Fitna by Geert Wilders

Mar 7th, 2008, in Opinion, by

Lairedion on the gathering storm over Geert Wilders’ upcoming anti-Islam film “Fitna”.

Tensions are rising as Dutch controversial MP Geert Wilders is about to reveal his anti-Quran movie Fitna. How will Indonesian Muslims respond to the next “insult” on Islam, shortly after the second Danish cartoon controversy?

Fitna by Geert Wilders

Since his emergence in Dutch politics Geert Wilders has gained much attention and support for his fierce anti-Islam and anti-immigration stances. In line with contemporary right-wing politicians his message seems simple yet appealing and his voice is loud. Deport criminal and illegal foreigners, stop the Islamization of Dutch society (prohibit construction of new mosques, refusing all Muslims from moving to and living in Holland), sell the Dutch Antilles to the highest offer on a Dutch auction website and much of the problems are solved.

So far his party PVV (Freedom Party) managed to win 9 seats in the last elections but opinion polls show they can count on 15 seats at least or even more if elections are hold right now. But his “crusade” comes with a price. Like so many critics of Islam he is constantly under the threat of being murdered and needs to be guarded 24/7 and lives on a secret location.

Geert Wilders
Geert Wilders.

Geert Wilders, who has some Indonesian blood running through his veins, wants to show the world Al-Quran is a fascist and violent book, in line with Hitler’s Mein Kampf, and must be banned. It will be interesting to see how Wilders can dismiss a book, considered holy by 1.3 billion people, as fascist in a movie of 15 minutes, while ulama’s and clerics have been studying Al-Quran for centuries and up until now are having trouble to come to an unified explanation and interpretation.

But what’s all the fuss about? So far it has only been speculation and the movie hasn’t been broadcasted yet.

Anyway the Netherlands is pretty much in a state of alert. The Dutch government is preparing for the worst-case scenario (retaliation, violence and damage towards Dutch citizens, economic interests and enterprises, terrorist attacks). On the other side many people are criticizing the Dutch government for exaggerating any potential dangers and impacts caused by this movie. An interesting sign is that Dutch Muslims seem to grow mature and sensible in their reactions towards insults to Islam. The last Danish cartoon controversy didn’t spark any violence or significant protest in Holland and this movie will be just the next insult, meant to provoke reactions and violence so that Wilders can prove his points and not worthy paying any attention.

The worldwide reaction probably will be different. Recovering from the latest Danish cartoon controversy, Muslims worldwide are preparing for the next Western “assault” on Islam. Politicians in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran are urging the Dutch government to prohibit the broadcast and last week some 200 Indonesian Muslims staged a protest outside the Dutch Embassy in Jakarta.

Fitna

Where does the freedom of speech crosses the line and turns into discrimination thus violating article 1 of the Dutch Constitution where discrimination of people on their gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, political view or any other ground is prohibited? This is the same article Wilders is referring to by branding Al-Quran as fascist.

It is not known yet when the movie will go online. So far Wilders has stated the move is finished and he is negotiating a broadcast with Dutch TV stations but this is likely to fail as none of them want to burn their fingers. 28 March 2008 could be a possible date. For anyone interested bookmark www.fitnathemovie.com in your favorites.


415 Comments on “Fitna by Geert Wilders”

  1. JB says:

    Dear Indonesians,

    I am half Indonesian, half Dutch and currently living in one of your neighbor countries and I have to say I love it here. Great atmospshere, great climate and more respectful than I was used to.

    I regret that Geert Wilders made this movie and he indeed is a populist. I also understand anger what this movie will bring along and I am very sorry about that. I personally dislike him alot and wish he was not so popular in Netherlands. Know that there are major ethnical problems in Netherlands and that some particular groups do cause these problems. The media in Netherlands brings up a lot of these news articles and most dutch people do read about this. If you hear these negative sounds over and over, people do form a negative view on this certain group. What I am trying to say is that the anger against this group is being fed by mostly media, as most people living in smaller towns or villages not really are affected by these groups.

    Nevetheless I am still convinced that most Dutch people are against Geert Wilders and his populism. Most people in Netherlands are not racists and we will never be.

    Excuse us for the mistakes we made in the past and let us be welcome in your beautiful country. Please don’t blame all of us for what some dutch people did in the past.

  2. Lairedion says:

    Funny indeed… Typical Dutch sarcasm….

  3. Roel says:

    @Patung: not only that artikel but also the origional from Khairil Azhar on 15th of mai.

    But then I assume only among your intimate indonesian friends you will ever discuss how indonesians are treated during Haji. As far as I hear from rumours, people from different tribes think some moslim are more equal than others. And therefore for indonesians going Haji is sometimes much more dangerous than non-indonesians.

    Of course when non-muslim start using these argument to have an extra stick to hit the dog their intentions are not to help indonesian pilgrims.

    Now what is going on in Holland is that people feel free to discus topics on which irritation have been building up during decades.

    Indonesian people know that making a lot of noise is most of the time not the methode to guarantee change will take place to reduce irritations.

    However we in Belanda think that making a lot of noise about a problem will solve a problem.

  4. Jimmy says:

    JB is quite right, at least that’s what I feel during my stay in the Netherlands. I still live and study in a small town of The Netherlands. About Wilders controversy, I have a short impression that whose he fought were Marocain and Turkish descendant who are abundant here rather than Islam, but he shot a wrong target. Although not all of those descendants are bad, but the dead of van Gogh (not the painter) and a young Dutch hit by train when trying to secure his friend from outrageous “that people” might be the visible triggers amongst many more similar stories about it.. Lots of Indonesian muslims live here and they are mostly welcomed…
    I hope not making another fitna, and CMIIW.

  5. diego says:

    This movie might be again a rant but one fact is simply and sadly true. The eastern world argues about the value lose in the western world while on the flip side not being much better.

    I think this is an issue between “arab world” vs. “western world”, why bringing “eastern-world” (east asia) into this?

  6. donny says:

    I recently go to a bookstore in Indonesia

    while searching for some books which may be interesting, I have noticed in “islamic section” couple of books which I need not to state the title (though I am buying it for my collection)

    In essence, the books are written by muslims and desecrate other religion
    one speaks about how Jesus is not holy and so on, compared to Prophet Mohammed
    one speaks about Sai Baba is evil – in fact reincarnation of true evil
    one speaks about other islam sect bitterly (this one is funny)
    one speaks about how all christian are “murtad” and will all be condemned in hell

    and I honestly never found one literature in other religion section which says the same about Islam – and I visit LOTS and LOTS of bookstore

    so it is ok for muslims to judge other religion, desecrate it … doing whatever they want
    but if one person make a movie, or a cartoon … their blood is halal ??

    hmmm … makes me wonder … is this the religion of peace ??

  7. Cukurungan says:

    and I honestly never found one literature in other religion section which says the same about Islam – and I visit LOTS and LOTS of bookstore

    Ha ha ha of course you can no find it in here because no one will buy those kind book but if you are honest….there are many book descrating Islam by other religion but not for sale it was printed “Untuk Kalangan Sendiri” ….in other word to entertain themself

    so it is ok for muslims to judge other religion, desecrate it … doing whatever they want
    but if one person make a movie, or a cartoon … their blood is halal ??

    hmmm … makes me wonder … is this the religion of peace ??

    The muslim is not in position to judge anyone but we have to tell honestly and clearly especially to our brother what is the other belief all about without joke while the other belief who make movie or cartoon about our GOD and Prophet without any purpose except for the sake of joke.

    If you are OK with some one who make joke about dead body of your own mother….hence ok we will let you to make joke about our GOD and Prophet without our reprisal

  8. donny says:

    back to topic

    so it is OK if muslims publish many books desecrating other religion openly ?

    and who said nobody’s going to buy that book ? many will, but many more won’t mostly because they fear for their life … with fatwa and so on and so on and so on … I heard that some ulama putting fatwa that by reading Salman Rushdie’s Satanic Verses is enough to make your blood halal – means every muslims has obligation to kill whoever reads it ?

    … still other religion is better in respecting islam by putting sign “untuk kalangan sendiri” – means it’s not for public consumption – while muslim writers blow up the topic to public … (not putting untuk kalangan sendiri sign) and it’s OK with you ??

    you are way off topic here by using my mother’s dead body here … the main concern is WHY IT IS OK for muslims to openly desecrate other religion openly

    and it is NOT OK for other religion to desecrate islam openly, also … (they may do so by adding “untuk kalangan sendiri”, otherwise their blood become halal) … scary

    and …
    nobody in other religion will issue global announcement to kill the muslim author desecrating other religion …

    for example … no Sai Baba devotees will kill the author of the book, which say lots and lots of filthy thing about Sai Baba (more than a hundred, including accusation of him being the satan himself)… compare to one cartoon to Prophet Mohammed makes it OK and compulsory for all muslims to kill whoever draws it ??

    THINK … if the book and the accusation is about prophet Mohammed …

    have you use your head for a while that other people may have feelings as you do about your GOD and your Prophet ? does any person who is not muslim count ?

    how egoistic … or perhaps other religion does not count to you ?? or perhaps being muslim grant you extra rights to look down at other religion, other people ??

    don’t get me wrong … I am not supporting this stupid filmmaker … as he’s flaring more hatred instead of spreading peace and smiles
    I am opposed to all people who did not respect other people’s basic rights … to choose freely, to be understand and to be happy

  9. Cukurungan says:

    you are way off topic here by using my mother’s dead body here … the main concern is WHY IT IS OK for muslims to openly desecrate other religion openly

    I am not off topic because you mentioned about someone who made cartoon of our beloved prophet and God, we consider our prophet and GOD as something sacred (divine) and not subject for the joke. I believe if you are normal person even you have no religion you will respect your mother and consider her dead body is also something scared and not subject for joke.

    Islamic book do not desecrate the belief because it only explain what is right and wrong according our belief. In the Islam book, there is no funny cartoon in which make joke God or Prophet of other belief.

    Before we continue to discuss we should have same understanding what is definition of the desecrating other belief because if we say that the only Muslim will enter the heaven while the other will go to hell, I do not consider those wording is to desecrate other belief, we are also OK if you say that the Islam is wrong and the Muslim will not enter the heaven because they do not belief the Jesus as the lord.

    FYI, I never discuss about religion in my real world because it is useless discussion and people will only belief what they belief, our religion book Quran and Hadist can be open and read by anyone, therefore, it is up to you how you want to adjust your self in dealing with us. If you want peace you now what to do if you want war you know what to do….trust me we always provide service to our client as they expect.

  10. donny says:

    typical answer …

    with no sign of tolerance towards other religions and respect unless they’re converting to islam

    “Islamic book do not desecrate the belief because it only explain what is right and wrong according our belief”

    interesting comment …

    so if this stupid filmmaker only explains what is right and wrong according to his belief, Salman Rushdie explains what is right and wrong according to his belief
    that stupid cartoonist also made the cartoons to explain what is right and wrong according to his belief

    it is OK with whole muslims ?? I don’t think so … isn’t it compulsory to all muslims to kill them all ? Salman Rushdie’s blood is even halal this day … with money reward!!

    in conclusion – you only think every human worth considering ONLY if they’re muslim ?

    “If you want peace you now what to do”

    subdue to Islam, or dead ?? if not … we have to pay you Jizya just to be able to live alongside with you ?? in modern terms this is called dictatorship …

    go on … only one step more to make all non muslims = infidels and make their blood halal… don’t forget … you’ll get plenty of Houris and Young boys to have sex with in paradise …

  11. Cukurungan says:

    typical answer …

    with no sign of tolerance towards other religions and respect unless they’re converting to islam

    Tolerance and Respect for us mean your religion is yours my religion is mine, however, if that is not enough…you can do whatever you want to do and I will do whatever I can do

    in conclusion – you only think every human worth considering ONLY if they’re muslim ?

    It is your own conclusion and not my conclusion and no one can forbid whatever you want to belief

  12. donny says:

    “Tolerance and Respect for us mean your religion is yours my religion is mine, however, if that is not enough…you can do whatever you want to do and I will do whatever I can do”

    you comment is biased, my friend …
    seems from your comment that everyone is free to do anything they want and you simply did not care …

    but not in the real world …
    this filmmaker do what he wants to do and many muslims want to kill him ??

    or do you mean that I can write books as I like it … and you can do whatever you can do including killing me ?? such scary and strong words …

    it is written in Koran that every non muslim should pay Jizya (special taxes) to muslims (apply only if muslims rule) – unless they’re converting – means islam still thinks that other religion is STILL second class to Islam … only one step further to declare they’re sub human …

    you’re hiding behind sweet words and hiding actual facts =D

  13. Lairedion says:

    The Indonesian ambassador to the Netherlands “insults” Wilders and his voters at the wake of SBY’s pending state visit to the Netherlands next month. And now blond Geert with his long toes is angry.

    http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2010/09/indonesian_ambassador_unwise_t.php

  14. Tence says:

    @ Lairedion: Geert is always angry. He seems to think free speech is a privilige only he has.

    However it was unwise of the ambassador. Can you imagine the reactions if the Dutch Ambassador in Jakarta said (for instance) PKS voters might be psychotic?

    I bet that Indonesian media and politicians would have a field day.

  15. Agan says:

    c’mon familie, true while International diplomacy might dictate certain decorum on how to reach out; Pak Ambasador in a recent Ranesi TV interview and I am paraphrasing he told his friends that Belanda is like his own second country so maybe he just admires wong londo’s fortitude and forthright mannerism, sarcastically notwithstanding. ?

  16. Arie Brand says:

    Here is a BBC video about Wilders’ ties to Israel:

    http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/geert-wilders-europe-leading-islamophob.html

  17. realest says:

    watching that video made me think that wouldn’t it be fair for catholic and christian to enter middle east as easily as islam has entered europe?

  18. Arie Brand says:

    Well it wasn’t that easy. They were thrown out of Spain in the ‘reconquista’ and stopped before Vienna in the battle that took place there in 1683. There have of course always been Christian and Jewish minorities in most islamic lands. The Jews, in particular, were treated better there than they were in most of christendom.

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