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Indonesian engineer killed in NZ attacks
Of the three Indonesians who were victims of attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday, one has been confirmed dead, while two others remain hospitalized but in stable condition
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span>Of the three Indonesians who were victims of attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Friday, one has been confirmed dead, while two others remain hospitalized but in stable condition.
Lilik Abdul Hamid, a 50-year-old aircraft engineer for Air New Zealand, was previously thought to be missing, but Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi on Saturday confirmed he had died.
“Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi roji’un [We belong to God and to God we shall return]. My deepest condolences over the death of Bapak Lilik Abdul Hamid, an Indonesian citizen who was a victim of the terrorist attack on Al-Noor Mosque in Christchurch,” she wrote on her official Twitter account. She added that the Indonesian ambassador to New Zealand was in Christchurch to assist Lilik’s family.
A nephew of Lilik’s posted on Facebook about his death, thanking everyone for their prayers and asking for forgiveness on behalf of the deceased.
Other posts on social media described Lilik as a valued member of the Indonesian community in Christchurch.
“Every time guests from Indonesia come to visit, especially ustadz [Islamic teachers], the departed and his wife would always welcome them, not only to stay over at their house, but also to take them sightseeing,” one Indonesian living in Christchurch wrote.
Air New Zealand chief executive officer Christopher Luxon said Lilik had been a valued member of the airliner’s engineering team for 16 years.
“His loss will be deeply felt by the team,” he said on Sunday as quoted by nzherald.co.
“Lilik, his wife, Nina, and their children, Zhania and Gerin, are well-known and loved by our close-knit team of engineers and their families who are now doing all they can to support the family alongside our leadership team and the airline’s special assistance team.”
Meanwhile, Zulfirman Syah and his son Averroes, 2, were injured in the attack at the nearby Linwood Mosque, but both were in stable condition as of Saturday.
Zulfirman’s wife, Alta Marie Sacra, said her husband had shielded their son during the attack, causing him to sustain “much more severe injuries”.
“He is in a stable condition following the extensive exploratory and reconstructive surgery he had earlier today,” Alta wrote on her Facebook page on Saturday. “While he is still in the intensive care unit [ICU] at this stage, he will be moved to the general ward whenever it is deemed appropriate [likely in the next day or so].”
She added that her son also had minor surgery to extract shrapnel and was checked for internal injuries.
“He is recovering nicely and has been cheerful while keeping the staff in the children’s ward entertained with his talkative and energetic nature,” she said.
A friend of Alta’s has set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the family’s medical and household expenses.
Zulfirman, a native of Padang, West Sumatra, graduated from the Indonesian Institute of the Arts (ISI) Yogyakarta in 2006. Describing himself as “a dad and career artist of 20 years”, he has had his work included in art exhibitions at the Siena Art Institute in Italy and the National Art Museum of China in Beijing.
“For me, creating art is an expression of my soul, born from my aesthetic experience,” he wrote in his profile at the Saatchi Art online gallery. “With each new work, I strive to use my technique and vision to make an impact on the evolution of art.
Indonesian Ambassador to New Zealand Tantowi Yahya said he had visited Zul. “Today, Pak Zul is being treated in the ICU after undergoing surgery, but he is conscious and stable, while the child is stable in the usual care room,” Tantowi said.
Meanwhile, he said Lilik, who had been a permanent resident in New Zealand since 2003, would be buried in a nearby Muslim cemetery at the request of his family.
He said the small Indonesian community in Christchurch was coping with the mosque attacks. He said of the 7,000 Indonesians living in New Zealand, 344 of them resided in Christchurch.
“The Indonesian people here are very tight-knit. We have long been in a solid relationship with each other. There is a community association in every city that meets regularly for silaturahmi [a friendly gathering],” he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
