News, Articles & Reviews

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Muslims need to protest the production of the anti-Islamic film entitled `Fitna` (Discord in Arabic) by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders because it hurts the feelings of 1.3 billion Muslims throughout the world, according to Islamic political observer Prof Dr Azyumardi Azra.

"We should protest but it should be done politely and peacefully in accordance with the high moral values of Islam," Prof Azra, former rector of Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, said here on Monday.

He reminded Muslims, however, that they should not be provoked by the airing of the film and must refrain from taking counter- productive actions which could harm the interests of Islam, Muslims and Indonesia which had the largest Muslim population in the world.

Prof. Azra acknowledged the positive stance taken by the Dutch Government which opposed the film for associating Islam with violence.

Interfaith Dialogs were the most civilized way to build mutual respect, and not through hatred and attacking each other, Prof. Azra said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has condemned the production of the film `Fitna` saying it is full of racist insinuations and an irresponsible act committed in the name of press freedom.

"The Government of Indonesia strongly condemns the provocative act which insults Islam and Muslims," Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Kristiarto Soeryo Legowo said on Saturday.

The film clearly contradicted the efforts Indonesia was making at national and international levels to promote interfaith dialogs based on harmony and tolerance, he said. (*)

Source