Egyptians call for Denmark boycott

Cairo: For Egyptian MP Hussain Ebrahim, the most effective tool to stop Western offences to Muslim sentiment is an economic boycott.

"The Muslim people and their governments must boycott Danish goods and those of other countries, which insult our faith," Ebrahim, an Islamist lawmaker, told Gulf News.

Ebrahim is one of 20 MPs in the Egyptian parliament pressing for economic and political boycott of Denmark over recent the reprinting of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).

The contentious cartoons had first appeared in Danish newspapers in late 2005, sparking off furious protests. Some 17 Danish papers republished the cartoons in early February this year, apparently to show commitment to freedom of expression after Denmark arrested three Muslims suspected of plotting to kill the caricaturist responsible for these drawings.

"We must take a stern stance against Denmark for offending the world's 1.3 billion Muslims," said Ebrahim. "We demand the recall of the Egyptian ambassador from Denmark and an apology from the Danish government."

Last week, the Egyptian foreign ministry summoned the Danish ambassador in Cairo to protest the reprinting of the images.

Meanwhile, Danish entries were denied showing at a film festival for children organised by the Egyptian ministry of culture in Cairo on March 6. Similarly, the Egyptian Football Association cancelled two friendlies between the Egyptian under-17 national team and Denmark.

The reprinting of the cartoons has triggered a series of protests in this predominantly Muslim country. While condemning the images, an official at Al Azhar, which is the Sunni Muslim world's most influential institution, has cautioned against violent acts. "We have to be rational in our response," said Abdul Fatah Alaam, the deputy head of Al Azhar. "We should not brand the whole West as offenders, as some people there are wise and respect our faith," Allam told this paper.

He agrees that boycott is the best option. "We should remember that boycott, wielded in the past, hurt the Danish economy," he said.

The religious committee of the Egyptian Parliament, meanwhile, suggested blacklisting local companies dealing with Danish manufacturers. "Islamic countries should summon ambassadors of the countries that condone any affront to Islam," said the committee in a statement. "If they are not deterred, then the Muslim countries should expel envoys of these countries and cut off ties with them if they continue to be offensive to Islam," it added.

The row over the cartoons has overshadowed a recent visit by President of the European Parliament Hans-Gert Pottering, a German, to Egypt.

While condemning the drawings, Pottering said Sunday there was nothing he could do. "The government and Prime Minister of Denmark cannot say to the media, 'You cannot do this'. This is part of Danish and European culture."

Pottering was in Cairo on a fence-mending visit after a resolution from the European Parliament against Egypt's human rights record angered Cairo.