Clash between Western free speech and Islamic taboos

Muslims worldwide are continuing to protest in the escalating war against the western newspapers for publishing a series of cartoons that mock Prophet Muhammad.

Islam prohibits any form of illustration of the prophet but these cartoons depict him in a nasty manner – among others as the root course of terrorism and as the provider of virgins for terrorists.

The cartoons were first published in a Denmark newspaper, then the Norwegians followed suit. Even as the controversy erupted, the French media and the BBC and Channel 4 News in the UK showed the cartoons, just to aggravate the insult to the Muslims.

The results: protest everywhere, sometimes very violent ones too.

As today is Friday, a holy day for Muslims, millions of Muslims have gathered after their afternoon prayer to make a point of their anger against the cartoons.

• In Malaysia, oppositions Islamic party PAS has submitted a memo to the Danish embassy, calling for an unreserved apology.
• In Indonesia, protesters broke into the lobby of the building housing the Danish embassy and pelted the coat-of-arms outside with eggs.
• Gunmen surrounded the EU office in Gaza demanding an apology, and Norway closed its West Bank mission after threats.
• Western journalists and aid workers are reportedly leaving the Palestinian territories, fearing attack.
• Hundreds of students demonstrate in the Pakistani cities of Lahore and Multan.
• Editors of Jordanian and French newspapers who chose to republish the cartoons were dismissed on Thursday.
• Demonstrations were slated to be held Friday outside the Danish Embassy in London.

I don’t think the issue will just die away without some form of action from the western leaders.

The matter has evolved into something which even an apology from the western media will not pacify the protesting crowd, especially when some of the Muslim governments themselves are engrossed in the furore.

I guess that only apologetic remarks by state leaders and maybe the EU now could mollify the situation.

What started as an issue of press freedom has turned into a matter of insulting cultural taboos.

Someone, somewhere in the west need to take a stand and apologise for what the Muslim world deems to be an insult to their religion.

When will the west learn the nuances of the hearts and minds of the Muslims? No wonder their war against terrorism is heading nowhere.

My previous entry on this matter

Read my other blog here