Netherlands: Wilders film roundup

For more on Fitna, see:
- Fitna Release Roundup #2
- Fitna release roundup
- Netherlands: Youth attitudes towards Fitna and Islam
- Netherlands: Muslims offended by Fitna, Dutch against banning it
- Netherlands: Dutch fear of riots drops, fear of Islam increases

Wilders is expected to broadcast his film about the Koran sometime in the next couple of weeks.

The Dutch cabinet has met in top secret sessions [though apparently not top secret enough] to talk about possible repercussions and measures to prevent them. These include quick evacuation of Dutch citizens from Muslim countries. The government is expecting riots, flag burnings and boycotts, and has informed municipalities and police to be ready for such eventualities.

Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende expect a serious crisis situation, though he says there is "no reason for panic". Balkenende says Wilders is responsible for the film's contents and the job of the cabinet is to be ready for possible consequences.

There have been reports from Dutch embassies in Muslim countries saying that things might get critical. The Dutch embassies have warned their citizens of possible negative reactions.

Besides threats from the Muslim sector, speculations about its incendiary contents are already making the rounds. Wilders is already being accused of tearing up the Koran in the film.

In a visit to the European Parliament last week, Syria's Grand Mufti Ahmad Badr al-Din Hassoun warned Wilders that he tears or burns the Koran in his film, "this will simply mean he is inciting wars and bloodshed. And he will be responsible. It is the responsibility of the Dutch people to stop Wilders."

The mufti also blamed the media for causing war. "A simple piece of information can spark a war. If a man dies because of information that you have made public, his death will be on your conscience," Shiekh Ahmed Badreddin Hassun told reporters at the European Parliament.

Belgian Vlaams Belang condemned these "threats addressed to Europeans who exercise their freedom of expression." The grand mufti should rescind his comments, the party says. If he does not, he should never be allowed in the European Parliament again, says the Vlaams Belang.

A letter sent to police stations by former police chief and manager of the National Expertise Center on Diversity B. Poelert advises the police to make it easier to lodge complaints against the film. Complaints should be received even if there's no evidence of an offense, in order to enable people to let off steam.

The letter also asks police chiefs to be aware of and expect emotional reactions from Muslim police agents.

The public prosecution in Amsterdam got more than 40 complaints about Wilders in the last month, most due to his statements about banning the Koran. The prosecution will make a decision as to whether this was an offense at the end of January.

Dutch news are doing their best to stoke up the panic. Noor Farida Ariffin, former Malaysian ambassador to the Netherlands, was interviewed saying that she fears the film will lead to riots and dozens dead in the Muslim world. Compared to what she expects, the Danish cartoon riots will be 'a picnic'. She suggests that once the film is out, the government come out against it with the most forceful wording.

"The Koran is holy for us, it is the direct word of God. Through the generations not one comma has been changed in the text. For many the prophet is more important than their father or mother. Please respect our religion." She claims to accept freedom of speech, but says that if the consequences are so horrible, the speakers should ask themselvse whether it's worth it.

Dutch citizens abroad have been interviewed coming out against Wilders film, saying they fear the possible riots and that they will be blamed for the film.

Dutch Muslim organization Contact Organ of Muslims and Government (Contactorgaan Moslims en Overheid), representing 70% of Muslims in the Netherlands, sent a letter to Muslim ambassadors not to react to the film, and to let them handle things on their own.

Meanwhile, the Arab European League has announced it's preparing a counter film.

Sources: Radio Netherlands, AFP, Expatica 1, 2 (English), NRC, RTL, Volkskrant, AD, Telegraaf (Dutch)

See also: Netherlands: Muslim Council "fears the worst", Netherlands: Hizb ut-Tahrir threatening with violence, Netherlands: Concern about Wilders film

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a bunch of idiots. This has nothing to do with a movie but all with submision. What we see here, is that terror realy works!

Anonymous said...

terrorist won.... in europe that is.

Anonymous said...

A good site about the movie:
http://www.fitnathemovie.info/

Anonymous said...

Respect is earned and as long as we have terrorists operating in the name of Islam no sane person can take Islam seriously or respect it for that matter.

Peter Silvester said...

Letting another kind of human live as they do and not by your laws is the ultimate in racism. You should always expect the same out of anyone as you would your own brother.
In this way the other person either succeeds or fails on their own merit.
This basic principle is the Republican way, the correct way and the only way for a stranger to gain respect for himself and respect from you. Then and only then are we all equal.

Anonymous said...

Your brother cannot live by his own laws. He must abide by the laws of the family or leave the family.

shabana_m said...

Wilders and his supportes are intellectually banckrupt. They aregue that the Quran should be banned and that it should be allowed to insult other peoples religious belief. They argue all this under the pretext of freedon of speech. The ideal of freedon of speech does not exist. As the Dutch constitution makes it an criminal offecne to single out a group of peopel for insulting them and section 140 of crimial code - prohibits the insulting and ridiculing the beliefs of others.Hence one cannot say what they want. According to the laws of denmark itself this film was a criminal offence!!
so to use freedon of speech as a reason to allow insulting muslims and the community is a farce as it is used selectively target muslims.

Also what muslism have been asked to also adopt the idea of free speech - and we should also relishthe idea of being able to insult other peopel and faiths - we should also take pride in attacking ridiculing and insulting others with things that may be offecsive to other members of society. Will this idea really reald to harmony in society? if respect fpr others beliefs is discarded and insults are taken up will this not cause friction, chaos, suspicion and hatred for other peopel? no thsi is not worthy ideal of a vale. Inciting hatred against ang gropu of peopel will only lead to further attacks on mulims - that have led to the murder of a 17year old mulsim youth, who was beaten to death by 3 dutch racists.
As amulsim we dont believe that it ok to go and insult our neighbours - we dont believe in insulting christaind, jewish peopel on their way to their places of worship. so we reject this freedon of speech and call peopel with a conscious to think about the consequences of adopting this idea.

shabana_m said...

Wilders and his supportes are intellectually banckrupt. They aregue that the Quran should be banned and that it should be allowed to insult other peoples religious belief. They argue all this under the pretext of freedon of speech. The ideal of freedon of speech does not exist. As the Dutch constitution makes it an criminal offecne to single out a group of peopel for insulting them and section 140 of crimial code - prohibits the insulting and ridiculing the beliefs of others.Hence one cannot say what they want. According to the laws of denmark itself this film was a criminal offence!!
so to use freedon of speech as a reason to allow insulting muslims and the community is a farce as it is used selectively target muslims.

Also what muslism have been asked to also adopt the idea of free speech - and we should also relishthe idea of being able to insult other peopel and faiths - we should also take pride in attacking ridiculing and insulting others with things that may be offecsive to other members of society. Will this idea really reald to harmony in society? if respect fpr others beliefs is discarded and insults are taken up will this not cause friction, chaos, suspicion and hatred for other peopel? no thsi is not worthy ideal of a vale. Inciting hatred against ang gropu of peopel will only lead to further attacks on mulims - that have led to the murder of a 17year old mulsim youth, who was beaten to death by 3 dutch racists.
As amulsim we dont believe that it ok to go and insult our neighbours - we dont believe in insulting christaind, jewish peopel on their way to their places of worship. so we reject this freedon of speech and call peopel with a conscious to think about the consequences of adopting this idea.

Anonymous said...

Freedom of speech does not permit incitement to violence. If this law is going to be applied equally then there is a case for the Koran to be banned or censored. There are numerous quotes in the koran that encourages the killing of pagans and persecution of Jews & Christians. I would also call for the censorship of any other so-called holy book that calls for the persecution of other religions. If we have a law then it should be applied equally to every one and not excuse people on grounds of faith.

Anonymous said...

Firstly, you say you dont like violence - well let me say that; is it the muslim doctrine that is mobilising fighter jets to fly half way across the world to bob inocent civillians? is it the muslim arimes that organisd, the Killing of 650,000 innocent men women and childeren in Iraq? Did they also go and carpet bomb Afghanistan? Do they also provide militarry, financial aid to the Zionist regime that is worse than the former south african aprthied situation? (a point not lossed on muslim and non muslism alike). As for other suffering of humans;
Is it the Islamic doctrine that dictates to the World Bank and IMF that has lead to 'doner' countries being stripped off their resources and where peopel are forced to have economic plicies that cripple them and their populations? Why so you selectively choose to point to the so called violence 'incited by islam' are you not going examine all violence? form all peoples? are you not going to questio why such wars and policies exist and from which doctrine they emanate from?

Even befor we begin to disuss what the Quran says, letus deal with the above first, then we can look the Quran in deatial and put things in to context.

Unknown said...

The initiative taken for the concern is very serious and needs an attention of everyone. This is the concern which exists in the society and needs to be eliminated from the society as soon as possible.


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