Thai Muslims Protest At Danish Embassy

[george]

Thai Muslims protest at Danish embassy

BANGKOK: -- About 500 Muslims men protested in front of the Danish embassy in Bangkok Monday morning, calling for an apology from publications that published cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

"Today we came here to condemn the Danish government and Danish media that published our prophet Mohammed in comedy cartoons," said Mulis Timasen, who organized the protest with a group calling themselves Muslims Love Peace.

He added that publishing the cartoons showed the media in Denmark have contempt toward Islam. "From now on Denmark has become an enemy of Muslims," he added.

About 100 police blocked the small road in front of the embassy as the protesters chanted and lectured for about 90 minutes while holding banners demanding Denmark and the EU apologize for insulting Islam.

Mulis said they chose the Danish embassy because media in Denmark were the first to publish the cartoon, and there were no plans to stage similar protests at other embassies.

Women were not allowed at the protest because it would have been improper for them to be there, Mulis said.

--DPA 2006-02-06

[Oishi]

Aha! that was the extraordinary circumstances

EMBASSY OF DENMARK IN BANGKOK CLOSED ON MONDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2006

The Embassy of Denmark in Bangkok regrets to inform you that the Embassy will be closed for visitors on Monday 6 February 2006 due to extraordinary circumstances. The Embassy can be contacted at telephone number xxxxxxx as usual. We apologize for any inconvenience.

[terdsak_12]

Brilliant letter in the Bkk Post about this current hoo haa that's going on. Too right I say!!

[chownah]

If they were peacefully demonstrating then I say good on them. They are exercising their right of free speach. Peacefully domonstrating to help people understand your grievance is an honorable act and in fact is one of the foundations of freedom and democracy. Many people will think that there is some hypocrisy in their protests in that they are using free speach to try to stop the exercise of free speach....and I think that it is good that people see this. Perhaps some young Muslilms will see this hypocracy too and thus grow up with a more democratic and accepting mind set. If these demonstrators are rebuked then perhaps young Muslims will grow up thinking that indeed freedom of speach is a myth and certainly Muslims are not allowed this freedom so why should I try to nurture this false freedom at all. It is unlikely that anything we do can sway these demonstrators but our actions will certainly send a message to countless young people around the world who are eagerly watching and formulating their own opinions.

[Steely Dan]

I'm bemused by the link being made between a secular democratic government and it's independent press. I'm reminded of the Monty Python film the Life of Bryan and the stoning sketch when everyone kept saying Jehovah. A more modern and closer to home example is the film made last year where on the promotional poster a man was sat on the head of a Buddha statue with his feet dangling in front. This lead to protests from religious leaders in Thailand and Sri Lanka, and the posters were duly removed with an apology, which is in sharp contrast to economic boycotts, death threats and the burning down of embassies. I'm glad to hear the Thai protest was peaceful as the protesters were exercising their right to protest in a democratic manner.

[sonthaya]

Brilliant letter in the Bkk Post about this current hoo haa that's going on. Too right I say!!

Here is a letter from the Danish newspaper which started the problems, it's in Danish, English and in Arabic.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Opdateret 3. februar 2006 09:45

Honourable Fellow Citizens of the Muslim World

Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten is a strong proponent of democracy and freedom of religion. The newspaper respects the right of any human being to practise his or her religion. Serious misunderstandings in respect of some drawings of the Prophet Mohammed have led to much anger and, lately, also boycott of Danish goods in Muslim countries.

Please allow me to correct these misunderstandings.

On 30 September last year, Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten published 12 different cartoonists' idea of what the Prophet Mohammed might have looked like. The initiative was taken as part of an ongoing public debate on freedom of expression, a freedom much cherished in Denmark.

In our opinion, the 12 drawings were sober. They were not intended to be offensive, nor were they at variance with Danish law, but they have indisputably offended many Muslims for which we apologize.

Since then a number of offensive drawings have circulated in The Middle East which have never been published in Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten and which we would never have published, had they been offered to us. We would have refused to publish them on the grounds that they violated our ethical code.

Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten attaches importance to upholding the highest ethical standards based upon the respect of our fundamental values. It is so much more deplorable, therefore, that these drawings were presented as if they had anything to do with Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten.

Maybe because of culturally based misunderstandings, the initiative to publish the 12 drawings has been interpreted as a campaign against Muslims in Denmark and the rest of the world.

I must categorically dismiss such an interpretation. Because of the very fact that we are strong proponents of the freedom of religion and because we respect the right of any human being to practise his or her religion, offending anybody on the grounds of their religious beliefs is unthinkable to us.

That this happened was, consequently, unintentional.

As a result of the debate that has been going on about the drawings, we have met with representatives of Danish Muslims, and these meetings were held in a positive and constructive spirit. We have also sought in other ways to initiate a fruitful dialogue with Danish Muslims.

It is the wish of Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten that various ethnic groups should live in peace and harmony with each other and that the debates and disagreements which will always exist in a dynamic society should do so in an atmosphere of mutual respect.

For that reason, Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten has published many articles describing the positive aspects of integration, for example in a special supplement entitled The Contributors. It portrayed a number of Muslims who have had success in Denmark. The supplement was rewarded by the EU Commission.

Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten takes exception to symbolic acts suited to demonise specific nationalities, religions and ethnic groups.

Sincerely yours

Carsten Juste

Editor-in-Chief

[Oishi]

Thai Muslims protest outside Danish Embassy over controversial caricatures

BANGKOK, Feb 6 (TNA) - Hundreds of Thai Muslims protested Monday against the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad, saying it was an extreme blunder against Islam, and urged other Thai Muslims to boycott all Danish products.

A group of more than 400 Thai Muslims marched peacefully from Lumpini Park to the Danish Embassy here this morning and condemned the Danish press for publishing the images which Muslims in many countries viewed as blasphemous and contrary to Islamic tradition prohibiting depictions of Mohammad.

However, the Danish Embassy was closed on Monday for an unspecified reason.

The caricatures were first published by Denmark's Jyllands-Posten daily in September. Media in Norway, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and several other mostly European countries have reproduced some or all of the dozen caricatures.

European governments have stressed they have no control over media in their countries due to the concept of separation of religion and the state, and the separation of media from state control, and that they have to uphold freedom of expression.

The publication sparked violent protests in Syria and Lebanon where Danish embassies were torched over the weekend.

The Thai Muslim protesters vowed they would not use violence against Denmark, but urged their fellow Muslims in Thailand to ban all made-in-Denmark products.

The protestors issued a statement demanding the Danish government and its people to show responsibility and apologise all Muslims for the serious mistake committed against Islam.

The argument of some European countries that they could not control media for the sake of press freedom is unacceptable, said the Thai Muslim statement.

Pramote Samadi, one of the protest leaders said the Chularatchamontri or Muslim spiritual leader urged all protestors to refrain from violence.

He claimed that Muslims in other provinces also expressed their support of the protest.

Pramote also said that the cartoonist who drew the caricartures and newspaper editors who published the images of the Prophet Mohammad must be executed according to Shariah law.

[Galong]

"The Thai Muslim protesters vowed they would not use violence against Denmark, but urged their f

fellow Muslims in Thailand to ban all made-in-Denmark products."

Hmmm, and those (products other than dairy products) would be???

Remember, we all have to kiss up to all muslim in order to get along. After all, they're doing their best to get along with the rest of the world.

[TAWP]

"Pramote also said that the cartoonist who drew the caricartures and newspaper editors who published the images of the Prophet Mohammad must be executed according to Shariah law."

Sounds peacefull enough, no?

Murder on foreign soil. That's an act of war.

[opothai]

Remember, we all have to kiss up to all muslim in order to get along. After all, they're doing their best to get along with the rest of the world.

when we all understand and prctice what they preach then i'm sure we will all get along just fine

[Erwin1011]

In this case I can only refer to my first line signature...

[opothai]

bbc news

danish embbasy set on fire in beireut, and danes urged to leave lebanon, one dead in afghan demonstration.

all this over a couple of cartoons, and plenty of placards expressing kill and make them pay, jihad against denmark etc,

freedom of speech as long you say what is allowed

[astral]

bbc news

danish embbasy set on fire in beireut, and danes urged to leave lebanon, one dead in afghan demonstration.

The Beirut incident started as a peaceful rally, but some thugs (the ones arrested came from Syria and Palestine) turned it into mayhem

A Christian church was stoned and cars in the street were wrecked.

Little to do with Islam, just plain hooliganism.

[ratcatcher]

Any excuse to kill the infidels. Danish,Irish,Jewish, Shrewish. Who cares. Unless you are a muslim, you are a non-believer thus, in the eyes of the radicals, an infidel and must be killed.

Or so they say?

Edited February 6, 2006 by ratcatcher

[Galong]

"Little to do with Islam, just plain hooliganism."

Wait a minute, now all of the hooligans are going to be pissed off!

Praise be to all hooligans far and wide.

[opothai]

The Beirut incident started as a peaceful rally, but some thugs (the ones arrested came from Syria and Palestine) turned it into mayhem

A Christian church was stoned and cars in the street were wrecked.

Little to do with Islam, just plain hooliganism.

astral while i agree with you the instigators could be the syrian and palistinian fundamentalists the question i would ask is why did the clerics not diffuse the situation, this would go for all the countries they have demonstrated in.

we always seem to see the fundamentalists but the leaders are the clerics and all thet ever seem to do is NOTHING

[britmaveric]

If clerics came out and told these thugs to stop looting, burning, and pillaging this would all stop. The silence speaks volumes.

[chuchok]

If clerics came out and told these thugs to stop looting, burning, and pillaging this would all stop. The silence speaks volumes.

If somebody invented a gun that shot out big dollups of pig poo, then that would be a fun way to get rid of some of those looters.

[Steely Dan]

Thai Muslims protest outside Danish Embassy over controversial caricatures

The argument of some European countries that they could not control media for the sake of press freedom is unacceptable, said the Thai Muslim statement.

Here lies the crux of the problem, Western democracies fought wars so we could at least pretend to live in a state allowing freedom of speech. Now groups forming a minority in western Countries expect the law to change in order to pander to their beliefs! I guess atheists will always have a problem with the concept of blasphemy.

[astral]

The Beirut incident started as a peaceful rally, but some thugs (the ones arrested came from Syria and Palestine) turned it into mayhem

A Christian church was stoned and cars in the street were wrecked.

Little to do with Islam, just plain hooliganism.

astral while i agree with you the instigators could be the syrian and palistinian fundamentalists the question i would ask is why did the clerics not diffuse the situation, this would go for all the countries they have demonstrated in.

we always seem to see the fundamentalists but the leaders are the clerics and all thet ever seem to do is NOTHING

Actually the clerics were there on the street trying to calm matters down!!

I was watching on the local channel as it was happening.

Those bits got edited out by the BBC and probably others, as did the damage to

the Christian church and the cars............

As I watched I was struck by the parallel with football supporters and the few

hooligans who get them all a bad name.

Please note I am not a football supporter or a Muslim.

[JemJem]

In this case I can only refer to my first line signature...

'God ?! Please protect me from your followers !'.

Ha ha. Good one, Erwin. I am agnostic and I have to say I agree with you.

Protesting peacefully is one thing but burning buildings and killing/threatening to kill is another thing.

Let's hope that these protests will end soon !

But I also have to say that I have several Muslim friends and they have all been appalled by the fanaticism of some of their fellow Muslims.

Being a humanist person, I am strongly against both the fundamentalists and also the bigots (quite a few of them on this forum) who make generalisations and are full of hatred towards all Muslims.

Cheers,

Jem

Edited February 6, 2006 by JemJem

[Phil Conners]

Thai Muslims protest outside Danish Embassy over controversial caricatures

The argument of some European countries that they could not control media for the sake of press freedom is unacceptable, said the Thai Muslim statement.

Here lies the crux of the problem, Western democracies fought wars so we could at least pretend to live in a state allowing freedom of speech. Now groups forming a minority in western Countries expect the law to change in order to pander to their beliefs! I guess atheists will always have a problem with the concept of blasphemy.

Sorry this just doesn't make any sense

[Steely Dan]

Thai Muslims protest outside Danish Embassy over controversial caricatures

The argument of some European countries that they could not control media for the sake of press freedom is unacceptable, said the Thai Muslim statement.

Here lies the crux of the problem, Western democracies fought wars so we could at least pretend to live in a state allowing freedom of speech. Now groups forming a minority in western Countries expect the law to change in order to pander to their beliefs! I guess atheists will always have a problem with the concept of blasphemy.

Sorry this just doesn't make any sense

Ok, to put it another way, why should secular democracies consider changing their laws at the behest of foreigners who believe they have been insulted? Afterall there is no proof that a 'God' exists, and so the Danish press might have done no more than insult someone's imaginary friend.

P.S A quote from the Koran, 'He deserves paradise he who makes his companions laugh' Shame so many don't bother consulting the owners manual.

[Phil Conners]

Much better, thanks for explanation and agree fully. Religious wars have IMO always been a matter of "my imaginary friend is better than yours".

[mogoso]

Islamic is insulted by cartoons, and I'm a bit miffed with Islam. Since 911 there have been over three thousand acts of terrorism worldwide by Islam. Beheadings and bombings in Thailand included. Where is the cry of outrage by Islam for these acts being committed in the name of their "religion"

[Pepe']

In the south of Thailand, teachers and monks are slain on an all to frequent basis.

Is this not at least as, or perhaps as terrible as a satirical cartoon?

Yet there doesn't seem to be much protest, locally or internationaly...

Did I miss something here?

[haha]

my 2 cents..

I don't see how you can justify murder or damaging other people's property over a cartoon? isn't a cartoon just a piece of paper?

seriously though, I think we are dealing with a "cult" here.

[Eatdog]

Thai Muslims look like good people! very peaceful!

[LaoPo]

Where is the cry of outrage by Islam for these acts being committed in the name of their "religion"

This was exactly the issue and question on a TV-discussion program in my homecountry, tonight.

The problem is that the vast majority of Islam-believers are probably peaceful.

The fanatics (and, so it seems, also orchestrered by the various governments) however 'draw' all the attention over a few cartoons; but what about the anti-Western and Zionistic cartoons shown on Al Jazeera and Arabian newspapers?

Is it considered 'normal' in the Islam world that they publish a cartoon with Anne Frank in bed with Adolf Hitler ?

The majority of World-wide-Terrorism (in the name of the Islam) has been committed by fanatics....in the name of Allah... whilst according to the 'Book' it is forbidden to use violence...

It is indeed about time that the leaders in the Islam countries call for a "CRY OF OUTRAGE" of their own people to stop these fanatics.

Wishful thinking I'm afraid

LaoPo

[Jai Dee]

President of the Islamic Committee in Ayudhaya said that the media should not twist stories on the publishing of caricatures of Prophet Muhammad.

President of the Islamic Committee of Ayudhaya (อยุธยา) Pradit Rattanakomol (ประดิษฐ์ รัตนโกมล) expressed belief that the publishing of caricatures mocking Prophet Muhammad abroad will cause conflicts among the people around the world, asking that Thai media refrain from twisting images of the pictures.

Mr. Pradit revealed that although the media has freedom of expression, it should not publish the caricatures, as it will cause conflicts among people with different races and religions. He asked the media in Thailand not to expand on the issue, as it will cause rifts among the people in Thailand.

Mr. Pradit said that Muslims in Ayudya who will be joining Thai Muslims in Bangkok should protest peacefully and consider national security as the first priority.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 07 Febuary 2006