Another cartoon controversy has erupted in recent weeks, this time sparked by a Swedish newspaper.  Muslim countries, particularly Iran and Pakistan, have been outspoken against the offensive cartoons of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh).

The subject of controversy was a hand-drawn sketch of Muhammad’s head on a dog’s body, which appeared earlier this month in a local Swedish newspaper, Nerikes Allehanda.  According to the editor of the paper, Mr Johansson, the article was a critical account of how various Swedish art galleries refused to exhibit the artist’s cartoons, fearing the security risk.  The paper has a circulation of 65 000 copies. 

Muslims believe that the dog is an unclean animal, and according to historical accounts of the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings, it is also believed that he did not approve of any kind of animate illustrations, thus the cartoons are considered blasphemous amongst Muslims.

Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmedinejad took bold steps in confronting what he described as a very serious offence, since blasphemy against one prophet was ‘blasphemy against them all’.  On Monday this week he summoned a Swedish diplomat to the Iranian foreign ministry.  However, he said he blamed the Zionists and not the Swedish people for the offence.

"Religions call for friendship, equality, justice, peace and respect for divine prophets (Peace Be Upon Them). The Zionists only pretend to believe in religion,” he was quoted saying on an Islamic news website.  Also expressing their condemnation of the cartoons were Pakistan and Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood organisation.

The incident has hashed up old wounds from September 2005 when a Danish newspaper published similarly blasphemous cartoons of the Prophet.  Editor Johansson said he was aware the publication may arouse similar feelings of anger from Muslims worldwide, but he still went ahead with it, deeming freedom of speech more important.

A week after the publication, a group of about 60 people demonstrated outside the newspaper's office to protest.  The Swedish government also took the decision to shut down the website of the Swedish Democrats newspaper, which was inviting its readers to post their own cartoons depicting Muhammad.  Its editor told the BBC that this was illegal but Swedish Foreign Minister Laila Freivalds described the paper’s move as "a provocation" by "a small group of extremists".

"I will defend freedom of the press no matter what the circumstances, but I strongly condemn the provocation by SD-Kuriren. It displays a complete lack of respect," she said in a statement.

The Swedish embassy in Pakistan has since expressed its regret at the publication of the cartoon, but says it cannot apologise as it was not responsible, and had no way of censoring the newspaper due to law regarding freedom of speech.  The Pakistan foreign ministry said the damage was already done and that it was sad that some Europeans abused freedom of expression overtly insult Muslims worldwide.

Sweden opposed the war in Iraq and is a leading donor to the Middle East.  Currently, there are about 350,000 Muslims living in Sweden, with Stockholm being home to Scandinavia's largest mosque.

Islamouna