The dubious abuse of blasphemy

On 16 October this year, a French teacher in a secondary school in Paris was killed by a young man of Chech offspring. The main reason was that he had showed a cartoon of an Arab man with a turban, with a bomb. Apparently it was thought that this was not just the image of an extremist, but of the Prophet Muhammad. There were many reactions in Europe, also in the Netherlands. Clearly, the victim of the killing was a defender of free speech. But among Dutch Muslims a protest started on the internet with a list asking that in the Netherlands a law should defend the Muslim prophet against blasphemy. More than 150.000 people signed this proposal and a debate in the media and also in the parliament was held pro and contra this movement. Who was the victim? The Prophet Muhammad for the showing of an angry and violent Arab man?  Or rather the teacher Pathy in France and victims of the man who killed some people in Austria, close to a Jewish Synagoge?

From the examples of Pakistan we know that aggressive defence of the honour of the Pophet and against any expression that can be labelled blasphemy may cause tension and also violence between religious communities. After the return of HRS, Habib Rizieq Shihab in Jakarta after 3,5 years of exile in Mecca, this issue has now began in Indonesia too.

After the return of Rizieq in Jakarta on 10 November, people apparently had problems to deal with the agenda of this 'firebrand' as he is labelled by some. The chiefs of police of Central and West Jakarta have been replaced because  HRS did not obey the rules for social distance due in the time of the corona epidemic. But Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan paid a courtesy rule to this unruly citizen (because he needs his support in order to become president at the next elections of 2023?) Baswedan and the host were wearing the required masks here. During this courtesy call the rules were followed! HRS also went with a large following to the Puncak area on 12 November to open a new pesantren of his 'movement'. 14-15 November HRS celebrated maulid and the marriage of a son in Petamburan. For this marriage the mayorof Central Jakarta helped with some facilities and was thereupon dismissed from his function by governor Anies Baswedan.What else will follow? During this trip to Puncak there was a lady who expressed her negative opinion about Rizieq ans she was calleda 'whore'by the Imam besar of Jakarta and said: "If the police fail to process (the blasphemy against him), then don't blame the Muslims when a head is found in the streets..." (source: Jakarta Post, 26 November 2020). Apparently, accusation of blasphemy can create all kind of self-appointed victims and will never work as a healing or peace-creating factor.