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 Qur’an 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.
Muslim nations on Friday condemned a film by a Dutch lawmaker that accuses the Qur’an of inciting violence, and Dutch Muslim leaders urged restraint. Geert Wilders, leader of the anti-immigration Freedom Party, launched his short video on the internet on Thursday evening, prompting an al-Qaeda-linked website to call for his death.
Iran said a film by a Dutch lawmaker that accuses the Qur’an of inciting violence was ”heinous” and called on European governments to block any further showing, Iran’s official news agency reported on Friday. The film by Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders was posted on Thursday on his Freedom Party’ website, which crashed soon afterwards.
No image available
/ 7 February 2008
There is a greater public sense of anticipation about what President Thabo Mbeki will say in his State of the Nation address on Friday than before any previous such speech he has delivered since assuming office in 1999. This is in part due to the recent dramatic twist in Mbeki’s political fortunes.
No image available
/ 28 November 2007
A Dutch conservative lawmaker said on Wednesday he is making a film to highlight what he describes as ”fascist” passages in the Qur’an, his latest high profile criticism of Islam. Wilders plans to depict parts of the Qur’an he says are used as inspiration ”by bad people to do bad things”.
No image available
/ 16 October 2007
Political parties on Tuesday paid tribute to outgoing Democratic Party MP Douglas Gibson, who is leaving Parliament to take up a post as South Africa’s ambassador to Thailand. The African National Congress said despite the fact that Gibson had previously said things that offended its MPs, it would always respect his courage.