Cartoon of Mohammad creates International Row.
-
http://www.um.dk/en/servicemenu/News/FrontPageNews/DrawingsInADanishNewspaperQuestionsAndAnswers.htm
DRAWINGS IN A DANISH NEWSPAPER: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Subject to updating
Have there been cases of the Koran being burnt in Denmark?
No, there have not been any cases at all.
In connection with rumours through SMS about burnings of the Koran, the Danish Police have warned that it may constitute a criminal offence and result in prison sentences if people participate in demonstrations including burnings of that kind.
Is it true that Muslims are persecuted and cannot demonstrate in Denmark?
No, that is not true.
Muslims, like all other citizens in Denmark, have a right to exercise their constitutional right to hold public meetings and demonstrations. -
http://www.um.dk/en/servicemenu/News/FrontPageNews/DrawingsInADanishNewspaperQuestionsAndAnswers.htm
DRAWINGS IN A DANISH NEWSPAPER: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS part 2
Subject to updating
Is it correct that the Danish Queen Margrethe has made statements critical of Islam?
No. This is not correct.
The Queen has in her New Year’s Address 2005 stated: “The Danish society is open and democratic; it is based on mutual respect as humans and on the respect for each other’s opinions”.
Will the Danish Government rewrite the Koran?
No, the Danish Government will not do that. The Danish Government respects Islam as one of the great religions in the World.
Will the Danish Government make a film about the Prophet Muhammad?
No, the Danish Government will not do that.
Is the Danish Government headed by a right wing and anti-Islamic party?
No, the Government in Denmark consists of a coalition comprising a Liberal Party and a Conservative Party, which are not anti-Islamic. Denmark is a democratic country.
DRAWINGS OF THE PROHPHET MUHAMMAD
Why did the newspaper Jyllands-Posten publish the 12 drawings of the Prophet Muhammad?
On 30 September, the independent and privately owned Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, published 12 caricatures, some of which represented the Prophet Muhammad.
According to Jyllands-Posten, the drawings were published as part of an ongoing debate about freedom of expression in Denmark. The purpose was not to offend Muslims. The editor has apologised for having offended many Muslims.
In some contexts, the matter has unfortunately been presented as if the drawings were part of a smear campaign against Muslims in Denmark. This is not true.
Has Jyllands-Posten apologised officially?
Yes, on 30 January 2006, the newspaper apologised in writing for having unintentionally offended many Muslims by publishing the 12 drawings. The full statement made by Jyllands-Posten is available at www.jp.dk in Danish, English and Arabic.
Have drawings of the Prophet Muhammad portrayed as a pig been published in Jyllands-Posten or any other Danish newspapers?
No, in Denmark, no picture has been published of the Prophet Muhammad portrayed as a pig.
However, a picture pretending to be a picture of the Prophet Muhammad is in circulation. The picture does not originate in Jyllands-Posten or any other Danish newspaper.
The picture shows a man who during the annual ”Pig-squealing Championship" in France wears a pig snout mask on his face. In other words, the picture has nothing to do with the Prophet Muhammad. -
http://www.um.dk/en/servicemenu/News/FrontPageNews/DrawingsInADanishNewspaperQuestionsAndAnswers.htm
DRAWINGS IN A DANISH NEWSPAPER: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS part 3
Subject to updating
Is it possible to prosecute the newspaper that published the 12 drawings of the Prophet Muhammad?
Yes, that is possible.
In the matter of the 12 drawings of the Prophet Muhammad, a violation of section 140 of the Criminal Code has been reported to the police. Section 140 lays down that ”Any person who, in public, ridicules or insults the dogmas or worship of any lawfully existing religious community in this country shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding four months or, in mitigating circumstances, to a fine.” The matter is at present being considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Furthermore, section 266B of the Criminal Code criminalizes ”the dissemination of statements or other information by which a group of people are threatened, insulted or degraded on account of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion or sexual inclination.”
What is the status of the Danish newspaper that published the 12 drawings of the Prophet Muhammad?
All media in Denmark are independent.
Like all other newspapers and other media in Denmark, the newspaper Jyllands-Posten is a private and independent newspaper. It has no relation to the Danish Government whatsoever.
Freedom of expression in Denmark means that the Danish Government cannot, without committing a criminal offence, decide what is published in the Danish media.
Will the Danish Government apologise for the 12 drawings of the Prophet Muhammad?
On 30 January, the Danish Prime Minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, stated on TV that he respected other peopleÂ’s faith and that he personally would never have portrayed the Prophet Muhammad in a way that might offend other people.
He was very pleased with the clear apology which the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has published. It was an important step that may contribute to a constructive solution.
The Danish Government has no possibility of apologising for decisions taken by the editor of an independent newspaper. However, the Prime Minister has on several occasions commented on and regretted the offence given to many Muslims which the matter has given rise to. On 2 February 2006, the Prime Minister gave an interview to the Arabic TV station Al Arabiya.
Click here to see the Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's interview
ABOUT THE DANISH LEGAL SYSTEM
In Denmark, there is freedom of expression, what does that mean?
Freedom of expression means that all citizens in Denmark have the right to express their views in speech and in writing.
Freedom of expression is safeguarded in Denmark through section 77 of the Danish Constitution which lays down that ”Any person shall be entitled to publish his thoughts in printing, in writing, and in speech, provided that he may be held answerable in a court of justice.”
Whether a statement is lawful, can only be decided by the Danish Courts of Law, or by the European Court of Human Rights if the matter is brought before it.
Freedom of expression is not only a Danish legal position. ManÂ’s freedom of expression is also included in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Is it true that discrimination against Muslims cannot be prosecuted in Denmark?
No, that is not true.
In Denmark, all discrimination is prohibited.
Is there freedom of religion in Denmark?
Yes, there is complete freedom of religion in Denmark.
In Denmark, there are many different religious communities, including Islam, which all of them enjoy complete freedom to practise their religion.
Denmark does not discriminate against Islam or Islamic communities. Islam enjoys the same rights in Denmark as all other religions and the rules for the Islamic communities are exactly the same as those that apply to other religious communities in Denmark.
Is it possible to establish mosques in Denmark?
Yes, that is possible as there is freedom of religion in Denmark.
It is local authorities that decide on matters of location in accordance with the physical planning legislation. The Government does not interfere in these matters.
Is it allowed for people to demonstrate in Denmark?
Yes, it is allowed.
EFFORTS IN PROGRESS TO RESOLVE THE MATTER
What is the Government in Denmark doing to resolve the matter?
The Prime Minister and the Minister for Foreign Affairs have urged all parties to abstain from making any statement and taking any action that may lead to further tension. The Government is working day and night to return to dialogue and re-establish the friendship that has always characterised relations between Denmark and the Muslim world.
What will Denmark do vis-Ã -vis the Muslim populations?
The Government and others have started and will continue to invite religious leaders and popular organisations to take part in dialogue. Both in Denmark and in the Arab countries. Through dialogue, trust between the parties must be re-established. In this matter, much depends on mutual misunderstandings about one another and one anotherÂ’s society.
What do Muslims in Denmark say about the matter?
The altogether vast majority of Muslims support the Danish GovernmentÂ’s attitude regarding dialogue, and support the view that freedom of expression is a good thing. At the same time, they find it regrettable when freedom of expression is used in ways that may offend others. There is an intense and open democratic debate about the conditions in Denmark. -
http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1711874,00.html
the writer is a fellow at singapore nus.
Europe's contempt for other cultures can't be sustained
A continent that inflicted colonial brutality all over the globe for 200 years has little claim to the superiority of its values
Martin Jacques
Friday February 17, 2006
The Guardian
Is the argument over the Danish cartoons really reducible to a matter of free speech? Even if we believe that free speech is a fundamental value, that does not give us carte blanche to say what we like in any context, regardless of consequence or effect. Respect for others, especially in an increasingly interdependent world, is a value of at least equal importance.
Europe has never had to worry too much about context or effect because for around 200 years it dominated and colonised most of the world. Such was Europe's omnipotence that it never needed to take into account the sensibilities, beliefs and attitudes of those that it colonised, however sacred and sensitive they might have been. On the contrary, European countries imposed their rulers, religion, beliefs, language, racial hierarchy and customs on those to whom they were entirely alien. There is a profound hypocrisy - and deep historical ignorance - when Europeans complain about the problems posed by the ethnic and religious minorities in their midst, for that is exactly what European colonial rule meant for peoples around the world. With one crucial difference, of course: the white minorities ruled the roost, whereas Europe's new ethnic minorities are marginalised, excluded and castigated, as recent events have shown.
Article continues
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But it is no longer possible for Europe to ignore the sensibilities of peoples with very different values, cultures and religions. First, western Europe now has sizeable minorities whose origins are very different from the host population and who are connected with their former homelands in diverse ways. If European societies want to live in some kind of domestic peace and harmony - rather than in a state of Balkanisation and repression - then they must find ways of integrating these minorities on rather more equal terms than, for the most part, they have so far achieved. That must mean, among other things, respect for their values. Second, it is patently clear that, globally speaking, Europe matters far less than it used to - and in the future will count for less and less. We must not only learn to share our homelands with people from very different roots, we must also learn to share the world with diverse peoples in a very different kind of way from what has been the European practice.
Europe has little experience of this, and what experience it has is mainly confined to less than half a century. Old attitudes of superiority and disdain - dressed up in terms of free speech, progress or whatever - are still very powerful. Nor - as many liberals like to think - are they necessarily in decline. On the contrary, racial bigotry is on the rise, even in countries that have previously been regarded as tolerant. The Danish government depends for its rule on a racist, far-right party that gained 13% of the seats in the last election. The decision of Jyllands-Posten to publish the cartoons - and papers in France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere to reprint them - lay not so much in the tradition of free speech but in European contempt for other cultures and religions: it was a deliberate, calculated insult to the beliefs of others, in this case Muslims.
This kind of mentality - combining Eurocentrism, old colonial attitudes of supremacism, racism, provincialism and sheer ignorance - will serve our continent ill in the future. Europe must learn to live in and with the world, not to dominate it, nor to assume it is superior or more virtuous. Any continent that has inflicted such brutality on the world over a period of 200 years has not too much to be proud of, and much to be modest and humble about - though this is rarely the way our history is presented in Britain, let alone elsewhere. It is worth remembering that while parts of Europe have had free speech (and democracy) for many decades, its colonies were granted neither. But when it comes to our "noble values", our colonial record is always written out of the script.
This attitude of disdain, of assumed superiority, will be increasingly difficult to sustain. We are moving into a world in which the west will no longer be able to call the tune as it once did. China and India will become major global players alongside the US, the EU and Japan. For the first time in modern history the west will no longer be overwhelmingly dominant. By the end of this century Europe is likely to pale into insignificance alongside China and India. In such a world, Europe will be forced to observe and respect the sensibilities of others.
Few in Europe understand or recognise these trends. A small example is the bitter resistance displayed on the continent to the proposed takeover of Arcelor by Mittal Steel: at root the opposition is based on thinly disguised racism. But Europe had better get used to such a phenomenon: takeovers by Indian and Chinese firms are going to become as common as American ones. A profound parochialism grips our continent. When Europe called the global tune it did not matter, because what happened in Europe translated itself into a global trend and a global power. No more: now it is simply provincialism.
When Europe dominated, there were no or few feedback loops. Or, to put it another way, there were few, if any, consequences for its behaviour towards the non-western world: relations were simply too unequal. Now - and increasingly in the future - it will be very different. And the subject of these feedback loops, or consequences, will concern not just present but also past behaviour.
For 200 years the dominant powers have also been the colonial powers: the European countries, the US and Japan. They have never been required to pay their dues for what they did to those whom they possessed and treated with contempt. Europeans have treated this chapter in their history by choosing to forget. So has Japan, except that in its case its neighbours have not only refused to forget but are also increasingly powerful. As a consequence, Japan's present and future is constantly stalked by its history. This future could also lie in wait for Europe. We might think the opium wars are "simply history"; the Chinese (rightly) do not. We might think the Bengal famine belongs in the last century, but Indians do not.
Europe is moving into a very different world. How will it react? If something like the attitude of the Danes prevails - a combination of defensiveness, fear, provincialism and arrogance - then one must fear for Europe's ability to learn to live in this new world. There is another way, but the signs are none too hopeful.
· Martin Jacques is a senior visiting research fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore
[email protected] -
Does this author know about the speeches made about the west in the middle east? I think he needs to wake up and stop acting blind.
-
*beep*Originally posted by Salman:Does this author know about the speeches made about the west in the middle east? I think he needs to wake up and stop acting blind.
User tagged for low levels of logical precedence. File created in mainframe.
*krzzt* -
We seem very concerned about christians, athesists and other religions being sensitive to muslim sentiments, yet muslim leaders are not held accountable for their lack of sensitivity towards other religions.
This knee jerk reaction from the muslim leaders and followers are destructive and chocking, yet we choose to ignore this and continue telling others to understand them and indulge them.
Everytime muslims around the world get angry, another priest will get murdered. Even this Danish newspaper incident, that has nothing to do with catholics, another catholic priest gets killed...
Yes, yes, its understandable that they have to kill another priest, after all, pictures of the prophet is more important that human life right?
Its their moral duty to offer 100g of gold for every dane killed, we should all support them.
Its only understandable that they call for the extermination of the human race and a new islamic world order. After all, we should try to understand them and how better to understand them than to get assimilated by them right? -
Mr Rose,you are making more people angry.
Why I Published Those Cartoons,By FLEMMING ROSE, culture editor of Jyllands-Posten
19.02.2006
Oh!The mind set of But we cannot apologize for our right to publish material,.....is the root of this row.Our goal was simply to push back self-imposed limits on expression that seemed to be closing in tighter.
At the end of September, a Danish standup comedian said in an interview with Jyllands-Posten that he had no problem urinating on the Bible in front of a camera, but he dared not do the same thing with the Koran.
This was the culmination of a series of disturbing instances of self-censorship.
So, over two weeks we witnessed a half-dozen cases of self-censorship, pitting freedom of speech against the fear of confronting issues about Islam. This was a legitimate news story to cover, and Jyllands-Posten decided to do it by adopting the well-known journalistic principle: Show it, don't tell it. I wrote to members of the association of Danish cartoonists asking them "to draw Muhammad as you see him." We certainly did not ask them to make fun of the prophet. Twelve out of 25 active members responded................
And by treating Muslims in Denmark as equals they made a point: We are integrating you into the Danish tradition of satire because you are part of our society, not strangers. The cartoons are including, rather than excluding, Muslims.I acknowledge that some people have been offended by the publication of the cartoons, and Jyllands-Posten has apologized for that. But we cannot apologize for our right to publish material, even offensive material. You cannot edit a newspaper if you are paralyzed by worries about every possible insult.
........But that does not mean that I would refrain from printing them as long as they fell within the limits of the law and of the newspaper's ethical code. That other editors would make different choices is the essence of pluralism. -
The real root of the problem isn't the cartoons but islamic extremism.
Arab media is full of anti Christian, anti Jew and anti pagan propaganda, its staple. Yet these people insist on the paper shutting down and apologise for those cartoons. Is that double standards or what?
Why is it that these extremists have the right to insult other religion? Do they think they are somehow superior to others in such a way that they can demand that others submit to their whims? -
Originally posted by lionnoisy:
The root of this row is the lack of understanding between peoples whose culture is so different from each other.
Oh!The mind set of [b] But we cannot apologize for our right to publish material,.....is the root of this row.[/b]
There are no lack of pictures, cartoons, and columns mocking Jesus Christ in the west. There has even been cartoons of "Jesus vs Santa" fight and also the "Super Best Friends" in south park.
The westerners like to make fun of their religion, politicians and themselves.
The muslims and many asian cultures do not show such tolerance to unflattering caricatures.
The westerners must learn to respect other's religions and cultures. The muslims and political leaders in the east (middle or otherwise) must learn to be more tolerant of the "decadent" west.
What allowed this "misunderstanding" to spiral out of control is the pacifist approach of the west and the hardlining approach of the east.
Leaders from the west should give a high profile apology to allow majority of muslims to receive and thus forgive them of this "transgression". Leaders from the muslim world should accept the apology and stop inciting their people for more violence.
The west has already apologised. Many times.
Western leaders should maintain law, order and justice in their own countries and not be too worried about the sensitivity of some people. When violence gets out of control, sensitivity will be the least of your problems.
If a parent always gives in to a child's demand everytime the child throws a temper, what is the parent teaching the child? The parent is teaching the child that, as long as you scream and shout and throw tantrums for a sufficiently long period, you will definitely get your way.
The same goes for the muslims. If western govts keep teaching the muslims that as long as they kill enough westerners, the west will give in, we can expect this anti christian and anti american violence to keep reoccuring everytime some little thing happens. -
I think these people shopuld go back to where they come from if they don't like western culture.
-
That one liner may be enough reason for some people to stage violent protests and issue USD1Mil for your head. Another priest might die. A fatwa may be issued against all singaporeans. The american embassy might get sacked again.Originally posted by Salman:I think these people shopuld go back to where they come from if they don't like western culture.
The next time you want to issue anti muslim statements, think of the innocent priests and civillians. -
This is not anti muslim or anti islam statement, its pure logic.
If you don't like a society, why migrate there? Whats the logic? If you don't want to integrate, get out.
Do they want to take this statement as an excuse to attack somebody again?
I read the papers yesterday that Christians in Nigeria were killed over the cartoons. Do you blame the cartoons of the people who took it as a opportunity to exact violence on others? -
You can't fight a tide of violence stirred up by groups who have no sense of logic.Sometimes, it's better to just shut them up for good if they cannot co-exist in this world.Originally posted by Salman:This is not anti muslim or anti islam statement, its pure logic.
If you don't like a society, why migrate there? Whats the logic? If you don't want to integrate, get out.
Do they want to take this statement as an excuse to attack somebody again?
I read the papers yesterday that Christians in Nigeria were killed over the cartoons. Do you blame the cartoons of the people who took it as a opportunity to exact violence on others?
There are certain rules to follow, and continual harrassment from the pulpit is a one-way ticket out of whatever Western country they are in right now. -
I think the govt of Singapore does a good job. Pulpits are monitored, even controlled so that nobody can use people's religion to incite terror.Originally posted by LazerLordz:You can't fight a tide of violence stirred up by groups who have no sense of logic.Sometimes, it's better to just shut them up for good if they cannot co-exist in this world.
There are certain rules to follow, and continual harrassment from the pulpit is a one-way ticket out of whatever Western country they are in right now.
In China, no unregistered members can enter a mosque to pray even on Fridays.
I think western govts should stop all their political correctness and jail all clerics who preach hate messages. Ban all literature and sites that teaches extremism.
Thats will do the trick. -
Finally someone is thinking critically this time round.Originally posted by Salman:I think the govt of Singapore does a good job. Pulpits are monitored, even controlled so that nobody can use people's religion to incite terror.
In China, no unregistered members can enter a mosque to pray even on Fridays.
I think western govts should stop all their political correctness and jail all clerics who preach hate messages. Ban all literature and sites that teaches extremism.
Thats will do the trick.
-
These fanatics are taking advantage of western liberalism and tolerance to push their agenda.
They preach hatred and attack Christianity and Jews on their end and intimidate the west into giving in to their ways. Try doing it in Asia and see what happens. We will kick their but flat.
On handling such issues, I think Asians are definitely smarter than westerners. Westerners play political correctness until it all blows up in their faces. Then its too late. They need to wake up and play zero tolerance towards these crazy people.
This is what I think the west should do.
1. stop playing political correctness and have open debate on these issues in the media
2. jail all fanatics who preach or publish hatred for the west or western culture.
3. deport those who riot.
4. stop all foreign funding of mosques and madrasahs.
5. stop illegal migrants from getting in
6. adopt ISA in dealing with fanatics.
Trust me, it will work and its not too late. Go on the counter offensive like what Bush did, thats why you don't get so much nonsence over there. -
Amazingly, if the Western governments decide to go with Salman's recommendations, it will likely be the Western people who will first take to the streets to protest against such incursions of freedom!
But as much as I loathe to say it, I partially agree with Salman this time around. -
Ah, life is full of ironies.Originally posted by Rexdriver:Amazingly, if the Western governments decide to go with Salman's recommendations, it will likely be the Western people who will first take to the streets to protest against such incursions of freedom!
But as much as I loathe to say it, I partially agree with Salman this time around. -
Free speech and tolerance is good. I like it too, but it has to be exercised with common sense.Originally posted by Rexdriver:Amazingly, if the Western governments decide to go with Salman's recommendations, it will likely be the Western people who will first take to the streets to protest against such incursions of freedom!
But as much as I loathe to say it, I partially agree with Salman this time around.
When you are dealing with fanatics who are out to destroy you, you can't tolerate and talk nice to them. The only language they understand is force, deception and manipulation. Speak their language and then they will understand you and take you seriously. -
Deport them! German style!!
-
Hi,
Iveco, Lazerlords and salman brought up many good points in the latest posts, many of which I agree.
Salman, do you think that such hardlining stance against muslims will blow up in the faces of the relevant govts too? As it is, even with pacifist mentality by the west, the muslims are already adopting a "us against the world" and victim mentality. Don't you think that taking such harsh actions against those same muslims that defy all logic will make them even more hardlining? Won't their clerics tell them that the west is really against them by the actions taken by the west? -
You mean re-open Auschwitz just for them?Originally posted by Thailand_Hero:Deport them! German style!!
-
They might like it, you never knowOriginally posted by iveco:You mean re-open Auschwitz just for them? 
-
Heard of 9-11?Originally posted by Salman:Trust me, it will work and its not too late. Go on the counter offensive like what Bush did, thats why you don't get so much nonsence over there.