Dutch Muslims vowed on Thursday, January 24, a calm and smart handling of far-right lawmaker Geert Wilders's plan to broadcast an anti-Qur'an documentary later this month.
"Our plan will have succeeded when Wilders feels frustrated because there were no riots or uproar because the Muslims will have shown they are more intelligent and democratic than he thinks," Mohammed Rabbae, Chairman of the National Moroccan Council (LBM), told a news conference. MP Wilders, leader of the far-right Freedom Party, has postponed the broadcast of his controversial 10-minute movie for at least two weeks.
He said it would show that the Qur'an is "a horrible and fascist book" that inspires people to commit "awful acts."
Some fear Wilders will burn or tear up a copy of Islam's holy book in the movie.
Rabbae, the Muslim leader, urged fellow religionists not to be provoked by Wilders insults.
"We call on all of the Netherlands' Muslims and all citizens who feel insulted by the content of the film to show that they can deal with the blow and that they won't be manipulated."
Wilders is infamious for his anti-Islam rants.
In August, he described the Muslim holy book as a "fascist" text which exhorts followers to kill and rape, comparing it to Mein Kampf, which outlines Adolf Hitler's racist ideology.
He has also campaigned to ban the building of new mosques in the European country and halt Muslim immigration.
His anti-Islam campaign has helped his far-right party win nine seats in last year's parliamentary elections.
Dutch Muslims make up one million of the Netherlandss 16 million population, mostly from Turkish and Moroccan origin.
Peaceful Approach While police prepared for possible riots, Muslims insisted their reaction to the film will be peaceful and responsible.
"We are in favor of a peaceful approach," Rabbae said.
"We have called for as many mosques as possible to open their doors on the day the film will be shown.
"Everybody in a neighborhood, be it immigrants or Dutch people
can come to talk and show solidarity."
His umbrella organization has also called on people offended by the film content to file a legal complaint for discrimination and incitement to hatred.
Rabbae said they have contacted embassies of Muslim countries in the country and the Organization of the Islamic Conference "to call on them not to boycott Dutch products".
The Iranian parliament has warned of "extensive repercussions from Muslims throughout the globe" if the film was broadcast.
The 2005 production of Danish cartons ridiculing prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) sparked violent demonstrations in some countries and soured relations between Denmark and Muslim countries.
Unlike the Danish government, the Netherlands was quick to distance itself from the controversial film from the very beginning.
Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen has met with Wilders personally "to point out the risks in making such a movie for himself and his entourage, and for the Netherlands and the Dutch interests abroad."
HEYET Net- Islam Online
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