MARAWI CITY – Thousands of Muslims in the Philippines marched around Marawi City to protest what they described as double standard practices of the Western media against Muslims.
Just recently, a huge group of Muslims here held a similar rally dubbed as “no apology march” that coincided with the global condemnation of the Charlie Hebdo attack by two French brothers. The attack killed a dozen journalists working for the satirical weekly magazine, including several civilians and a policeman.
The attack was triggered by the satirical and profanity against the Prophet Muhammad also drew widespread condemnation from Muslims and non-Muslims around the world.
Omar-Ali Mangondato Sharief, the event’s lead organizer of the January 14 rally, said the march here was not to sow hatred, but to assert the rights and educate non-Muslims about Islam, and also as a respond to its misconceptions.
“We also appeal to the world humanity to address the root cause of this issue which is religious intolerance and the lack of respect to religions,” he said.
The marchers were also angered by the recent pronouncement by Charlie Hebdo that it would feature Prophet Muhammad in their new edition after the January 7 attack.
“This is ridiculous. They never learned from that incident and this could further infuriate the almost 2 billion devout Muslims around the world,” said student Muhammad Nurkhan, who joined the protest.
Agakhan Sharief, chairman of the Bangsamoro National Movement for Peace and Development, explained that for them, the Issue is not only on freedom of expression, but on the violations of the Islamic teaching. He said Charlie Hebdo did not only commit blasphemy, but idolatry and pornography as well, in their cartoon depictions of Prophet Muhammad.
“They can write, speak against our religion, but not in an obscene manner or creating images for our Prophet, which is forbidden in Islam,” Sharief said.
Speakers from various sectors also gave fiery and emotional messages and at the same time appealed to the Western media to stop insulting Islam and respect other religions.
The protesters also burned a huge replica of the Charlie Hebdo magazine and a photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that they accused as behind the demoralization of Islam.
Many of the protesters were chanting “Allahu Akbar” or God is Great, while others shouted “We will not apologize,” in reaction to calls by the West on Muslims to apologize for the attack on the magazine.
The marchers said they will again hold a protest rally if the attacks on Islam by the Western media continue. (By Drieza Liningding. With a report from Mindanao Examiner’s Mark Navales.)
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