Letter to the Editor: Last Sunday my country changed

DEAR News Of The Area,

IT is always front of mind to reach out to family and my friends after a shock.

I remember, as many of us do, when we saw planes fly into skyscrapers almost 25 years ago. Our world changed.

Last Sunday my country changed.

Many Australians were needlessly killed. People died because a couple of locals set out to murder them because they were different or identified together in joyous celebration as a group.
It was pure evil and it was at Bondi Beach!

We are a safe country and we all shun violence.

This tragedy is most certainly and completely un-Australian.

Those fellow Australians of Jewish faith or heritage need to know that we have their back.

They need to know that we share their grief and that we all will continue to do what we can to ensure their safety and by doing so the safety of all of us.

This is not a time for recriminations or criticism of those who could not have predicted this evil.

It is a time to focus on those intrinsic values that unite us.

I have written to this journal previously highlighting our responsibility to champion anti-racism and inclusion.

We have an excellent blueprint for this work from our Human Rights Commission, “National Anti-Racism Framework” published in November 2024.

It is a vital tool in these times.

I, for one, have confidence in the response of national and State authorities to oversee the investigation and make the necessary changes to further protect our collective safety.

In the end, the responsibility for community harmony rests with us all.

Both our history and our future demands that we accept this and act accordingly.

Regards,
Paul SEKFY,
Yarranbella.