Charlie Hebdo attack can never be justified
Lim Teck GheePublished: Jan 11, 2015 12:18 PM | Updated: Jan 11, 2015 2:49 PM
COMMENT An excerpt from Fareed Zakaria's opinion piece titled 'Blasphemy and the Law of Fanatics' published in The Washington Post on Jan 8:
As they went on their rampage, the men who killed 12 people in Paris this week yelled that they had "avenged the prophet".
They follow in the path of other terrorists who have bombed newspaper offices, stabbed a filmmaker and killed writers and translators, all to mete out what they believe is the proper Koranic punishment for blasphemy. But in fact, the Koran prescribes no punishment for blasphemy.
Like so many of the most fanatical and violent aspects of Islamic terrorism today, the idea that Islam requires that insults against the Prophet Muhammad be met with violence, is a creation of politicians and clerics to serve a political agenda.
The recent massacre of journalists and other innocents in Paris by Muslim extremists has resulted in a spontaneous and universal wave of sympathy, mourning and concern.
Leaders and ordinary people all over the world have joined in widespread condemnation of these dastardly killings - and rightly so. These are acts of twisted minds. There is no way in which the actions of the Muslim jihadists can be justified.
COMMENT An excerpt from Fareed Zakaria's opinion piece titled 'Blasphemy and the Law of Fanatics' published in The Washington Post on Jan 8:
As they went on their rampage, the men who killed 12 people in Paris this week yelled that they had "avenged the prophet".
They follow in the path of other terrorists who have bombed newspaper offices, stabbed a filmmaker and killed writers and translators, all to mete out what they believe is the proper Koranic punishment for blasphemy. But in fact, the Koran prescribes no punishment for blasphemy.
Like so many of the most fanatical and violent aspects of Islamic terrorism today, the idea that Islam requires that insults against the Prophet Muhammad be met with violence, is a creation of politicians and clerics to serve a political agenda.
The recent massacre of journalists and other innocents in Paris by Muslim extremists has resulted in a spontaneous and universal wave of sympathy, mourning and concern.
Leaders and ordinary people all over the world have joined in widespread condemnation of these dastardly killings - and rightly so. These are acts of twisted minds. There is no way in which the actions of the Muslim jihadists can be justified.
Political satire has a long and honoured tradition in France and in other democratic nations. The satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo - the subject of the cold-blooded massacre - has mocked people of all faiths and backgrounds. One cover of the magazine in April 2011 listed the major religions by rolls of toilet paper marked “Bible”, “Torah” and “Coran” with the headline: “In the toilet, all religions...”
This irreverence towards all and sundry who are in power or authority is one of the distinguishing features of the democratic system that French Muslims have fled towards, and now call their own. One would expect that the Muslim community would be amongst the first to cherish and protect the secular and democratic way of life in France.
Staff paid the ultimate price
If Charlie Hebdo has lately been seen as paying more attention to lampooning Muslim politicians and Islam, it is because both the religion and their adherents have drawn public attention and scutiny to themselves.
In doing so, in standing up for the freedom of expression, the staff of Charlie have had to pay the ultimate price. All thinking and good people must pay tribute to the murdered cartoonists and their colleagues, and condemn the barbaric acts aimed at silencing them.
So, what has been the response of Malaysia and Malaysian Muslim leaders to this abominable act? On one hand, we have the correct and restrained response of Putrajaya and the opposition parties.
Firstly, kudos to our prime minister. In a posting on his Twitter account, Najib Abdul Razak said that Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, stands in unity with France after the Jan 7 attack at the publication’s Paris office.
He noted that terrorism is a far greater evil than satirical comments and articles against Islam, and that although PAS does not agree with the French magazine’s works, the party believes extremism is not the way to protect the religion.
Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Pakatan and PKR - perhaps recognising that the source of religious intolerance and hate is embedded in the leadership of the religion - has urged Muslim leaders across the globe to denounce such acts of terrorism “in the strongest possible terms”.
His colleague, Azmin Ali (right), has noted that the culprits who committed these murders purportedly in the name of Islam, are actually “the enemies of Islam”.
Azmin has also been forthright in stressing that “such acts of terrorism and sheer cruelty are completely unacceptable in Islam, and we reiterate the paramount importance of justice and moderation, and reject all forms of violence and fanaticism”.
Two who are not with Charlie
That's one end of the scale in which our leaders have shown by their measured response, that they are, or can be, part of the civilised world. At the other end of the scale, we have two political leaders - one retired, and the other an up and coming - who have made public comments which are reprehensible and irresponsible.
The first is Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (left), who mocked the need to protect satire that is “racist, xenophobic, bigoted”. Posting on Twitter in response to the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur which said satire should be protected because it is “intended to provoke thought”, Khairy alluded that exceptions had to be made when the content of the satire is offensive.
“Even racist, xenophobic, bigoted satire? Please. I condemn the murders. Like I condemned the cartoons,” he posted on Twitter.
This response coming from the Umno Youth chief is beneath contempt. It will deservedly haunt him for the rest of his political life. If he thinks that people or organisations that are racist, xenophobic and bigoted deserve to be murdered in cold blood, he needs to look into the mirror himself before he repeats this message.
The other Malaysian whose response is reverberating over the Internet is former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He stressed that Charlie Hebdo had, on numerous occasions, showed disrespect towards Islam and often derided Prophet Muhammad via caricature.
"Is there a need for them to ridicule Prophet Muhammad, knowing that they are offending Muslims?
"We respect their religion and they must respect our religion," he said when commenting on the killings.
By his stance, Dr Mahathir (right) is implying that violence is justified against those who do not accord the respect towards Islam that he and his fellow Muslims think the religion deserves. Dr Mahathir has made a great many cynical, inflammatory and instigative statements in the past. This set of comments must rank amongst his most odious.
In some ways, the attack on Charlie Hebdo can be considered to be the equivalent of the United States Sept 11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Like the Twin Tower event, the impact of the killings will be long lasting. It will lead to the hardening of European and world public opinion towards Muslims and Islam.
Unfortunately, the comments by Dr Mahathir and Khairy are not helpful in any way. They will lead to the stigmatisation of Muslims even as they embolden Muslim extremists to engage in 'revenge' acts aimed at punishing those (including from their own religion) who do not show the proper respect, or are perceived to be disrespectful towards their religion.
Dr LIM TECK GHEE is former World Bank senior social scientist, whose report on bumiputera equity when he was director of Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies sparked controversy in 2006. He is now CEO of the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
Editor's note: Asked about the Paris attack, Mahathir said: "Although Muslims should not kill, there are Muslims who are so angry that they resort to that (murder)."
As they went on their rampage, the men who killed 12 people in Paris this week yelled that they had "avenged the prophet".
They follow in the path of other terrorists who have bombed newspaper offices, stabbed a filmmaker and killed writers and translators, all to mete out what they believe is the proper Koranic punishment for blasphemy. But in fact, the Koran prescribes no punishment for blasphemy.
Like so many of the most fanatical and violent aspects of Islamic terrorism today, the idea that Islam requires that insults against the Prophet Muhammad be met with violence, is a creation of politicians and clerics to serve a political agenda.
The recent massacre of journalists and other innocents in Paris by Muslim extremists has resulted in a spontaneous and universal wave of sympathy, mourning and concern.
Leaders and ordinary people all over the world have joined in widespread condemnation of these dastardly killings - and rightly so. These are acts of twisted minds. There is no way in which the actions of the Muslim jihadists can be justified.Political satire has a long and honoured tradition in France and in other democratic nations. The satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo - the subject of the cold-blooded massacre - has mocked people of all faiths and backgrounds. One cover of the magazine in April 2011 listed the major religions by rolls of toilet paper marked “Bible”, “Torah” and “Coran” with the headline: “In the toilet, all religions...”
This irreverence towards all and sundry who are in power or authority is one of the distinguishing features of the democratic system that French Muslims have fled towards, and now call their own. One would expect that the Muslim community would be amongst the first to cherish and protect the secular and democratic way of life in France.
Staff paid the ultimate price
If Charlie Hebdo has lately been seen as paying more attention to lampooning Muslim politicians and Islam, it is because both the religion and their adherents have drawn public attention and scutiny to themselves.
In doing so, in standing up for the freedom of expression, the staff of Charlie have had to pay the ultimate price. All thinking and good people must pay tribute to the murdered cartoonists and their colleagues, and condemn the barbaric acts aimed at silencing them.
So, what has been the response of Malaysia and Malaysian Muslim leaders to this abominable act? On one hand, we have the correct and restrained response of Putrajaya and the opposition parties.
Firstly, kudos to our prime minister. In a posting on his Twitter account, Najib Abdul Razak said that Malaysia, a Muslim-majority country, stands in unity with France after the Jan 7 attack at the publication’s Paris office.
Msia condemns in the strongest terms all acts of violence. We stand in unity with the french people. We must fight extremism with moderation
— Mohd Najib Tun Razak (@NajibRazak) January 8, 2015
Kudos also to Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad, who said that the sensitive nature of Charlie Hebdo’s controversial cartoons on Islam cannot be used as a reason to justify the multiple killings of the satirical magazine’s staff members.He noted that terrorism is a far greater evil than satirical comments and articles against Islam, and that although PAS does not agree with the French magazine’s works, the party believes extremism is not the way to protect the religion.
Anwar Ibrahim, leader of Pakatan and PKR - perhaps recognising that the source of religious intolerance and hate is embedded in the leadership of the religion - has urged Muslim leaders across the globe to denounce such acts of terrorism “in the strongest possible terms”.His colleague, Azmin Ali (right), has noted that the culprits who committed these murders purportedly in the name of Islam, are actually “the enemies of Islam”.
Azmin has also been forthright in stressing that “such acts of terrorism and sheer cruelty are completely unacceptable in Islam, and we reiterate the paramount importance of justice and moderation, and reject all forms of violence and fanaticism”.
Two who are not with Charlie
That's one end of the scale in which our leaders have shown by their measured response, that they are, or can be, part of the civilised world. At the other end of the scale, we have two political leaders - one retired, and the other an up and coming - who have made public comments which are reprehensible and irresponsible.
The first is Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin (left), who mocked the need to protect satire that is “racist, xenophobic, bigoted”. Posting on Twitter in response to the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur which said satire should be protected because it is “intended to provoke thought”, Khairy alluded that exceptions had to be made when the content of the satire is offensive.“Even racist, xenophobic, bigoted satire? Please. I condemn the murders. Like I condemned the cartoons,” he posted on Twitter.
This response coming from the Umno Youth chief is beneath contempt. It will deservedly haunt him for the rest of his political life. If he thinks that people or organisations that are racist, xenophobic and bigoted deserve to be murdered in cold blood, he needs to look into the mirror himself before he repeats this message.
The other Malaysian whose response is reverberating over the Internet is former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. He stressed that Charlie Hebdo had, on numerous occasions, showed disrespect towards Islam and often derided Prophet Muhammad via caricature.
"Is there a need for them to ridicule Prophet Muhammad, knowing that they are offending Muslims?
"We respect their religion and they must respect our religion," he said when commenting on the killings.
By his stance, Dr Mahathir (right) is implying that violence is justified against those who do not accord the respect towards Islam that he and his fellow Muslims think the religion deserves. Dr Mahathir has made a great many cynical, inflammatory and instigative statements in the past. This set of comments must rank amongst his most odious.In some ways, the attack on Charlie Hebdo can be considered to be the equivalent of the United States Sept 11 terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Like the Twin Tower event, the impact of the killings will be long lasting. It will lead to the hardening of European and world public opinion towards Muslims and Islam.
Unfortunately, the comments by Dr Mahathir and Khairy are not helpful in any way. They will lead to the stigmatisation of Muslims even as they embolden Muslim extremists to engage in 'revenge' acts aimed at punishing those (including from their own religion) who do not show the proper respect, or are perceived to be disrespectful towards their religion.
Dr LIM TECK GHEE is former World Bank senior social scientist, whose report on bumiputera equity when he was director of Asli's Centre for Public Policy Studies sparked controversy in 2006. He is now CEO of the Centre for Policy Initiatives.
Editor's note: Asked about the Paris attack, Mahathir said: "Although Muslims should not kill, there are Muslims who are so angry that they resort to that (murder)."
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