Protest over re-printing of Prophet Muhammad cartoons

Muslims throughout Mozambique are meeting this week to discuss how to respond to the publishing by local newspaper Savana of the controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad, which has stirred violent protest around the world. The independent weekly on Friday reprinted 8 of the 12 cartoons that first appeared in the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten last year. Sheikh Cassimo David, a member of the Islamic Council of Mozambique, told IRIN the spontaneous demonstration of around 650 Muslims outside Savana's offices showed their anger. "We are all conscious of freedom of speech, globalisation and democracy, but freedom of speech has its limitations. It should not interfere or injure other freedoms, such as freedom of religion," he explained. "We feel [the re-publishing of the cartoons] was a big mistake." In other countries demonstrations against the cartoons have been violent. In Mozambique, which has a tradition of religious tolerance, Muslims have been meeting to discuss the way forward. "We need to reach a consensus by our whole community," said Sheikh David. Editor-in-chief of Savana and respected journalist, Fernando Goncalves, has made a public apology. He explained the purpose of reprinting the cartoons was to show pictorially what had become the subject of intense worldwide debate, and no offence was intended. The Mozambican News Agency, AIM, defended Savana's decision, arguing it had "done its readers a service by letting them see what the fuss is all about". However, the daily newspaper, Noticias, quoted government spokesperson, Luis Covane, as saying the government distanced itself from the publication of the controversial drawings. "We will be analysing the apology by Savana," said Sheikh David. "We will try our best to make sure that order will prevail." Media analyst and former journalist, Tomas Viera Mario, said he felt Savana's re-printing of the Danish cartoons had served no purpose. "We have had enough information on these cartoons and we have seen the reaction worldwide. It doesn't add any value to press freedom in Mozambique, nor does it provoke useful debate in Mozambique." He added it could rather, "create undesirable divisions in the Mozambican environment". He pointed to recent complaints by Muslims that they had not been represented on the state council, which advises the head of state on important national issues. "There is already a feeling starting that Muslims are being excluded. The cartoons could promote extreme positions among some Muslims." Muslims are influential members of Mozambican society, accounting for at least 18 percent of the country's 18 million people, according to the 1997 census. Some Islamic leaders claim their numbers are far larger as many Muslims have Christian names - a legacy of the Portuguese colonial administration's attempt to suppress Islam.