Limits of Freedom

By: Bikal Dhungel 

What happened in Paris few days ago is shocking. Two terrorists stormed into the main office of the satire magazine 'Charlie' which made cartoons about Islam. The terrorists killed almost all of the magazine's executive board and two policemen, one of whom was himself a Muslim. Later, another fanatic went into the Jewish supermarket and killed others. Paris was shocked, France was shocked, Europe and the whole world was shocked. People gathered in various cities demonstrating solidarity with the magazine showing a pencil ( a symbol of press freedom ) and called ' I am charlie '. The next day, politicians from many countries joined president Francois Hollande in Paris in a rally and the attacks was condemned harshly.

In Germany on the other hand, a group of anti-Islamic people were demonstrating in various cities calling an end of islamization of Europe called PEGIDA. Areas where there are least number of foreigners and Muslims, there are growing cynicism about Islam. In West German cities where most of the foreigners live, there were way more people who were protesting against PEGIDA with the motto ' peaceful co-existence '. People who are against Islam instrumentalized the attacks in France to justify their arguments. Some right wing politicians also claimed that ' had this happened before the election, their party would get more votes '. This was a shame and a form of respectlessness because they were using such a tragedy to gain political support.

People from all religious groups condemned terror. The Muslim society of Germany joined the chancellor and other prominents in Berlin to give a message that ' terror does not have any religion' if someone takes the form of violence, no matter from which religion, this person is a terrorist '. If any act of terror is used in connection with some religion or nationality, it would only help to cultivate hate towards this religion or nationality. This is what the Muslim community was trying to do. They were saying that terrorists have nothing to do with Islam and the majority of Muslims, like any other people take the path of peace. Chancellor Angela Merkel used the opportunity by saying that Islam is also the part of Germany and she is not only the chancellor of only Germans rather everybody, Muslims and non Muslims and people with other national background living in Germany. This was a strong message for peaceful living of people of different faith. This is the right way for peaceful Europe that few people who choose the way of violence does not determine the direction of politics and does not divide people, rather, the society and peace lovers are unbreakable.

After the massacre, the french satire magazine vowed to continue with the publication and the buyers increased dramatically. Until now, in every shop around Paris, it gets sold out immediately. The magazine published other caricatures of prophet Mohammad and other issues about Islam as well as other religion. The freedom of press and the freedom of expression has been chanted again and again.

However, the issue is little complicated. We have to accept that some culture and religion are bit more traditional than others. For Muslims around the world, religion is an important part of their life and it is also the topic where they don't want to joke about and don't like when others do. we have to respect that too. If religion is a sensitive thing for them, we should not make jokes or cartoons about it voluntarily. Then only we can be friends. Of course there is freedom of expression and freedom of press but in western society it would also be morally unacceptable if we make fun of handicapped people, we also don't make caricature of someone's physical appearance or racial background. There is freedom to do that, but we should not do it. You have a freedom to play music and dance but if your neighbour has just lost one of her loved ones, you do not go in front of her house with a loud music and dance. You have your freedom to do that but you should not do this. Concerning the caricature of prophet Mohammad, one can have critical opinion about it, or about the whole of Islam and can also make cartoon about it but if one makes cartoon, take that to a mosque and put that in front of Muslims who came there for prayer is not about freedom of expression rather a pure provocation. Coexisting in a society is not possible in this case.

Regarding the killing of Paris, many Muslims throughout the world might find it bad but they will never accept the continual caricature of their prophet no matter how much you teach them about the freedom of press and opinion. Things cannot change from today to tomorrow, hence, the principles they were taught in all these years also cannot change after Paris attacks. The printing of prophet Mohammad's caricature might radicalize more Muslims who might not hesitate to commit such acts again in the future. By the way, why doesn't that very magazine make fun of Hinduism or Buddhism ? Why Islam has been in focus ? Hence, though there is freedom of expression, if we want to coexist in a peaceful society, we should also know the limits of freedom and take care that our freedom does not hamper the freedom of others.