Other Publications
Commentary: 'Fitna': Hate documentary about hate speech
Endy M. Bayuni , Jakarta | Mon, 03/31/2008 1:01 AM | Headlines
The anti-Islam film Fitna, posted by Dutch politician Geert Wilders on the Internet last week, amounts to nothing more than a hate speech about the hate speech coming from the Muslim world. Wilders is just as guilty of spreading hatred through his lies about Islam as the Muslims who preach and use violence against what they perceive to be the enemies of Islam.
The documentary is part of an Islamophobia industry that seems to be growing rapidly in the West. And Wilders is hiding behind freedom of speech to engage in hate speech. Let's just hope Europeans have the common sense to dismiss Fitna as nothing more than a propaganda tool for the Dutch politician's anti-immigration platform.
The Muslim world would also do well to dismiss the film without further thought. A strong or violent reaction is just what Wilders was looking for in producing and releasing the film. Such reactions would vindicate his claim that Islam, instead of being the religion of peace that it is, preaches violence.
Wilders conveniently picks and chooses verses from the Koran (the translations of which are dubious, and all of them taken out of context) that seem to call for the use of violence, and runs them alongside clips of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and other terrorist attacks since then that were perpetrated in the name of Islam.
He also includes hate sermons by radical Muslim leaders, and adds a quotation from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for good measure.
Voila, in 15 minutes, the film manages to convey the message that violence is an inherent part of the Islamic faith. By way of implication, since the teaching is violent, so are the adherents. In the film, Wilders warns that the presence of 54 million Muslim immigrants in Europe, including close to one million in the Netherlands, is a threat to freedom and to the European lifestyle.
The film shoots down the argument commonly presented by the Muslim world that terrorist attacks are carried out by a tiny minority who do not represent the Muslim majority. It also dismisses the notion that Islam is a peaceful and tolerant religion, or that by and large, Muslims are comfortable living side by side with non-Muslims.
The video does not turn out to be as vicious as had been hyped in the months before its release.
There were none of Wilders' claim likening the Koran to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, which actually does preach violence. And there was none of the tearing up of the Koran in the video as was earlier claimed, an act that would surely have upset Muslims and provoked strong and violent protests of the kind we saw in 2006 in response to the publication of offensive cartoons lampooning Prophet Muhammad in a Danish publication.
Instead, at the end of the video, the screen turns black and there is the sound of a page being ripped from a book, and a voice suggesting that Muslims themselves should tear out the page(s) of their holy book that preach violence.
Depending on how the public receives the video, the first and foremost concern is the fate of the millions of Muslims who live in Europe, as they are the real target of Wilders' message.
The vast majority of them have nothing to do with the violence Wilders' talks about in the film. A worst-case scenario would be the persecution of Muslims as Islamophobia grows in the same way Christian Europeans persecuted Jews in the 20th century. As it is, Muslims in some European countries have already begun feeling the heat in recent years.
Thankfully, after failing to prevent Fitna's release, the Dutch government disassociated itself from the film as soon as it became publicly available on the Internet, as has the Danish government. This is a first step in calming the situation and easing tensions in their own communities, as well as in their relations with predominantly Muslim countries.
Their next task is to deal with the growing Islamophobia in their societies. Muslim minorities, most arriving through decades of immigration, are a fact of life in Europe. They are reminders of the growing presence of peoples of different cultures and religions in the once predominantly white and Christian Europe, and the need for everyone to learn to live side by side in peace despite their differences.
Some tensions are inevitable during such a process of integration or assimilation, and it is therefore all the more important for governments to get a handle on the situation and start promoting multiculturalism or pluralism to ease the tensions.
If there is anything good coming out of Wilders' film, it is to remind Europeans of the urgency for them to deal with the problems and challenges of the ever-growing diversity of their societies.
The author is chief editor of The Jakarta Post.
What's On
- Festival of India
10/29/2009 12/15/2009 Balai Kartini & Umar Ismail Hall, Jakarta
- Imagemakers of the Future: Photography exhibition
10/10/2009 11/30/2009 Alila Ubud Desa Melinggih Kelod Payangan, Gianyar 80572, Bali - Timeless Change
11/05/2009 12/07/2009 Ganesha Gallery, Four Seasons Hotel Jimbaran, Bali. - Choreography of Colours; Sardono W. Kusumo's first solo painting exhibition
11/12/2009 12/12/2009 vivi yip art room Annexe Ciputra World Marketing Gallery Jalan Prof Satrio Kav 11, Casablanca
Listiani Lestari (not verified), Netherlands — Fri, 10/16/2009 - 3:54pm
WE CAN NO LONGER REMAIN SILENT. Islam is Indonesia's dominant religion, making the World's largest Muslim population. Half of that, are Muslim females and Islam still treats women like a bunch of animals. The Qura'n provides words and verses in favor of gender equality. If the situation remains unchanged in addressing Muslim injustices in the emancipation of women dignity and respect. Islam is facing drastic measures. Islam tyranny against women has failed to provide a moral framework and failed in investing in women who educate their children for a better future. Instead, Islam Clerics preach that a wife is a slave to the man inciting domestic violence, forced marriages, sexual abuses. Criminal acts that causes most pain to Muslim women. No one in the family protects a young girl in sexual abuse and this is happening regularly following beating and pedophile abuses. No one seems to care in Indonesia about these hidden crimes not even the social workers who are sworn by their professional secrecy in the attempt to cover up Islamic Tyranny. Islam is a common term associated with violence, hatred and bloodshed rooted long time since it's fundamentalism from the founder himself who was a mass murderer, a rapist, a blasphemer and a pedophile who married nine year old Aisha and married again Javaerah his slave. At the age of forty said to have received paranormal revelations after suffering an epileptic fit. Recovering from it's tantrum was inspired to conduct his followers into a Cult of bloodshed entertainment. Islamic terror manifestations are included in suicide-bombing, assassinations, mass murders, kidnapping, and airline hijacking. The Islamic guerrilla network " The Jemaah Islamiyah " is synonyms with Indonesia and in their revenge and hatred towards America. The Jemaah Islamiyah bomb America in Jakarta and in Bali! Islam hates Indonesia and have no respect to this suffering Nation battered by natural disasters and poverty. Stop this interpretations of the Quran's violations. Stop this fear and terror in Indonesia. Stop this brutal religion of Jihad. Stop these wanton attacks on Indonesia's flagellated economy. Islam is imported from the Saudi Arabia. Islam is not Indonesia's. But Islam have corrupted our Nation. Together, we fight this diabolic Monster. Listiani Lestari id:530971312. The Netherlands.Magic Gambit (not verified) — Wed, 06/04/2008 - 9:10pm
Indeed this is the worst article Jakarta Post has ever published. Fitna didn't say lies, it talks about the truth. Indeed that there is verses in Koran that told the muslim to kill non-muslim just as Fitna states. And also Wilders movie is taken from various sources, not that he made the action by himself or modified the part of the source files. I see that Fitna is like a collection of various video clips about muslim violences. So, my conclusion is there's nothing wrong about Fitna. No need to ban it, neither for arrest Wilder. If you don't like it, or you feel like Fitna is attacking your beliefs, then simply don't watch it.
No offense. If you don't like my comments, the simply don't read it okay.
The Reader (not verified) — Wed, 05/21/2008 - 4:58am
This is a classic example of “blind faith”. The writer is obviously not recognizing the amount of violence caused by the small muslim minority who were given the opportunity of a better lifestyle in Europe but are yet compelled to so violently support the religion. Say what you like about what the Quran preaches but open your eyes to what is really happening. Why can’t they (the Muslim minority) conform to the more civilized lifestyle? Why is the small Muslim community in predominantly Catholic France clamouring for the right not to wear school uniforms? Perhaps, it is their misinterpretation of democratic rights as their right not to conform to rules and regulations and stimulated by their very strong religious upbringing. Don’t you think the religion should be banned if it is breeding such massive destructions- loss of lives and disruptions to public transport systems and grinding halt to whole nation’s economy, not to mention the very minor problems never mentioned in the press. We have enough natural disasters and certainly can do without a religion to add more problems in the world.
Voice of reason (not verified) — Tue, 04/29/2008 - 11:21am
All readers must answer a few questions. What right does the muslim world have to condem a video made by a private individual? The writer of this article says islam is peaceful? and islamic people co exist with non islamic people peacefully? Then answer these questions. How come nearly all islamic majority countries are not secular but islamic states? Indonesia is 'secular' but how does more than 200 churches get shut down from 1996 onwards with no doubt more to come? why do the police accompany the people who bring down mohamedia places of worship? So which is worse? physical violence or making a video? The silent majority cannot pretend and get away by saying a few extremists do such things. The truth is the majority keep silent when these 'extremists' go on a rampage
Every action has a reaction. Islam has to contemplate as to why people are making such videos. Maybe the video was too much in the face. But perhaps there is an element of truth somewhere within it.
Soemarwoto, K (not verified) — Sun, 04/20/2008 - 12:55am
In response to another reader:
"Neither you nor the RI are in any position to criticize Geert Wilders."
So the insulted does not have the freedom to feel insulted? Or correction, the offended does not have the right to defend themselves.
Soemarwoto, K (not verified) — Sun, 04/20/2008 - 12:49am
"So until the muslim themselves can treat others equally and respectfully, a lot of "Fitna" will still come up in the future."
Fortunately, I don't see your logic. It's like combating reverse racism with racism.
The Amateur Reader (not verified) — Mon, 04/14/2008 - 2:21pm
This is the worst article ever written in Jakarta Post in my opinion. Since it is in the "Commentary" section, I guess it is tolerable. However, as the chief of editor of a major English language newspaper, we would expect more from Endy Bayuni. No offense.
You are talking about "muslim minority" and hence their inequality in their treatment which cause Islamophobia in Europe? That must be a joke. I have been to Europe and I have not seen such a thing even exist. People are very tolerant towards other people's religion practices, sometimes to the point of being indifference.
Here, in this country, the biggest Muslim country in the world, I can say that "non muslim minorities" are treated so poorly - and I can also safely say that I myself am seen by my muslim counterparts as second class citizen.
So until the muslim themselves can treat others equally and respectfully, a lot of "Fitna" will still come up in the future.
Paul (not verified) — Fri, 04/11/2008 - 11:35am
To say that the acts of the minority extremists is nothing to do with mainstream Islam is not only naive but ridiculous.
It is up to mainstream Islam to condemn these acts and the perpetrators in order to avoid the so called clash of civilizations which seems to be on the horizon.
Although Muslims regularly demonstrate when their religion is "insulted" by the west I cannot recall a single demonstration against terrorism, Islamic fanaticism or those within the religion who insult and denigrate it.
If Islam will not clean out it's own house then the western world definitely will. It is only a matter of time.
The Reader (not verified) — Tue, 04/01/2008 - 6:19pm
Dear Rizwan,
How can Fitna be the worst film created in the world? It quotes the Koran! It shows the deeds of some of the most well known muslims in the muslim world who extensively quote and use these verses – Osama, Ahmadinejad, Hamas. Why aren’t you angry at them?
Who will be incited to war by this film? Christians certainly will not? Do you mean this film is correct and muslims are violent?
Mark Austin (not verified) — Tue, 04/01/2008 - 1:42pm
Neither you nor the RI are in any position to criticize Geert Wilders, the Dutch Governent or the EU while you allow organizations like JI to exist legally, anti-western hate mongers like Bashir to condone violent acts, your health minister to play God with H5N1, the Indonesian judiciary to meet out heavier sentences against non-Muslims, your government tries to impliment de facto Sharia law and your militarily inept civilian killing TNI to go on conducting business as usual. I do not agree with Fitna but I say God bless the EU for allowing people to say what they want within the law and the sooner non-Islamic islands currently under Jakarta's boot rule get their freedom to do the same, the better.