MANILA: The National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) in the predominantly Catholic Philippines joined the global condemnation of Qur’an burnings in Scandinavia on Tuesday, urging respect and unity among communities worldwide.
The recent incident involved two protesters setting fire to a copy of the Qur’an outside the Iraqi Embassy in Copenhagen on Monday. This followed similar acts by ultranationalist Danish organizations in neighboring Sweden, sparking outrage among Muslim communities globally.
While Swedish and Danish officials have condemned the desecration of the Qur’an, they allowed the incidents under laws protecting freedom of expression, leading to widespread protests in Muslim communities.
Muslims in Philippines Condemns of Misuse Freedom of Speech
In response, the NCMF, the governing body for Muslim affairs in the Philippines, representing roughly 5 percent of the country’s 110 million population, issued a statement condemning the acts. The commission stated that the burnings were not an exercise of freedom but a misuse of it and expressed unity in strong condemnation against the recent trend of Qur’an burning in several countries.
Yusoph Mando, spokesperson for NCMF, emphasized that such deliberate desecration not only offends the religious sentiments of Muslims but also undermines the principles of coexistence and empathy in a diverse society. He urged society to recognize the fine line between free expression and promoting hate speech.
The NCMF called on the authorities of the countries where the Qur’an burnings occurred to investigate the incidents thoroughly and take appropriate legal measures against those responsible for promoting hatred and causing public disorder.
