Thousands demonstrate because of prophet Mohammed insult [Archives:2006/922/Front Page]
Yasser Al-Mayasi
SANA'A, Feb. 18 ) Thousands of citizens from political parties, labor syndicates and social personalities gathered in Tahrir Square. A large number of demonstrators from nearby Sana'a areas also came.
Debates were held in which a number of speeches were delivered by political parties and the Yemeni Clerics' Society. Speeches demanded diplomatic and media channels be activated to convey Yemeni people's stance refusing the insult. They also called for combined efforts to establish international legislation banning, condemning and penalizing offenses to religions and rituals.
Demonstrators asserted that the Arab League, Islamic League and Arab Parliament should take firm measures to establish an international public opinion that bans and penalizes offending the prophet. They also called for continuing the Danish goods boycott because of its press publications and demanded respect for all prophets and religions, maintaining that the UN should pass laws preventing abusing rituals and prophets.
A statement issued by the demonstrators appealed to Yemen's government to use all diplomatic means to convey Yemen's stance condemning the offense and to exert effort with organizations and international intellectual leaders to establish legislation penalizing offending religions. The demonstrators' statement affirmed continuing protests in a peaceful, civilized manner, absent of chaos and anarchy.
The Yemen Times met several demonstrators and filed some of their views:
Demonstrator Mansour Mohammed assured that the demonstration's objective was to condemn and protest against those insulting the prophet. “We want to assure through this demonstration that we condemn any insult to all prophets and we want to declare our love and loyalty to the prophet (pbuh),” he said.
Mohammed said they wanted to affirm that demonstrations and protests should be in peaceful, civilized ways, so that is what they did. He assured that rage should be peaceful and that financial boycott is the best way to protest against those insulting prophets or any other religious beliefs.
Another demonstrator, Anwar Khaled, said he and other demonstrators came to protest the insulting caricatures and the offenses to the prophet. He said everyone should know that “we condemn any insult to any prophet or religion.”
He continued, saying Muslims respect their religion and all other religions because Muslims believe in all prophets and respect all religions. He noted that Muslims had protested against distorting Jesus' image and that of other prophets.
Khaled wondered why there is no UN legislation obliging all countries to respect religions, rituals and prophets, saying all should understand that insulting religions is a terrorist deed resulting in creating differences and ruining dialogues. He said everyone should believe in dialogue between civilizations, tolerance and indulgence, adding that Western countries should understand the meaning of leniency.
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