United Nations General Secretary Ban Ki-moon calls far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilder's movie "Fitna" 'offensively anti-Islamic,' Iran and Bangladesh warn movie could cause grave consequences, while Pakistan protests to Dutch ambassador Muslim nations, the European Union and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Friday expressed outrage at an anti-Islam film posted on the Internet by a far-right Dutch lawmaker.
"I condemn in the strongest terms the airing of Geert Wilders' offensively anti-Islamic film," the UN chief said in a statement. "There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free speech is not at stake here."
Fearing a repeat of the violent clashes in 2006 that followed the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers, the Dutch government has distanced itself from Wilders' film. "The film equates Islam with violence. We reject that interpretation," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said.
Islamic leaders in The Netherlands called on Muslims in other countries not to overreact. "We call on them to follow our strategy and not react with attacks on Dutch embassies or tourists," the head of the Dutch Moroccan community, Mohamed Rabbae, said. "An attack on the Netherlands is an attack on us."
The public prosecutor's office in the Netherlands is scrutinizing the film to see if it breaks Dutch law. Wilders claims the film is legal.
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"I condemn in the strongest terms the airing of Geert Wilders' offensively anti-Islamic film," the UN chief said in a statement. "There is no justification for hate speech or incitement to violence. The right of free speech is not at stake here."
Fearing a repeat of the violent clashes in 2006 that followed the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in Danish newspapers, the Dutch government has distanced itself from Wilders' film. "The film equates Islam with violence. We reject that interpretation," Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende said.
Islamic leaders in The Netherlands called on Muslims in other countries not to overreact. "We call on them to follow our strategy and not react with attacks on Dutch embassies or tourists," the head of the Dutch Moroccan community, Mohamed Rabbae, said. "An attack on the Netherlands is an attack on us."
The public prosecutor's office in the Netherlands is scrutinizing the film to see if it breaks Dutch law. Wilders claims the film is legal.
Go to article...