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Fitna:How a film which spreads hate had a healing effect on relations between Muslims and non-Muslims in the NetherlandsSpeech by Halim El Madkouri, programme manager Religion and Identity issues at Forum

Conference Violent extremism in Europe, organised by the US Department of State and

The George C. Marshall European center for Security Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany5-7 November 2008

Since 9/11, the Netherlands has served as a laboratory for the concepts of the clash of civilisationsparadigm. The Dutch situation provided casuistry for the supposed irreconcilability of Islam withliberal Western norms and values, the formation of home grown terrorism and the evolutionpatterns of (Islamic) radicalisation.Paradoxically, my country also provides examples of the opposite: namely that a synthesis of Islamand the values of modernity and loyalty to the democratic constitutional state is in fact possible.

In the Netherlands, conservative and radical forces have interacted intensively on the side of bothMuslims and natives. They have shaped recent Dutch history after 9/11 by helping to determine thesocial, cultural and political climate in the country. Happily, the Netherlands is also a proving

ground for alternative, positive experiences. The way the film Fitna has been received indicatesthat relations between Islam/Muslims and the West/modernity can be quite different. Good news isnot viewed as news: positive developments are never given much coverage.

Own intiative and responsibility in the battle against radicalism and extremismOn 20 January 2008, a number of active Dutch citizens of Moroccan origin and their organisationsjoined forces under the umbrella of the National Moroccans Council (LBM). This is an ad-hocalliance which focuses specifically on the potential consequences of the anti-Koran film by Dutchpolitican Geert Wilders. The LBM decided to respond calmly and sensibly to Geert Wilders film.This led to the creation of an intervention programme aimed at mobilising Muslims both in theNetherlands and in Muslim countries to adopt this approach. To achieve this, a fundamental efforthas been made to correct existing negative opinions about the Netherlands and the position ofMuslims in this country. A good example of this is the Factbookset up by FORUM, Institute for

Multicultural Development (http://www.forum.nl/pdf/factbook-islam-en.pdf). With this Factbookunder its arm, the LBM was able to focus in Muslim countries not just on stating the Dutch Muslimsposition on Wilders film. It was also able to improve the image of the Netherlands in the eyes ofthe Muslim world.

Geert Wilders Koran film posed a number of risks, both in the Netherlands and abroad, and couldtherefore have sparked events similar to those of the Danish cartoons crisis. The spiritualauthorities in a number of Muslim countries played a major role in that process. Their views andcomments only served to escalate the crisis. The spiritual authorities (individual leaders but alsoinstitutes) viewed the insults against Islam incidents as part of a global attack against Islam. Thisprocess threatened to repeat itself, playing off the tense social climate and polarisation surroundingIslam in the Netherlands. The focus here would have been on Geert Wilders.

In many Muslim countries, the Netherlands has a repuation of being an Islam-unfriendly country inwhich Muslims are repressed and persecuted. These countries tend to view the countries around theNetherlands as a homogenous block, whereby no distinction is made between Geert Wilders, theDutch parliament, government and society. The views held by spiritual leaders and authorities inMuslim countries, whether in the form of calls or fatwas, can greatly influence the conduct ofbelievers. One way to exert influence on the conduct of believers is to exert influence on thespiritual leaders and authorities.

An alternative approach to the Danish oneThe calm and sensible response to Wilders Koran film intervention programme is an autonomousinitiative which arose out of the repsonsibility of Dutch Moroccan organisations and citizens whowere concerned about Wilders comments being interpreted as provocation and about potential

repercussions for society as a whole.

http://www.forum.nl/pdf/factbook-islam-en.pdfhttp://www.forum.nl/pdf/factbook-islam-en.pdf

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Wilders Koran film posed a wide range of potential risks and threats to the constitutional state, thesecurity of citizens and the entire social order. Geert Wilders strategy via his film Fitna was toattempt a breakthrough in highlighting social contradictions so that society would definitively turnits back on Muslims and their faith. We were faced with a historic challenge, which we gladly tookup out of a sense of duty and loyalty to the democratic rule of law, state and society. DutchMuslims, in particular those of Moroccan origin, have attempted to solve their historic responsibility

relating to such conduct and problems within Dutch constitutional, political, social and religiousrelations, without any form of external intervention or management.

The Dutch democratic rule of law provided and continues to provide many opportunities to addressthe issues surrounding Fitna within Dutch relations. The approach to Fitna is fundamentallydifferent from that of Danish Muslims to the cartoons in the sense that Moroccans appealed to theirstatus as Dutch citizens and the corresponding entitlements and obligations when tackling thispotential crisis. The Netherlands highest authorities, i.e. Her Majesty the Queen of theNetherlands, the Dutch government, democratic parties and the social midfield, provided a greatdeal of support, whether directly or indirectly. Seeking moral, political and financial aid fromforeign powers and groups was therefore not an issue on principle.

Correctly managing autonomous actors

The involvement of the Dutch government and its effective management of processes surrounding theKoran film were decisive in averting conflicts between population groups, which had possibly beenWilders intention. The pro-active approach to an emerging crisis appears to have been effective. Thegovernment took preventive measurements (talks with Wilders, preparation of authorities for apotential crisis, consultations with Muslims etc.). On the one hand, this spared our country unnecessaryinternal tensions and conflicts and, on the other, foreign interference and enmity. We have so farencountered no significant displays of aggression against the Netherlands.

The decision to adopt a calm and sensible approach also had positive effects as far as Dutch Muslimsare concerned. After all, extremism arises out of conflict and tension. By adopting a calm and sensibleapproach to the Koran film, Dutch Muslims have succeeded in preventing any potentially far-reachingpolitical consequences arising from Fitna. Secondly, they opted to address the potential crisis, whichforesaw chaos and anarchy within Dutch politics and social relations, without any external interference.

They succeeded in consigning the undesired influences of authoritative and influential actors to thefringes and transforming their involvement in insults against Islam in the Netherlands into support forthe Dutch government, society and Muslims.

Network contacts, mails, letters and advisory activities were deployed to transform potentially harmfulforeign actors in the process into strategic allies. As early as November 2007, FORUM talked to thegrand mufti of Egypt Sheikh Ali Gomaa about the approaching crisis. We informed him of developmentsand their implications, of official political and administrative stances. And we informed him in detailabout the real position of Muslims in the Netherlands. The grand mufti showed understanding andempathy and promised to do everything in his power to prevent things escalating unnecessarily.

The LBM also approached Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, chair of the International Union for Muslim Scholars(an influential body which monitors insults against Islam), with a similar message. The result: afterFitna had been shown, he expressed his approbation of the way the Dutch government was handling theissue. This was a unique situation compared to previous crises surrounding insults against Islam. Finallythe LBM, with the support of FORUM, spent two months working with Muslims in preparation forreceiving Fitnacalmly and sensibly.

The stance of the government, the involvement of various actors in Dutch society (FORUM, civil society,churches, political parties and industry) and the efforts of Dutch Muslims in general and the LBM inparticular meant that Wilders was subjected to a great deal of pressure. As a result of this growingpressure, Wilders was forced to review the intent and concept behind his Koran film continuously and tocorrect it himself. The final product was adapted and altered until it more or less complied with thelegal norms and requirements. The law, pressure of public opinion and the stance adopted by thegovernment ultimately checked the originally highly aggressive and confrontational intent of the film.

This unique cooperation and approach largely neutralised the potentially explosive consequences ofFitna. The results achieved are due to the correct management of efforts by various autonomous actors,

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