Indonesia Slams Western Reporting on Muslims

[sonz]

JAKARTA — Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Saturday, September 2, accused Western media of applying double standards when reporting on Muslims, saying they were often ignorant about sensitive issues for Muslims.

"If non-Muslims are killed in fighting, then the Western media exaggerates the news. But this is not the case when Muslims are killed in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon," he was quoted as saying by Antara state news agency, Reuters reported.

Yudhoyono said that Muslims did want a special treatment by the Western media.

"But they (Muslims) only want to be respected in the same way as adherents of other faiths," he said.

Famed US academic Stephen Schwartz had criticized the western media for failing to meet the challenge of reporting on Islam after the 9/11 attacks.

An independent review ordered by the BBC has recently concluded that its coverage of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is "inconsistent, incomplete and misleading," failing to adequately report the hardships of Palestinians living under occupation.

The 114-member Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) launched in June a news service to counter ill-founded and misleading Western media reports.

Malaysia has also proposed setting up an international Islamic journalism center to counter mounting Islamophobia and coach non-Muslim journalists about Islam and Muslims.

Ignorant

Yudhoyono said that the Western media were often ignorant about sensitive issues for Muslims, citing the publication of cartoons lampooning Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him).

"The publication of the Prophet Muhammad's caricature has come as a surprise to all of us.

"Even more surprisingly, a number of Western journalists said they did not know that it was forbidden," he said.

Last September, cartoons mocking Prophet Muhammad were published by Denmark's mass circulation Jyllands-Posten, sparking furor in the Muslim world.

The insulting drawings were later reprinted by European newspapers on claims of freedom of expression.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has regretted the hurt caused to Muslims by the cartoons, but has refused to apologize under the pretext of free speech.

http://islamonline.net/English/News/2006-09/02/05.shtml

[Trumble]

If Yudhoyono is so concerned about "sensitive issues", perhaps he could have a word with Ahmenijad about his little Holocaust cartoon fair?

[Fishman]

:sl:
I could tell it was from Islam Online without even reading the article, have you noticed how much they overuse the word 'slam'?
:w:

[QuranStudy]

If Yudhoyono is so concerned about "sensitive issues", perhaps he could have a word with Ahmenijad about his little Holocaust cartoon fair?

Perhaps you can consult the Danes about the Muhammad cartoon. It's people like you and others whom Yudhoyono slams for double standard.

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[sonz]

:sl:
I could tell it was from Islam Online without even reading the article, have you noticed how much they overuse the word 'slam'?
:w:

and whats wrong with that?

[ACC]

Perhaps you can consult the Danes about the Muhammad cartoon. It's people like you and others whom Yudhoyono slams for double standard.

Not sure if he meant it as a double standard, but I do not know for sure. If someone wants to criticize Mohammed or the Holocaust, that is their right in my eyes.

[xlisax]

Hmm, so Americans help Indonesia during Tsunami, but the Indonesians bless God for 9/11. I think the problem lies in the fact that the Muslims in Indonesia are burning down churches and killing the Christians there and then complain when the Christians or whomever the Muslims decide to target to kill (which is just about everyone around them) fight back.

[Malaikah]

^indonesia has a polulations of millions! you cant generalise the comment of 1 person or small group to the whole population!

[Trumble]

Perhaps you can consult the Danes about the Muhammad cartoon. It's people like you and others whom Yudhoyono slams for double standard.

In what way am I supposed to be exhibiting double-standards?

I had rather taken as read that Yudhoyono would have complained about the Mohammed cartoons to the Danish authorities. Most leaders of predominantly muslim nations did. I was just suggesting he might want a chat with the Iranians as well. But it seems the only "sensitive issues" that interest him are those sensitive to muslims. THAT is the double standard.

[QuranStudy]

Hmm, so Americans help Indonesia during Tsunami, but the Indonesians bless God for 9/11. I think the problem lies in the fact that the Muslims in Indonesia are burning down churches and killing the Christians there and then complain when the Christians or whomever the Muslims decide to target to kill (which is just about everyone around them) fight back.

Christians love to worship their false God Jesus (a human) while at the same time hinder the path of others to Allah. Vile creatures indeed.

In what way am I supposed to be exhibiting double-standards?

You exibit double standard by forgetting about the Muhammad cartoons (pbuh). This whole Holocaust fair wouldnt have happened if the West didnt act foolishly and defame out prophet.

I had rather taken as read that Yudhoyono would have complained about the Mohammed cartoons to the Danish authorities. Most leaders of predominantly muslim nations did. I was just suggesting he might want a chat with the Iranians as well. But it seems the only "sensitive issues" that interest him are those sensitive to muslims. THAT is the double standard.

There is a thing called "minding one's own business." Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation in the world. They have every right to protest over the cartoons. They could care less about the Holocaust and what people make of it. No double standard.

[syedhs]

Allow me to chip in..

How many of you can loudly say western media practise no double standard?

[syedhs]

One example is how there is no news coverage of Jan Egeland's condemnation on Israel for dropping most of its 100,000 chained (or clustered) bombs whilst peace is almost confirmed? Jan Egeland is a UN secretary for humanitarian and emergency aid (something like that) and he usually doesn't get angry, but this time he was so full of anger because the bomb could have hit any children and women living nearby. Imagine why 90,000 bombs dropped within 3 days?

And why is it that most people in USA thought that Israel is the victim, and Palestinian is that bunch of people who are out to bomb any innocent Israel?

I think the problem here some people have already decided within themselves and no matter what happened, it can already be reasoned out so that it always complies with their understanding.

[Trumble]

You exibit double standard by forgetting about the Muhammad cartoons (pbuh). This whole Holocaust fair wouldnt have happened if the West didnt act foolishly and defame out prophet.

I didn't forget about them. As they had already been mentioned at length in the thread, and indeed were pretty much the reason for the thread, it was not necessary.

There is a thing called "minding one's own business." Indonesia is the largest Muslim nation in the world. They have every right to protest over the cartoons. They could care less about the Holocaust and what people make of it. No double standard.

Of course its a double standard! They "couldn't care less" about what people make of the Holocaust, because it is not a "sensitive issue" to THEM. So why, by exactly the same reasoning, should "the West" care whether the muslim world was offended by the Mohammed cartoons?! Why couldn't it "mind its own business", and let newspapers publish whatever they want to publish? You have a TOTAL double standard!

[QuranStudy]

Of course its a double standard! They "couldn't care less" about what people make of the Holocaust, because it is not a "sensitive issue" to THEM. So why, by exactly the same reasoning, should "the West" care whether the muslim world was offended by the Mohammed cartoons?! Why couldn't it "mind its own business", and let newspapers publish whatever they want to publish? You have a TOTAL double standard!

Are you using reverse psychology on me?

[Hawa]

I didn't forget about them. As they had already been mentioned at length in the thread, and indeed were pretty much the reason for the thread, it was not necessary.



Of course its a double standard! They "couldn't care less" about what people make of the Holocaust, because it is not a "sensitive issue" to THEM. So why, by exactly the same reasoning, should "the West" care whether the muslim world was offended by the Mohammed cartoons?! Why couldn't it "mind its own business", and let newspapers publish whatever they want to publish? You have a TOTAL double standard!

we're all guilty of double standards, now instead of hurling words here and there why dont we ask ourselves why are people making cartoon images (doesnt this remind you of elementary?) to insult each other? whats behind this nonsense?

[Trumble]

we're all guilty of double standards, now instead of hurling words here and there why dont we ask ourselves why are people making cartoon images (doesnt this remind you of elementary?) to insult each other? whats behind this nonsense?

Ah, the voice of sanity! You are quite right, my apologies.

What is behind it? Lack of understanding for, and tolerance and lack of respect for those from other cultures. If only the cure was as easy to state as the cause.

[KAding]

we're all guilty of double standards, now instead of hurling words here and there why dont we ask ourselves why are people making cartoon images (doesnt this remind you of elementary?) to insult each other? whats behind this nonsense?

It's a bit of a tradition. Newspaper cartoons are generally intended to shock and make a clever point. Cartoons and 'nuance' don't quite fit together.

I'm a bit confused about this claim of double standards. The Western media is run by Westerners who have Western values and write for Western readers. They report stuff that we find shocking and don't report stuff that they and their readers don't find shocking or don't care about.

[Hawa]

It's a bit of a tradition. Newspaper cartoons are generally intended to shock and make a clever point. Cartoons and 'nuance' don't quite fit together.

I'm a bit confused about this claim of double standards. The Western media is run by Westerners who have Western values and write for Western readers. They report stuff that we find shocking and don't report stuff that they and their readers don't find shocking or don't care about.

thats the double standard right there...
ofcourse they'll write about those barbaric muslims, but not one word of the crimes committed by the Westerners.
I dont see what "clever point" the pictures of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and all those who follow his ways) was supposed to make, it was a deliberate attempt to provoke Muslims, why not concern yourselves with issues that affect Westerners instead?

[KAding]

[/b]

thats the double standard right there...
ofcourse they'll write about those barbaric muslims, but not one word of the crimes committed by the Westerners.

Oh please. How is it any different anywhere in the world? How many articles do you see posted on this forum that do not concern Muslims, but, say, Chinese or Sub-saharan Africans? The answer is: zilch! We hear constant complaints about and cheers for the 'Ummah'. Muslims talk about what concerns Muslims. This is not double standards, it's simply that people care more about what happens to 'their people' than to 'other people'. It's a consequence of nationalism and (thank you north_malaysian) ummahism (:p). As long as we hang on to ideologies and doctrines that are not cosmopolitan this is completely unavoidable.

I dont see what "clever point" the pictures of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and all those who follow his ways) was supposed to make, it was a deliberate attempt to provoke Muslims, why not concern yourselves with issues that affect Westerners instead?

Actually, there were a couple of clever points in most of the Danish cartoons. I don't think I'm supposed to link to them though, so I won't. Most of the cartoons didn't make sense outside of the specific Danish national context anyhow.

[ACC]

Oh please. How is it any different anywhere in the world? How many articles do you see posted on this forum that do not concern Muslims, but, say, Chinese or Sub-saharan Africans? The answer is: zilch! We hear constant complaints about and cheers for the 'Ummah'. Muslims talk about what concerns Muslims. This is not double standards, it's simply that people care more about what happens to 'their people' than to 'other people'. It's a consequence of nationalism and (thank you north_malaysian) ummahism (:p). As long as we hang on to ideologies and doctrines that are not cosmopolitan this is completely unavoidable.



Actually, there were a couple of clever points in most of the Danish cartoons. I don't think I'm supposed to link to them though, so I won't. Most of the cartoons didn't make sense outside of the specific Danish national context anyhow.

Excellent post. I find it absurd that people here expect Western media to be objective when there is ample proof that Arab media (using Arab as a general term even though there is other muslim media in the world) is far from objective.