The Fiji Daily Post has defended the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed which have caused a storm of protest across Europe, the Middle East and now in Fiji.
The cartoons by various Danish artists depicting Islam's holiest prophet was originally published in September by the daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten.
The Fiji Daily Post reprinted the cartoons in its Sunday Post edition of February 5 and immediately drew reactions from Muslims.
Managing editor Mesake Koroi in a statement today defended the decision to publish saying "we are in the business of news reporting."
"Fiji Daily Post stands by the re-publication of the cartoons," Koroi said.
He said the newspaper respects Islam as a religion and the Muslim community in Fiji and their right to worship.
"This newspaper had no intention to malign Islam as a religion or to cast any slur on those practising Islam," Koroi said.
Fiji Muslim League president Hafizud Dean Khan expressed his "disappointment and dissatisfaction" saying the league "does not accept the explanation given by one Sunday Post journalist that it is 'only a reproduction' of an international article.
"Sunday Post is a local media institution with, we presume, Fiji's interests at heart."
The Malaysian High Commissioner to Fiji, Nafisah Mohamed in a letter to the editor said: "Your editorial writers understand that the wilful publication of materials that incite is divisive and may lead to personal and material endangerment to all."
Mohamed said she would be "pleased to have a dialogue" with the Post's editors and anyone else on Islam and Muslims.
