The United Nations has noticed NZ First MP Richard Prosser's "Wogistan" rant about Muslims.

Reports about his magazine article calling for young Muslims to be banned from Western airlines went around the world and now the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has had its say.

"The committee regrets the recent inflammatory remarks by a Member of Parliament vilifying persons from Central Asia or the Middle East based on their skin colour and country of origin as well as their religion," it says in the New Zealand section of its latest report.

"It welcomes the strong criticism of such statements by the Minister of Justice and Ethnic Affairs and the Race Relations Commissioner, among others."

Mr Prosser wrote in his column for Investigate magazine that most terrorists were Muslims. "Misogynist troglodytes from Wogistan are threatening our way of life and security of travel in the name of their stone-age religion," he wrote.

Mr Prosser was reprimanded by NZ First leader Winston Peters and apologised for his remarks. Justice Minister Judith Collins, Prime Minister John Key and MPs from all the parties in parliament condemned him for making them.

Mr Prosser says he wrote the column because he was annoyed when his penknife was confiscated at Christchurch Airport.

3 News, 4 March 2013

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A Sinn Fein councillor has challenged former Craigavon Mayor Alan Carson to "make a full public apology to Muslims living in Craigavon" after remarks he made during a debate on Monday night. However the DUP man insists that Councillor Johnny McGibbon is "simply scoring political points from a genuine mistake I made and for which I apologised immediately".

In the heat of the exchange, Mr Carson stated that Muslims were "causing bother in the Middle East". He said that the British Army represented all sides, "Protestant, Catholic, Hindu, Jew, Muslim whatever – well, maybe not Muslim". Afterwards he said, "I realised immediately that I'd put my foot in it and apologised without reserve. But that wasn't enough for Councillor McGibbon who saw fit to issue a press statement, accusing me of all sorts and inferring I am racist, which I certainly am not."

The McGibbon statement claimed, "These remarks reveal the mind set that has prevented unionists from developing a realistic political programme for the future. To make insinuations against any section of the community is outrageous and unacceptable. Only a very arrogant or politically immature individual would presume to deny to others the right to voice alternative views.

"We must all accept differing points of view, but we should never allow any section of our society to be isolated or labelled during debate. Given that Councillor Carson was a recent Mayor of Craigavon, it is reasonable to assume that he understands this fundamental principle. The least therefore that can be done to make amends is a full public apology to the citizens of Craigavon and in particular our sizeable Muslim community."

Portadown Times, 28 November 2012

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Finnish lawmakers on Wednesday forced a member of the opposition Finns Party to resign from an influential parliamentary committee after he was fined for making racist remarks, the latest in a string of setbacks for the anti-euro party.

Finns Party lawmaker Jussi Halla-aho was fined by the Supreme Court on Friday for comments posted on his personal blog in 2008 which linked Islam to paedophilia and Somalis with theft. Somalis are a major immigrant group in Finland.

Members of all political parties other than the Finns Party agreed on Wednesday that Halla-aho should quit as chairman of a parliamentary committee dealing with immigration and state security. He resigned from the post, although he will stay in parliament.

"Although I consider the attack against me as unreasonable ... I don't want to unnecessarily prolong the circus generated by others," he said on his party's website.

The Finns Party rose from obscurity to become the country's top opposition group in last year's general election after focusing on criticism of European bailout plans. But the party has since been hit by controversy.

Party lawmaker James Hirvisaari was fined for inciting racial and ethnic hatred after saying Muslims brought violence to Finland. Another member, Teuvo Hakkarainen, was punished last year for using a derogatory word for blacks and mockingly imitating a Muslim call to prayer in an online video.

Finland's largest daily Helsingin Sanomat reported on June 1 that a poll it commissioned showed popular support for the Finns Party at 14.5 percent, down from 19.1 percent in the 2011 parliamentary election.

Reuters, 13 June 2012

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