Muslims told to show maturity

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 04/02/2008 1:56 AM  |  National

Indonesians are being urged to show "mature but critical" responses to Fitna, as Muslims here continued to hold protest rallies Tuesday against the anti-Islamic film made by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders.

"Avoid excessive reaction. It is not a film, but a tool of propaganda," noted film director Garin Nugroho said as quoted by Antara news agency.

He said Muslims should instead emulate the actions of the Prophet Muhammad who was "clever in telling stories and always taught only the good things".

"Nowadays there are many such films as Fitna. So people should be cautious, more critical and mature in their reactions."

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said the film could potentially strengthen "tension or hatred between civilizations, specifically Islam and the West".

He said Wilders should be taken to International Court as a "criminal against civilization".

"It is normal for Muslims to protest but there is no need to be emotional because the dignity of Islam will never be diminished with an insult by any side," Din said in a text message to The Jakarta Post.

Dozens of Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI) supporters staged a rally Tuesday outside the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta to protest the release of Fitna.

They carried posters calling for the punishment of Wilders. One showed an image of him bearing fangs and with a gun at either side of his head. Alongside the slogan was written "Death to the insulter of Islam".

The Dutch government and other European countries have not banned blasphemy against Islam under the pretext of freedom of speech.

"This demonstrates they are applying a double standard policy," HTI spokesman Muhammad Ismail Yusanto said during the protest.

He said certain European countries punished doubters and critics of the holocaust but let be those who insulted Islam.

A similar protest was also held by hundreds of members of the Islam Defenders Front (FPI) at the same place on Monday.

The hard-lined FPI condemned the Dutch government for allowing the release of the film to the public and asked the Indonesian government to recall its ambassador to the Netherlands in protest against the film.

Late Monday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono urged Indonesians to avoid violence in venting their anger about the film.

He also barred Wilders from entering Indonesia and said screenings of the 17-minute Fitna would be banned in the former Dutch colony.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called the film "offensively anti-Islamic".

The film, released on the Internet last Thursday, features imagery of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and the 2004 Madrid bombings combined with quotes from the Koran.

It intersperses speeches from Islamic extremists calling for attacks on non-Muslims. The film ends with an appeal for Muslims to rip out sections of the Koran it says promote violence.

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