Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has called on people to speak up and root out hatred from our society.

He was speaking at a prayer vigil at Makoi, Nasinu as the Fijian death toll in the Christchurch mosque terror attack rose to two.

Hundreds who packed the Makoi Women’s Centre between Suva and Nausori heard Mr Bainimarama say: “My friends, all too often, after a hate-filled act, we describe the crimes as “unspeakable”. But while this shooting in Christchurch is unfathomable in both its scale and in the monstrous nature it was committed, it is not unspeakable. Staying silent, and not speaking up, would be an injustice to the victims and to all of humanity.

“We must speak up, and in light of New Zealand’s darkest day, our voice must be louder than ever. We must recognise that this type of hatred does exist in the world and we must root it out wherever it lies. We must be aware that acts of extreme violence often begin in the form of hateful words and divisive ways of thinking.”

Edited by Jonathan Bryce