The Muslim world has erupted in anger, protests, and threats against European media over the controversial caricatures of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.
On Sunday thousands of Muslims rampaged in Beirut, setting fire to the Danish Embassy, burning Danish flags and lobbing stones at a Maronite Catholic church as violent protests spread in response to the recent republishing of caricatures of Muhammad that linked the prophet to terrorism. The drawings were first published last September by the Danish newspaper, Jyllands-Posten, but the controversy was low-keyed according to CBS News.The French newspaper, France Soir, reprinted the caricatures on Wednesday alongside its own cartoons of Muhammad with Christian, Jewish and Buddhist religious figures. In the cartoon, “the Christian God” said to Muhammad, “Don’t complain, Muhammad, we’re all being caricatured here,” reported the L.A. Times.
Tunisia and Morocco have banned copies of France Soir.
Muslims consider any depiction of God and the prophets to be blasphemy. In one of the twelve caricatures, Muhammad has a bomb as a turban while another shows the prophet standing on a cloud as he tells a group of suicide bombers that paradise has run out of virgins said to await martyrs upon their death.
The caricatures led to confrontation and violence in the Gaza Strip on Thursday as masked Palestinians fired weapons in the air and surrounded an office of the European Union and a French Cultural centre, according to reports. In addition, two Palestinian militant groups threatened to kidnap European citizens and target churches and European offices in response to the French newspaper.
Thousands staged demonstrations in Iraq after mosque prayer services on Friday. About 4,500 people rallied in Basra and hundreds at a Baghdad mosque. Danish flags were burned at both demonstrations.
In Pakistan, hundreds of students reportedly set fire to French and Danish flags in protest. According to Beliefnet.com, Pakistani Islamic students where chanting “Death to Denmark” and “Death to France.” Insulting the prophet is punishable by death in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s parliament unanimously passed a resolution condemning the caricatures, calling it “blasphemous.” The resolution called for “economic and political actions to prevent “uncivilised behavior by the European media that printed the drawings,” the Associated Press reported.Prominent members and leaders of the Islamic council of Norway, the Christian Council of Norway and the Church of Norway, meeting in Oslo on Friday also denounced the publication of caricatures of Mohammed as well as the violent reactions they have caused.
”It is an extremely positive that religious leaders in Norway have come together to condemn the publication of the controversial sketches of the Prophet Mohammed, and underline the fact that we jointly reject all forms of violence or threats of violence,” said Norwegian Church Aid General Secretary Atle Sommerfeldt in a released statement.
Ole Christian Kvarme, Bishop of Oslo, in addition said, "It is extremely important that we stand together on this issue.”
“A violation of one religion is a violation of other religions,” he stated. “I am deeply upset that the Norwegian newspaper Magazinet, a publication that calls itself ‘Christian,’ has chosen to publish these images. Magazinet's actions demonstrate a lack of both judgment and sense. Its editorial team must have known that they would offend the faith of others, and I apologise for this.”
Kvarme underlined the fact that Magazinet is in no way connected to the Church of Norway.
Meanwhile, anger and protests against the cartoons spread to Asia, where many of the world’s largest Muslim populated countries lie.
In Indonesia – the world’s most populous Muslim nation – 150 Muslim demonstrators pelted the building housing the Danish Embassy with rotten eggs and burned the Danish flag on Friday morning to protest the caricatures, according to reports.
Disorderly demonstrations occurred in Bangladesh and Malaysia, where crowds chanted “Destroy our Enemies!” AP reported. In Bangladesh, there were about 500 Muslim protestors.Likewise, Singapore and Afghanistan has also criticised the drawings.
In addition, the event has raised a debate over whether priority should be given to protect freedom of expression or to respect religious sensitivities.
Many world leaders have expressed reservation in their comments on the event, calling for balance between freedom of expression and religious sensitivity.
