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 PARAMARIBO 00000139 001.2 OF 002 ¶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 -------------- Muslims Voice Disapproval -------------- ¶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?" -------------- Interfaith Council Calls Wilders "Dumb" -------------- ¶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." -------------- Newspapers Unusually Outspoken -------------- ¶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. -------------- Post-release reactions anti-climactic -------------- ¶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 PARAMARIBO 00000139 002.2 OF 002 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