STOCKHOLM: Swedish Muslims said Wednesday they had called off a demonstration planned for Friday against a newspaper cartoon depicting Prophet Mohamed (PBUH) as a dog following talks with the prime minister.
“There is no reason anymore to demonstrate again, the head of the Muslim cultural center at Oerebro, Jamal Lahamdi, who had organized two earlier protests, told AFP.
“The dialogue is good. The talks organized by the prime minister yesterday are a very good step, he added.
“I hope the crisis is over now. All the people here were involved, talked a lot.
Prime Minister Fredirk Reinfeldt said after Tuesday’s talks with Swedish Muslim organizations, “I regret if people have taken offence or feel offended by the cartoon in a local newspaper, Nerikes Allehanda.
“I personally would never intentionally act in a way that could be perceived by other religions as provocative or offensive, he said, while adding that Swedes believed that freedom of the press and freedom of expression were “an inalienable part of our country and our democracy.
The publication of the cartoon on Aug. 18 sparked angry reactions from Muslim countries such as Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran and Pakistan.
The Egyptian Parliament on Tuesday condemned the publication of the cartoon saying such “odious acts fanned religious hatred.
“We regret this indecent behavior, said a statement from the parliament’s foreign affairs committee.
On Monday, the Ministery of Religious Endowments also condemned the publication of the cartoon, describing it as an “irresponsible and offensive action.
But Lahamdi stressed Wednesday that the problem was a domestic one. “We don’t want to involve all the Muslim people all over the world, he said, adding, “This step taken by this government is very good.
The publication of the cartoon comes a year after deadly riots in several countries against 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published in Denmark’s biggest daily, Jyllands-Posten.
