Jakarta
31 March 2008
Several dozen members of a hardline Islamic group held a demonstration outside the Dutch embassy in Jakarta to protest a film made by a right-wing Dutch lawmaker that accuses the Koran of inciting violence. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins has more from Jakarta.
Around 40 members of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front demanded the Indonesian government cut diplomatic ties with Amsterdam over a film made by Dutch anti-immigration legislator, Geert Wilders.
Wilders 15-minute film, which was released over the Internet Thursday, intersperses scenes of recent terrorist attacks with verses from the Koran, Islam's holy book.
Singing "God is great" demonstrators held banners reading "Kill Geert Wilders" and "Wilders is a Christian terrorist."
An FPI spokesman, Muhammad Matzuri, says the government of Indonesia should recall its ambassador from Holland.
"If this does not happen, do not blame Muslims for taking their own action."
The film begins and ends with a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad with a bomb under his turban and the sound of ticking.
The cartoon was first published in Danish newspapers in 2005 and sparked violent protests around the world. Most Muslims regard any depiction of the Prophet Mohammad as an insult to Islam.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kristiarto Legowo says the Indonesian government strongly condemns the film called Fitna.
"We strongly condemn the provocative action at insulting Islam and the Muslims as reflected in Fitna," he said. "We consider that the content of this film is very much misleading and full of racism. That is why we consider also the production as an irresponsible action under the blanket of freedom of the speech."
The protest was the second demonstration against the film during the past two days. Both protests in this democratic nation with the world's largest Muslim population have been small.
The protesters dispersed peacefully after throwing a handful of eggs and a couple of bottles of plastic water bottles at the Dutch embassy.