| Danish Churches Try to Calm Cartoon Crisis |
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| Written by Christian Roar Pedersen | ||||
| Wednesday, 22 February 2006 | ||||
 Porto Alegre, Brazil, Feb 22 – Representatives from the Danish churches are trying to calm the current cartoon crisis. A church delegation from Denmark visited Egypt and in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where the assembly of World Council of Churches is held Danish representatives met with a Muslim leader from Indonesia.The controversy started when the Danish newspaper Jyllandsposten published 12 drawings of Mohammed in September 2005. A delegation of imams from Denmark subsequently travelled to the Middle East to raise protests against the publication of the drawings meeting with various Muslim leaders and when a Norwegian newspaper reprinted the drawings in January the current crisis started with world wide protests and boycott of Danish products. Now Danish churches are trying to calm the situation. From February 16-19 a delegation consisting of two bishops and representatives from the Council of International Relations of the Lutheran Church and two missionary societies met with political and Muslim leaders in Egypt. The delegation conveyed the apologies of the Danish newspaper Jyllandsposten to Sheik dr. Muhammad Sayyed Tantawy of Al-Azhar and Grand Mufti Dr. Aly Goma. “We have the apology of Jyllandsposten and the Norwegian newspaper so we are satisfied”, Grand Mufti Dr. Aly Goma said after the meeting. At the same time he stated that the Danish prime minister “should give a clear and unambiguous apology.” The dialogue with the church delegation was highly appreciated by the mufti. “The fact that you are sitting here is the future… now we should cool off and not let the hidden hand [referring the street protests] make the agenda.” The opinion of Aly Goma is important since he is the one deciding what are communicated in the mosques during the Friday prayer. The Grand Mufti wanted the churches to push for a legislation which prohibits religious insults. Accoring to the news agency Ritzau Bishop Steen Skovsgaard commented on the meeting saying, “We told that we actually already have a blasphemy law in Denmark and I do not think that they exactly knew this.” Also at the World Council of Churches meeting in Brazil the cartoon crisis has surfaced and the Danish delegation present used the opportunity to meet with Dr. Hasyim Muzadi from Indonesia who is the leader of 47 million Muslims. “If we claim absolute freedom we limit the freedom of other people at the same time. Therefore freedom must be practiced with responsibility and respect,” Muzadi said at the meeting according to DanChurch Aid. The situation in Indonesia is very tense according to DanChurch Aid and only dialogue and mutual trust can prevent that the Indonesian Churches are affected. Representatives from the Indonesian churches also participated in the meeting. “I sensed a clear understanding of our situation and he [Muzadi] appreciated the direct dialogue. The two Indonesian parties was visible satisfied with the meeting and relieved over the mutual respect which caracterized the conversation,” General Secretary of DanChurch Aid Henrik Stubkjær said after the meeting. Did you enjoy this article? Please bookmark it onto:             
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| Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 February 2006 ) | ||||
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