WILDERS FILM CRITICIZED BUT "NOT WORTH IT" IN PLACID

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARAMARIBO 000139

SIPDIS

SIPDIS
SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR - JROSHOLT; WHA/PDA - CWEST

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC SCUL NS

SUBJECT: WILDERS FILM CRITICIZED BUT "NOT WORTH IT" IN PLACID
SURINAME

REF: STATE 31977, STATE 8993

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1. (U) SUMMARY The movie Fitna, meaning "strife" in Arabic and
produced by Dutch politician Geert Wilders, generated an unusual
amount of critical media comment in former-Dutch colony Suriname,
but little public ferment. While Muslim Organizations and the
Interfaith Council for Suriname (IRIS) condemned Wilders and his
movie, they also called for calm and the exercise of mutual
religious tolerance. Suriname's population is approximately 13.5%
Muslim, and the Muslims are largely moderate. END SUMMARY

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Muslims Voice Disapproval
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2. (U) Surinamese Muslim organizations and IRIS voiced protest
against Wilders' statements regarding the Koran and Islamic culture
and ideology. Majeedkhan Abdul, Chairman of the Suriname Islamic
Association (SIV),says Wilders "clearly belongs in the wild."
Abdul said he is not bothered by the politician's statements and has
asked his fellow Muslims to stay calm. The Youth Muslim Association
(MJS) however, suggested hypocrisy. In a lengthy press release
printed in all local newspapers, the MJS said resentment against
Muslims is at an all time high in the Netherlands and is still
increasing. "While under the guise of free speech Wilders is
allowed to insult Islam and Muslims, it is punishable by law in many
European countries if one even denies the holocaust... Wilders can
only make these statements because he is under constant police
protection; would he dare to talk like this if he was not
protected?"

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Interfaith Council Calls Wilders "Dumb"
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3. (U) Monsignor Wilhelmus de Bekker, the highest Catholic authority
in Suriname and acting Chairman of IRIS, the Interfaith Council
representing one Christian, two Hindu, and two Muslim religious
organizations in the country, characterized Wilders as "stupid" in
his persistence to have the film released. On 12 March, IRIS handed
a letter of protest to the Dutch Ambassador in Suriname, an event
covered by all local media and the sole public protest generated by
the film. The letter said Wilders' statements caused commotion
amongst various religious groups in Suriname, and that
"irresponsible statements regarding other religions can hurt others
and are a threat to world peace." IRIS said it recognizes the right
to free speech, but that "this right does have its limits."

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Newspapers Unusually Outspoken
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4. (SBU) Editorial comment was unusually voluminous for a foreign
matter. De West, a local paper much given to editorial bombast,
called the Netherlands "a country that allows itself to be taken
hostage by a handful of crazy racists" and likened Wilders to "a
Nazi who is already on Al Quaida's watch list." However, most local
dailies were consistent with a less inflammatory theme: critical of
Wilders and his movie while reminding Surinamese to respect each
others' religion and take care that ethnic or religious sentiments
do not divide the country.

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Post-release reactions anti-climactic
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5. (U) After the film's release, there was a sense of anti-climax.
Even verbose De West wrote, "a few hysterical demonstrations were
organized in Jakarta to protest the little anti-Islam film... not
worth the trouble." "The Message," a weekly Muslim-interest page in
a Muslim-owned daily, seemed almost disappointed: "we expected more
'fireworks' from Wilders... we therefore call on the worldwide
Muslim community to stay calm over 'Fitna,' especially since the
film is not so shocking that one has to be worried about it." The
same editorial also called for forgiveness (Note: The U.S. fared
worse; the Wilders editorial appeared next to an item saying the
U.S. position on human rights is hypocritical, featuring a
photograph of a 'waterboarding' simulation.) END NOTE


6. (SBU) COMMENT The question of how radical Suriname's Muslim
population is or has the potential to become is a matter of
speculation whose seriousness is often obscured by banal references
to the ethnic and religious diversity and tolerance which are
Suriname's picture-postcard stereotype. However, the dismissive
portions of Surinamese reaction to the Wilders film reinforce this
sense that Surinamers often don't feel it is worth the trouble to
get mixed up in the business of others. And the critical portion

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speaks well for Suriname: if standing up for tolerance is one of the
few themes which will get Surinamese ink flowing, it is also one of
the best. END COMMENT

SCHREIBER HUGHES