|
Home
Subscribe
Prophetic
Trends
Current
Issue
Newsletter
Archive
Frequent
Questions
Featured
Item
This
Weeks Poll
Make
A Donation
Contact
Us
|
Film could
spark new wave of Muslim riots
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59771
Officials in the Netherlands, where tensions have been high since a Muslim
murdered a filmmaker more than three years ago, are bracing for the release of a
new movie by a controversial politician that aims to show Islam's holy book
"is an inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror."
In 2004, filmmaker Theo Van Gogh was murdered by a Muslim avenging his film
critical of Islam. Two years later, riots protesting the publication of cartoons
about Islam's prophet Muhammad left about 100 people dead.
Now, the Dutch government is warning of a 10-minute film to be released this
month by parliament member Geert Wilders, who heads the right-wing Freedom
Party, reports Agence France-Presse.
Yesterday, ahead of a news conference by Dutch officials, the country's media
reported the government has put together a secret document on how to handle
reactions to the film.
Last week, Wilders discussed banning the Quran after the head of a group of
ex-Muslims compared Islam's prophet with al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
One year ago, Wilders called on Muslims to "tear out half the pages of the
Koran and throw them away."
Now, according to some observers, the new movie might feature Wilders burning or
tearing up the Quran.
Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende told reporters yesterday his government is
prepared for any possible fallout, AFP reported. The Dutch leader said he
couldn't comment on Wilders' film, because he had not seen it, but he emphasized
his government would not censor it.
"The Netherlands has a tradition of freedom of expression and freedom of
religion but also a tradition of mutual respect, and provocations do not fit
into that. I call on everybody to take their individual responsibility," he
said, according to AFP.
Dutch media reported the government is preparing for a possible evacuation of
its embassies and citizens from the Middle East. But Foreign Ministry spokesman
Bart Rijs told AFP there were no special emergency measures in place at the
moment.
"We always have scenarios for possible calamities at our embassies,
consulates and other Dutch representations abroad. They are regularly
updated," he said.
Wilders told the Dutch magazine HP/De Tijd he's not turning back.
"Now that everybody is already in a state (over the film), I see it as a
confirmation that I should go ahead. I would not be worth a button if I were to
capitulate now," he said.
Wilders, who has received numerous death threats, has been under 24-hour
protection since the murder of Van Gogh, who directed a controversial film
written by Wilder's former political ally, Ayaan Hirsi Ali. The film,
"Submission," centered on violence against women in Islamic societies.
Since then, the government of a nation proud of its liberal social attitudes has
cut back on generous welfare programs to immigrants and made Dutch-language
classes mandatory for newcomers.
Last fall, Ali, whose life also has been threatened by Van Gogh's murderer,
Mohammed Bouyeri, returned to the Netherlands after working at the American
Enterprise Institute in Washington, because the U.S. would no longer finance her
personal security.
Ali, a native of Somalia, was granted asylum in the Netherlands in 1992 and
became a legislator for the Liberal VVD party.
Her family moved to Saudi Arabia when she was 6 years old then went on to
Ethiopia before settling in Kenya.
Ali told her story in the best-selling book "Infidel," published last
year.
Her straightforward criticism of Islam and unabashed appreciation of America
were on display in an interview with incredulous Canadian TV host Avi Lewis.
"Islam means submission to the will of Allah, a doctrine that requires from
the individual to become a slave," Ali told Lewis.
Islam, she said, "keeps people backward" by limiting their
imaginations to what can be found in the Quran and the example of Muhammad.
Lewis retorted: "Surely there are many versions of Islam, like there are
may versions of Christianity or Judaism, of all major religions. You are
presenting it as one thing, and it's just obviously not."
Ali replied: "Islam, as a faith, as a doctrine, defined by what's in the
Quran and the example of the prophet Muhammad – unreformed, unchallenged –
is a monolith.
|
|