Posted on 03/31/2008 4:27:55 PM PDT by PROCON
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch foreign minister met ambassadors from Muslim countries on Monday to try to cool tempers over a film by a Dutch lawmaker critical of the Koran and ask for protection for Dutch citizens and property.
Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration Freedom Party, launched his short video on the Internet on Thursday, mixing images of Islamist bombings with quotations from the Muslim holy book, prompting a stream of condemnation from the Islamic world.
But reaction to the film was more restrained compared with the violence in 2006 that followed the publication in Europe of cartoons lampooning the Prophet Mohammed, when more than 50 people were killed in riots in Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
"I am pleased with the muted reactions that we have received so far from the Muslim world," Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said in a statement. "But the rhetoric in some countries shows that we need to remain alert."
Verhagen said he had told the ambassadors from 26 countries including Iran and Indonesia that the film in no way reflected the views of the Dutch government and called on the diplomats to make sure that Dutch interests abroad were protected.
"We are aware of the concerns and feelings in the international Muslim community about this film. But injured feelings should never be an excuse for aggression and threats," he said. "Let us keep a cool head and warm relations."
The 57-nation Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) said the film was "solely intended to incite and provoke unrest and intolerance", while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called it "offensively anti-Islamic".
About 50 members of a hardline Indonesian Muslim group held a rowdy protest outside the Dutch embassy on Monday, calling for the death of Wilders. Members of the Islamic Defenders' Front hurled eggs and plastic water bottles into the compound.
Iran's foreign ministry summoned the Dutch ambassador on Sunday in protest at the "insulting and anti-Islamic" film. The film, which starts and ends with a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad with a bomb under his turban, urges Muslims to tear out "hate-filled" verses from the Koran.
The cartoon by a Danish artist had ignited protests and a boycott of Danish products in 2006.
Wilders said on Monday he would replace the cartoon with another one of the prophet after the illustrator said he would sue the Dutch lawmaker for taking the image out of context and using it without permission, ANP news agency reported.
Good luck with that!
Moslems whine entirely too much. That film could have actually had some bad stuff in it. They don’t know how lucky they are.
Moslems whine entirely too much. That film could have actually had some bad stuff in it. They don’t know how lucky they are.
What a good little Dhimmi.
I’m sure he will be happy to pay jizyah just to keep his head on.
Maybe he will even convert to the pirate pedophile’s phony satanic religion.
They got to him. Didn't take long.
What’s wrong with being “offensively anti-islamic”? I know I am - and I feel just fine about it.
Remain alert for what?/rhetorical question, duh.
Islam: The biggest bunch of babies in the history of the world
I was just thinking the same thing. If these peole did actually rule the world, they would start eating their own. God said he would make him a wild donkey of a man, and here you see his descendants.
a hardline Indonesian Muslim group held a rowdy protest outside the Dutch embassy on Monday, calling for the death of Wilders.
I wonder if the OIC had any comment on the hardline muslim group who incited and provoked unrest and illustrated violent intolerance to differing opinions.
Let the Muslims state the sections they object to — and lets discuss the TRUTH of the film....
In the West — we discuss these issues in the OPEN - not in a closed Mosque...
If that’s not good enough — F’em. Twice.....
Shine the light on these cockroaches. Watch then run and whine.
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