Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten has blinked finally. With Denmark standing in the danger of its trade ties with Muslim countries, particularly those in the Middle East, breaking down, the daily has tendered a virtual apology to the citizens of Saudi Arabia for 'erroneously publishing the cartoons that are offensive to the Prophet'.
The newspaper's editor-in-chief, Carsten Juste, wrote on the Jyllands-Posten website, "Permit me to correct the misunderstanding over the cartoons about the prophet Mohammed that have led to the boycott of Danish products in your country. These cartoons were published four months ago as part of a Danish debate on freedom of expression, a right that we consider very important in Denmark.
"The publication of these cartoons has been portrayed as a campaign against Muslims in Denmark and the Muslim world, and it is this impression that I wish to correct. It was never the newspaper's intention to offend anyone's religious beliefs, yet unfortunately this is what has happened, albeit unintentionally. We have apologised various times over the past months in our newspaper, in other newspapers, on television, on the radio and in the international press."
Juste said Jyllands-Posten regretted that the issue had reached this point, and reiterate that it was "never our intention to offend anyone. We believe, as does the rest of Danish society, in respecting freedom of religion."
The newspaper's statement comes a day after Libya joined Saudi Arabia in shutting down its embassy in Danish capital Copenhagen to protest against the Danish government's silence over the cartoons. Denmark Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen had steadfastly refused to armtwist the daily into tendering an apology.
Jyllands-Posten had invited cartoonists to submit drawings of the prophet Mohammed after an author complained that nobody dared illustrate his book on the prophet. The daily published 12 cartoons drawn by eight illustrators on September 30, calling them a test of whether fear of Islamic retribution had begun to limit freedom of expression in Denmark. The cartoons caused an uproar among Muslims in Denmark and abroad. Islam considers images of prophets disrespectful and caricatures of them blasphemous.
Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and prophet Mohammad, recalled its ambassador to Copenhagen on January 26 saying Denmark had not done enough to assuage Muslim anger. The move came after pressure from Saudi clerics and a popular boycott against Danish goods, Reuters reported. Danish-Swedish dairy corporation Arla Foods said stones were thrown at a company car in one incident.
The director of the Confederation of Danish Industries, Hans Skov Christensen, wrote an open letter last week contending that Jyllands-Posten should be made to answer for the "obvious consequences" of its decision to publish the cartoons.
Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig M?r asked the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission to convene urgently following the boycott of Danish products that started off in Saudi Arabia and quickly spread to Kuwait and Egypt. M?r said the boycott quickly broadened and he will bring the subject to the fore at the European Union if necessary, Zaman Online reported.
Danish Industrialists appealed to Jyllands-Posten: "Freedom of expression requires responsibility. This responsibility requires Jyllands-Posten to sympathise with the people offended by the cartoons published. It is time to break the silence."
And now that Juste has broken this silence, it remains to be seen whether the Jyllands-Posten apology falls on the deaf ears of its incensed detractors.
