The Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN, has condemned French
President, Emmanuel Macron over alleged reproduction of what it described as
offensive cartoons of Prophet Muhammed by Charlie Hebdo, a French weekly
satirical magazine.
IMN said that Charlie Hebdo’s decision to reproduce the
offensive cartoons has once again evoked strong reaction from Muslims
worldwide.
“The blasphemous caricatures hurt the sentiments of millions
of Muslims across the world,” IMN, otherwise known as Shiites, said in a
statement signed by its Spokesman, Ibrahim Musa, and made available on Tuesday.
The IMN condemned the publication as a criminal act, adding
that it reinforces hate speech and will whip up the feelings of Muslim
faithful.
“The efforts of French authorities, especially President
Macron, to explain this within the context of the freedom of expression, are
unacceptable,” Shiites said.
The Nigerian Islamic group said republishing the cartoon is
a deliberate intimidation of Muslims and an uncivilized action which could
create rifts between religious communities.
The group wondered why the French law does not prohibit such
attacks on religions.
President Macron had dismissed the publication as freedom of
expression and IMN noted that “Freedom of expression does not give you the
licence to harm the sentiments of others.
“While the French in general and Charlie Hebdo, in
particular, proclaim their absolute right to freedom of expression, this is
simply not true.
“Also hours after the French leader defended Charlie Hebdo’s
right to publish offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad, he launched an
angry tirade against a journalist who published an unflattering story.
“The meltdown over the report stood in stark contrast to
comments made by the French president just hours earlier. Hence freedom of
expression is no license to disparage Islam.
“Then, the question arises, why do Western publications and
politicians so readily indulge in Islamophobic rhetoric and insult the revered
personalities of Islam?
“It is all a question of power. The West feels it has the
power and it considers Muslims to be weak and, therefore, can insult and
humiliate them.
IMN said the solution to this problem is for Muslims to get
united to confront those it described as their enemies.
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