The cartoon crisis

The cartoon crisis
By: Sadik Sozer Cizmeci

INTRODUCTIONThe cartoon crisis which started in the Denmark’s, Jyllands-Posten newspaper, spread to the all the west immediately. Cartoons were beyond picturing the Prophet Mohammed, also indicating the Islamic world as a belligerent community. It was known that picturing the Prophet was not suitable with the Islam belief, this was surely a humiliation. However the tragedy was that the designers of cartoons illustrated in some cartoons the Prophet Mohammed as a terrorist who is carrying a bomb on his hat. In some of the cartoons, also the Prophet was trying to stop the Muslims who are impudently running against to the west. Cartoons were in fact designed as an illustrator of the difference between the fanatic, primitive, underdeveloped Islam world and civilized west. Islam, one of the three important religions, un-respectfully criticized with so-called funny pictures. Of course cartoons caused a very big impact in the Islamic world in the forms of boycotts, uprisings and so on. Denmark Prime minister has failed to apologize and all these caused hostility toward west especially Europe. In fact in the Middle East, for long time hostility toward Israel and USA was in debate. This hostility nearly changed its direction toward Europe. A new kind of Europhobia started. Surprisingly against to the all claims, Europe was fanatically defended their freedom of expression.

IS IT A FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OR HUMILIATION?This question can be easily answered by the authorities of the Denmark where the event started. Danish criminal code 266b states that; “Any person who, publicly or with the intention of wider dissemination, makes a statement or imparts other information by which a group of people are threatened, insulted or degraded on account of their race, colour, national or ethnic origin, religion, or sexual inclination shall be liable to a fine or to imprisonment for any term not exceeding four months.” As it seen the article clearly indicates a violation by drawing cartoons. It is sure that cartoons beyond all by making a generalization insulted the Muslims on account of their … religion. However the authorities are failed to recognize this fact. An attack to the traditional values of a religion is tolerated by the freedom of expression umbrella. So what is the freedom of expression? According to article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights; “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.” However this definition is restricted by the same articles 2nd part as “The exercise of these freedoms….may be subject to….restrictions or penalties as are prescribed by law….in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public safety…for the protection of the reputation or rights of others” That is also a clear example of how the freedom of expression also violated by the article and drawings of the Jyllands-Posten. Again according to article 140 of the Danish criminal code scorn or mockery of a religious doctrine also constitute a breach of law.“Any person who, in public, mocks or scorns the religious doctrines or acts of worship of any lawfully existing religious community in this country shall be liable to imprisonment for any term not exceeding four months.”

IS ISLAMIC WORLD DESERVED SUCH KIND OF ATTITUDE?It is obvious that crises management of the Denmark government failed class. Fundamentalism in the west sharply increased recently especially after the 9/11 terrorist attacks to the twin towers. As well as the underdevelopment of the Middle East continues, it seems fundamentalism in the Middle East will continue also. One should also recognize the fact that Islamic countries are vulnerable to the establishment of terrorist organization. According to me there are three reasons for this. Firstly the economic gap between the east and west. West is often accused for the underdevelopment in the east according to many economic theories especially Marxist ones. On the other hand economic underdevelopment often provides a fertile ground for the support of terrorist organizations within this region of the world. That’s why terrorist organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas, PKK, and El-Kaida are deriving from this region by using worsen economical conditions of the people and by promising them economic equality. Secondly colonialization, caused a prejudice in the minds of the Islamic world and today most of them are the believers of colonialization is still exist but in different form. This prejudice often is in the form of, west think their values, tradition and even religions superior than the eastern people. The cartoon crisis was implied as supporter of this argument. Lastly the Islam religion and eastern tradition somehow can abuse by the terrorist organizations. The Koran in the most part of its content tells how the Prophet Mohammed ruled the Mecca. On the other hand the Bible itself indicates that Cesar’s right belongs to Cesar. In its content Bible is a secular however Koran is a political inscription. That’s why Koran can be affected from the politics more than the other religious inscriptions. Its jihad principle can be misunderstood and abuse by the terrorists. Most importantly the confusion culture, loyalty to the leader, ruler also make terrorist organization leaders powerful and un-educated and poor people can accepts all the sayings of their leaders without any bias and critics. All these facts put Middle East and Islamic world into a position of problematic region. In addition to this; Christian fundamentalism, racism and the idea that western civilization, values and norms are superior, caused Europhobia which brings the world peace into a serious threat even more series than nuclear weapons called as clash of civilizations.CONCLUSIONAs I indicated clash of civilizations is the main threat before the world peace and security. Today World is experiencing the all negative effects of globalization. Globalization According to Sholte, distinguishes as internationalization; universalization; westernization and deterritorialization. According to Scholte the confusion often is result from this fact since the current trend is the reflection of the last definition of the word. If one considers this concept merely increase in the interaction between states such as increased trade relations internationalization can refer the globalization. On the other hand from the old times to now peoples of different countries have interacting. Globalization is some what more comprehensive than internationalization. It is simply international relations. As liberalization; globalization, surely reflected the liberal view of free trade and incased trade relations between the nations without the limits. However as the first one, it is not necessary to shape this old concept which is developed from the times of Smith and Ricardo in another form and call as globalization. Globalization is surely more extensive than the old concept of liberalization. Universalization, according to me, is approaching to the globalization in a wrong way. It does not imply global governance. Although world people are closer today even matchless in the course of history and different continents people share the same habits, it was also customs and religions have achieved this kind of cohesion. It is not also westernization. In fact not merely westernization. It is also true that it seams the spread of western, European and American habits, norms, rules and cultures. However westernization and the imperialism is not also new concept and can not fulfill the true meaning of the term globalization in the present meaning. Globalization reflects and includes all of those concepts, liberalization, internationalization, universalization and westernization. However the last definition is more valid now for the contemporary globalization, ‘Deterritorialization’. Thus where as territorial differences abolished it gives ways to other divisions such as differences in the civilizations. In my opinion this threat which is more serious then the Thirty years wars of 1648, deserve a new Westphalia treaty and a new Westphalian system as recognition of Protestants in Europe, Islam and Jewish religion which has too many believers in Europe should be accepted as the religions of Europe in this globalize world. It is necessary since both parties still have prejudice against other and do not really trust each other.REFERENCES1. United Nations Human Rights Website - Treaty Bodies Database - Document - Jurisprudence-Denmark.htm, Retrieved from, http://www.unhchr.ch/tbs/doc.nsf/0/4ea4c8df1efebc3cc1256d1d00449b91?Opendocument, on 12-04-20062. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, Retrieved fromhttp://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/Treaties/Html/005.htm, on 13-04-20063. The director of public prosecutions, 15 March 2006 Decision on Possible criminal proceedings in the case of Jyllands-Posten's Article "The Face of Muhammed" Retrieved from http://www.rigsadvokaten.dk/ref.aspx?id=890, on 13-04-20064. Denmark Won't Prosecute 16-03-2006 Retrieved from http://www.brusselsjournal.com/trackback/915, on 13-04-2006 5. Scholte Jan A., Globalization, a critical introduction, Macmillan Press, New York, 2000

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