PEACEFUL DIALOGUE: Netherlands Ambassador to Indonesia Nicolas Van Dam (center) chats with People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Hidayat Nur Wahid (left) and Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsudin after a dialogue on film Fitna, in Jakarta on Monday. The movie has received strong opposition in Indonesia. (JP/R. Berto Wedhatama)

Indonesian Muslim leaders and foreign envoys have demanded the Netherlands take legal action against politician Geert Wilders for producing and distributing the anti-Islam film Fitna.

In a meeting with Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Nikolaos van Dam, held at Muhammadiyah headquarters Monday, the protesters said his government's statement condemning the film was not enough to dampen the anger of Muslim countries over the movie.

"The Dutch government must criminalize Wilders' conduct. Freedom of expression has a limit," People's Consultative Assembly chairman Hidayat Nur Wahid told the gathering.

He said Wilders could not hide behind the doctrine of freedom of expression, and insulting Muslims and causing unrest among them in the Netherlands and other countries were sufficient reasons for the Dutch government to prosecute Wilders.

"We are still waiting to see what punishment the Dutch government will give Wilders, because the film has clearly insulted and disgraced Islam," Indonesian Ulema Council deputy chairman Amidan said.

Also in attendance were foreign ambassadors Mohamed E. Taha of Egypt, Aydin Evirgen of Turkey and Abdulrahman Mohammed Amen Al-Khayyat of Saudi Arabia, and several diplomats from other Muslim countries.

Taha supported the argument there was no such a thing as "absolute freedom of expression" whereby people could freely insult others.

He urged the Dutch government to be tough on Wilders.

Muhammadiyah chairman Din Syamsuddin said he hoped van Dam would convey the Muslim leaders' messages to his government.

"Such a film encourages the clash of civilizations between Islam and the West," he said.

While expressing his government's regret over the release of the film, van Dam said Dutch prosecutors were looking into the case for ways to hold Wilders responsible and bring him to justice.

"We have no censorship in the Netherlands. That's why we can't ban the film. But we agree the freedom of expression has limits insofar as not hurting others' feelings," he told the Muslim leaders.

All the Muslim leaders and envoys agreed the Dutch government must find a way to prevent similar films and other forms of expression from being released to the public.

"This is not the first film (to hurt Muslims), so the Dutch government must have regulations to prevent similar movies from circulating," said Hamamah from Aisyiah, the women's arm of Muhammadiyah.

Wilders posted his documentary on the Internet last week. In the film, he equated Islam with violence by presenting verses from the Koran that appear to call for the use of violence and running them alongside video clips of the 9/11 attacks.

The film has provoked a strong reaction from Muslims in Indonesia. About 40 students attacked the Dutch consulate in Medan, North Sumatra, during a protest against the film.

Some Muslim leaders warned the Monday meeting violence could continue if the Dutch government failed to punish Wilders appropriately.

Indonesian film director Hanung Bramantyo, who was present at the gathering, urged Muslims not to allow themselves to be provoked to avoid appearing as ugly as the film itself.

"It's garbage. Let's just ignore it," he said. "Islam is too great to be hurt by such a low-quality film."

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