KEY POINTS:
New Zealanders are being cautioned not to let Friday's alleged attempted hijacking of a domestic passenger plane to hold prejudices against refugees.
RMS Refugee Resettlement spokesman Peter Cotton said today he was reacting to adverse comments in the media over the arrest of a Somali woman on charges relating the incident.
"It's all too easy to take the word "refugee" and interpret it as synonymous with security threat, illegal migrant, criminal or bludger."
However, that was not true, Mr Cotton said.
Asha Ali Abdille, from Blenheim, was charged with attempted hijacking, wounding, and injuring with intent to injure after she allegedly pulled out a knife on a flight between Blenheim and Christchurch.
A scuffle developed during which the pilot and co-pilot and a passenger were injured. The flight landed safely in Christchurch.
Mr Cotton said New Zealand offered an opportunity of a new life to 750 refugees each year;
The refugees were identified by United Nations Commissioner for Refugees as being amongst those in the greatest need of international care and protection.
About two-thirds of them were women and children;
Mr Cotton said that through their hard work and determination, refugees had become builders, mechanics, priests, architects, merchants, doctors, dentists, teachers, and restaurateurs.
They had also suffered violent physical abuse, multiple rape, family separation, community isolation and bureaucratic indifference.
Mr Cotton said he wanted to balance the picture and point out that the vast majority of refugees who had settled in NZ had gone on to do exceedingly well.
He urged New Zealanders to be more tolerant and said criticism of the government's refugee resettlement policy was quite inappropriate.
- NZPA
