time for the Muslim community.
Abdur Razzaq, chair of the FIANZ Royal Commission and Advocacy Team, said he also met with Rainbow where he sought an explanation. The meeting was initiated by Andrew Kibblewhite, the Secretary of Justice. Razzaq said Rainbow apologised and said his statements were in the context of a “robust conversation” with a senior leader of the Jewish community. But Rabbaq said this also further suggested "deep-held Islamophobic view. "For us this is not an explanation, but an admission that Dr Rainbow has deep held Islamophobic views and he expressed them with no thought of how such views impact on a community which is already suffering from the massacre of 51 Muslims in Christchurch."
In his apology, Rainbow said: "On the 28th of February, I learned that at an engagement with Alternative Jewish Voices I had caused offence to Muslim communities. In realising my error, I met with FIANZ and apologised in person. The Commission and I have continued to engage to repair the relationship, which I was attempting to build. I have read the statement by FIANZ and wholeheartedly publicly apologise to our Muslim communities. They should always feel that they can trust the Human Rights Commission to protect their rights. I am even more committed now to ensure that I am the Chief Human Rights Commissioner for all New Zealanders. Our relationship with Muslim communities is very important and I have a deeper understanding of their experiences because of this episode."
