Mr. Rami Toqan, Chair
r-toqan@northwestern.edu


The Danish Caricatures, that have been so protested, have been cause for debate on relations with Denmark. September 30, 2005 – caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad, were published in a Danish newspaper. This being considered blasphemous by Muslims, was cause for protest, and backlash in the Arab world. Franco Frattini, the European Union commissioner for justice, freedom and security, revealed the idea for a code of conduct in an interview with The Daily Telegraph. Mr. Frattini, a former Italian foreign minister, said the EU faced the “very real problem” of trying to reconcile “two fundamental freedoms, the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion”. What must we, as the leaders of the Arab world, do to help resolve the protesting and rioting? Is withdrawing our delegations from Denmark, and refusing to recognize the Danish embassies, a solution? Or will this contribute further to the problem? Riots have entailed attacks on the Danish embassy in Syria, with the Lebanese Hizballah party declaring serious backlashes on Norway and Denmark for these publications. What can we do to restore peace with these nations? They are entitled to their own free speech and have their own laws regarding press, whether it be freedom of the press or government control of press. However, as we all have agreed, displaying the prophet as a terrorist has been unanimously decreed as insulting and blasphemous. Should economic or trade sanctions be put into effect, or should we demand formal apologies from these nations? These are all crucial, to be able to restore peace and security to our people, and thus prevent future outbreaks and attacks, against the Danes or Norwegians.


http://www.brusselsjournal.com/node/616
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4567940.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jyllands-Posten_Muhammad_cartoons_controversy
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=77052&d=30&m=1&y=2006