Survivors of the Christchurch mosque attacks have told a US newspaper the New Zealand Government has fallen short in the aftermath of the shooting.
Abdul Aziz may have saved dozens of lives when he chased off the gunman at the Linwood mosque. He was in court last Friday to see the alleged terrorist who tore his world apart on March 15.
"These people sitting back in Auckland, or Wellington, they didn't see nothing, they didn't go through anything themselves," he told the New York Times.
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Aziz said the Government was "deciding for themselves" who the victims of the attacks were.
"I sleep two, three hours a day since the incident," he told the Times.
Another victim, Temel Atacocugu, said Immigration NZ (INZ) has yet to allow his mum and nephew to come from Turkey to look after him.
"I've had enough; I don't want this anymore. I'm so tired."
INZ assistant general manager Peter Elms told Newshub visitor visa applications were received by INZ for two of Atacocugu's family members on June 19. The applications are currently being assessed, he said.
"There has been no delay".
Elms said INZ was prioritising processing applications received under the Christchurch response visa category for people significantly affected by the terrorist attacks.
The three groups this applies to are:
New Zealand-based families in which an immediate family member died;
People living in New Zealand who were physically injured in the attacks, and their New Zealand-based immediate families; and
People living in New Zealand who were physically present at one of the mosques at the time of the attacks but were not physically injured, and their immediate family who were living in New Zealand
In an interview with Newshub last week Aziz said he felt ignored, despite millions of dollars being raised.
So far, Victim Support has already distributed:
- $45,000 each to next-of-kin of the deceased
- $25,000 to each victim physically injured during the attacks
- $12,000 each to other victims present at the two mosques at the time of the attacks.
Victim Support said in a statement to Newshub last week there were a range of views in the community about how the funds should be distributed.
It's just finished an engagement process to hear the victims' views, and it's now considering that feedback before it makes its final payments at the end of June.
Newshub.
