Bangkok--Jan 31--eTurboNews
The Muslim world's two main political bodies, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab League, said they were seeking a UN resolution, backed by possible sanctions, to protect religions. This follows the outcry caused by publication in Scandinavia of cartoons denigrating Prophet Muhammad.
Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary-general of the 57-member OIC told reporters in Cairo that the OIC would "ask the UN General Assembly to pass a resolution banning attacks on religious beliefs."
Ahmad Ben Helli, assistant secretary-general of the Arab League, confirmed that contacts were under way for such a proposal to be made to the United Nations.
Four months after the fact, Muslim anger over the publication in Scandinavia of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed has snowballed into a diplomatic crisis threatening trade relations with Europe.
Cartoons including a portrayal of the prophet wearing a time-bomb shaped turban were published in a Danish newspaper last September and reprinted in a Norwegian magazine in January, sparking uproar in the Muslim world where images of the prophet are considered blasphemous.
Egypt's powerful opposition Muslim Brotherhood on Monday was the latest group to join a chorus of calls for the boycott of Danish and Norwegian products.
Retailers in the Gulf have already started pulling Danish and Norwegian products off the shelves and Danish manufacturers have voiced their concern should the boycott gain further momentum.
An Emirati retailer on Monday became the latest to announce its boycott of Danish products "in response to the offence against Prophet Mohammed. . . and in response to consumers' wishes." In the Gaza Strip, masked Palestinian gunmen carrying rocket launchers demonstrated in front of EU offices Monday and warned they would prevent Danes and Norwegians from entering the territory until Copenhagen apologized.
At another demonstration in the Gaza Strip, protestors burned the Danish flag.
Demonstrators also gathered in Mauritania recently to protest against the governments of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, where a major newspaper expressed its support for the Danish daily.
The Danish government said the views expressed by the Jyllands-Posten newspaper did not reflect its own but has consistently refused to apologies and has insisted it would defend freedom of expression.
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