Former political prisoner starts kebab caravan in Palmerston North

Ahmed Zaoui stood as a candidate for the Algerian Islamic Front for Salvation (FIS) in the country’s first election in 1991, but when the elections were cancelled and a government coup saw Zaoui labeled as a terrorist by the new government. Zaoui and his family fled for Europe and eventually ended up in New Zealand in 2002. When Zaoui got here though, he was branded a “security risk” by the Security Intelligence Service (SIS) and spent nearly two years in jail. Zaoui's case gained significant media attention and was the subject of the book "I almost forgot about the moon: The Disinformation Campaign Against Ahmed Zaoui".

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What what's he doing now? Selling kebabs from a caravan in Palmerston North. Algerian friend Salem Loumachi told 3 News Zaoui needed a kick-start to his life in New Zealand "Just to be in the community and feel normal like everybody else." Zaoui raised the profile of his business venture by actioning his first kebab on the auction website Trademe. The bidding reached $615 which will be donated to learning disability organisation SPELADD, who Mr Zaoui credits with assisting him and his son. The action attracted several negative comments but the majority were positive. An editorial in the Manawatu Standard said this suggested “that most people in Palmerston North are more than happy to have him here, and are ashamed by those who feel compelled to hurl abuse at him.” the writer went on to say “Mr Zaoui has clearly demonstrated he wants to make a contribution to this community; whatever one's views are about his past, should we not allow him that opportunity?”

Zaoui was done wrong by the government of New Zealand when he was imprisoned, but the support he has been shown from civil society and individuals in the community has helped him get a new start in his adopted country.