Film Fitna is Banned
Tuesday, 01 April, 2008 | 15:58 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Indonesian government officially banned the film Fitna created by Geert Wilders to be shown on television or the internet in Indonesia. “The showing of Fitna will only divide us,” said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at a press conference at his office last night.

The government decided this after the President had a meeting with ministers and other officials. The President was accompanied by Communication and Information Minister, M. Nuh; Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda; and head of the Indonesian Police General Sutanto.

The President asked internet providers not to present the film on their sites and suggested that the Dutch government to cease from showing it.

The 17-minute film compiles video cuts from violent news. The movie was posted at www.LiveLeak.com, but they removed it after their staff became threatened. However, some other sites including YouTube, showed a copy.

Minister Nuh said that he will write an official letter to internet providers to remove Fitna from their sites. “I will send the letter to YouTube tomorrow,” said Nuh.

The President expects the international media not to air the movie as it insults Islam, it will disturb inter-faith relationships and the harmony of the global community.
The President said that the government through the Minister of Justice and Human Rights, Andi Mattalata, will ban Wilders, who is a leader of the Netherland Freedom Party, from coming to Indonesia, effective since yesterday afternoon.

President Yudhoyono suggested that the public not do engage in violence or scrutinize foreigners as this film depicts. He said that Islam and any religion forbids us from doing that. It’s against the law.

Around 100 people from the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) demonstrated at the Netherland's Embassy in Jakarta yesterday. They asked Holland to apologize for what Wilders has done. Otherwise, “we will ask the Dutch and ambassador to leave Indonesia,” said head of FPI, Faturrachman Djaelani.

Although there were many protests , destructive actions have not occurred, like what it happened when there was a rejection of the cartoon of Prophet Mohammad in the Denmark Media in 2006.

However, the Netherlands Foreign Affairs Minister, Maxime Verhagen, took a diplomatic move to calm down the situation. He met ambassadors from 26 countries and members of Islamic Conference Organization (OKI).

Meanwhile there is a play of the Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie in Germany. There was no incident during the play that is being presented at a theater in Potsdam. Ayatollah Khomeini, leader of the Iranian revolution, sentenced Salman Rushdie to death in 1989, author of The Satanic Verses that was considered insulting Islam.

IWANK | FANNY FEBIANA | AMANDRA MUSTIKA M | MUHAMMAD NUR ROCHMI | AP | AFP