Ahmed Bhamji

Career

At 32 he became the youngest mayor in the country when he was elected the mayor of Ba. In the 1987 general election for the House of Representatives, he won the North Eastern National Constituency for the National Federation Party - Fiji Labour Party coalition, defeating the sitting Alliance Party candidate by 12,786 votes to 9,946. He became Minister for Communications, Transport and Works in the month-long Bavadra government.

Following the 1987 Fijian coups d'état, he immigrated to New Zealand, and now lives in Auckland New Zealand. As of March 2019 he is the chairman of Mt Roskill Masjid E Umar; the largest mosque in New Zealand.

At an Auckland rally organised by "Love Aotearoa Hate Racism", a video emerged of Bhamji accusing Mossad, the intelligence agency of Israel, for the Christchurch massacre of Muslims. Bhamji offered no proof for his speculation. The New Zealand Human Rights Commission commented on the matter, saying that "Prejudice against Jewish people has no place in New Zealand" and "We must condemn racism, hate and anti-Semitism whenever we see it". Mustafa Farouk, president of Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand, released a statement saying "recent comments by an individual do not represent the views of the Muslims of New Zealand".

References

References

1. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Bwzm1w-nPXoC&dq=%22Ahmed+Bhamji%22&pg=PA377 Fiji: Race and Politics in an Island State], UBC Press, Michael C. Howard, page 377
2. [https://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=35355674 Candidates and Voting by Seat for the 1987 Election]
3. [http://lawakibeqa.tripod.com/achievements.htm Achievements of FLP]
4. [https://books.google.com/books?id=uacgAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Ahmed+Bhamji%22+%22New+Zealand%22 Review - International Commission of Jurists, Issues 40-47], 1988, page 12
5. (29 March 2019). "Former Fiji resident under fire for blaming Israel in massacre". FBC News.
6. [https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/mossad-behind-christchurch-attacks-head-of-new-zealands-biggest-mosque-claims Mossad behind Christchurch attacks, head of New Zealand’s biggest mosque claims], JTA, 27 March 2019
7. (26 March 2019). "Jews outraged after mosque leader blames Mossad for Christchurch attack". [[Newshub]].
8. [https://www.jpost.com/International/New-Zealand-stokes-antisemitism-in-aftermath-of-mosque-massacre-584787 NEW ZEALAND STOKES ANTISEMITISM IN AFTERMATH OF MOSQUE MASSACRE], JPost, SETH J. FRANTZMAN, 27 March 2019
9. [https://web.archive.org/web/20190327141046/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2019/03/human-rights-commission-calls-out-muslim-leader-who-blamed-mossad-for-christchurch-attack.html Human Rights Commission calls out Muslim leader who blamed Mossad for Christchurch attack], Newshub, 27 March 2019
10. [https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/asia-and-australia/new-zealand-muslim-leader-dismisses-claims-that-mossad-ordered-christchurch-attack-1.7066563 New Zealand Muslim Leader Dismisses Colleague’s Claims That Mossad Ordered Mosque Killings], Haaretz, 29 March 2019
11. [https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/nz-islamic-organization-refutes-bhamjis-comments/ NZ Islamic organization refutes Bhamji’s comments], FBC News, Ana Ravulo, 30 March 2019