PHILIPPINE REACTION TO DANISH CARTOON CONTROVERSY

C O N F I D E N T I A L MANILA 000557 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, EAP/MLS, NEA, DS, EUR E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2016 TAGS: PGOV PINS KISL PINR ASEC RP DA SUBJECT: PHILIPPINE REACTION TO DANISH CARTOON CONTROVERSY Classified By: Acting Pol/C Joseph L. Novak for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary: A Danish flag was burned in Cotabato, a city in the southern Philippines on February 7. Protesters condemned the recent publication of a cartoon offensive to Muslims in a Danish newspaper. Muslim religious leaders are planning to issue a condemnation of the cartoon shortly. The Danish cartoon matter seems to be resonating somewhat among Filipino Muslims, but we do not expect violence. End Summary. ¶2. (U) According to contacts and press reports, over a hundred people gathered in the city center of Cotabato, Mindanao, on February 7, and burned a Danish flag. Protesters at the event demanded that Denmark's government take action against the newspaper that published a cartoon of the Muslim Prophet Mohammad. There were no reports of violence or any other sort of unruly behavior; the demonstrators reportedly had a permit issued by the city government approving the rally. ¶3. (C) Also on February 7, Amina Rasul-Bernardo, a long-time Embassy contact who heads a women's rights NGO, told poloff that Muslim religious leaders attending an ongoing conference (the "Ulama Forum for Peace and Democracy") in Manila had begun discussing the Danish cartoon. Conference attendees planned to issue a public statement condemning the cartoon soon, she said. They were also contemplating sponsoring demonstrations in Muslim-majority areas of the southern Philippines. She said the group is committed to non-violence. Poloff plans to attend the conference on February 8 and will use that opportunity to gauge local sentiment regarding this matter further. ¶4. (U) On February 6, the cartoon drew public criticism from Congressman Mujiv Hataman, a Muslim from Mindanao, who said he found the cartoons both offensive and highly insulting toward Islam as a religion. Hataman warned that Denmark could face more protests because of the cartoon unless appropriate steps were taken, including an apology. Hataman also said he supported boycotting Danish goods. ¶5. (C) Comment: Based on the rally in Cotabato and Rasul-Bernardo's comments, the cartoon matter seems to be resonating somewhat among Filipino Muslims. That said, we do not expect violence and the story may not have real legs here, though events in the wider Muslim world could impact the response of Filipino Muslims. Visit Embassy Manila's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eap/manila/index. cfm You can also access this site through the State Department's Classified SIPRNET website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/ Jones