Lessons from Life 29 September 2012 - Muslim foreign ministers call for anti-"religious hatred" laws

"Muslim foreign ministers call for anti-"religious hatred" laws - AFP 29 September 2012

UNITED NATIONS: Muslim foreign ministers called on Friday for laws against incitement to "religious hatred" as they condemned an American-made film mocking Islam that sparked deadly protests.

Ministers from the 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said that freedom of expression had to be used with "responsibility".

They called on governments around the world "to take all appropriate measures, including necessary legislation against these acts that lead to incitement to hatred, discrimination and violence" based on religion.

In a statement, the ministers condemned "intolerance, discrimination, profiling, negative stereotyping, stigmatization, religious hatred and violence against Muslims, as well as denigration of their religion" caused by the release of the film and cartoons of Islam's Prophet Mohammed.

"These Islamophobic acts stand in violation of the freedom of religion and belief, guaranteed by international human rights instruments, and have deeply offended" Muslims around the world, the statement added.

"We acknowledge the importance of freedom of expression, but at the same time stress the need to ensure that this freedom should be exercised by all with responsibility and in accordance with the relevant international human rights laws."

The ministers called for "global awareness about the dangerous implications of incitement to religious hatred, discrimination and violence."

US President Barack Obama condemned the film but made an impassioned plea for freedom of speech at the UN summit. Several Muslim ministers have called for international legislation to prevent religious attacks.

Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: "The time has come to establish denigration of all religions and their followers as a hate crime. We have to take swift measures. ""

I cannot agree more with the statements issued here. That: Freedom of Speech MUST be exercised with Responsibility. That President Obama made an impassioned speech at the same venue for freedom of speech is understandable due to the 'shackles of old American culture'. Yet, I have to say it is misplaced!

Lessons for me are:

1. freedom of speech must come with responsibility. This is one principle that I agreed fully with Mr Lee Kuan Yew since day 1;

2. how to interpret when freedom of speech was exercised without responsibility? It is up to the society in which such behaviors are tolerated to set the limit. In Singapore, it is QUITE CLEAR for all the limits are: no bad-mouthing any religion, languages and races. Period. NO if or but about it!! This is CLEAR HEADED thinking and totally transparent! You trespass at your own risk!!;

3. while it is good for the OIC ministers to protest, at the same time, they representing the SILENT MAJORITY of peace loving and law abiding Muslims MUST speak up against terrorism and terrorists. Maybe they had done so. If so, they just have to make it VERY PUBLIC and be seen by the doubters. This is the most effective way to dispel any false accusation about the religion of Islam by detractors and lunatics.

May the world live in peace and harmony.