- Risky to invite Rose
The Muslim student organization in Trondheim (Msat) thinks that controversial Flemming Rose is not suited to talk about peacebuilding.
It’s official that the former cultural editor Flemming Rose of Jyllandsposten is going to lecture at Isfit. In 2005 the Dane was having a rough time after he decided to print caricatures of Muhammad the Prophet. He is invited to the festival to talk about freedom of speech.
Msat is questioning this decision.
– We are no longer talking about the caricatures, so what is the point of this? If Rose was regretting it, it would be different. But surely he has not changed his opinion? If so, the Msat still thinks it is riskythat he is coming, says leader Adeel Ashraf and spokesman of the organization, Awais Ejaz.
– Not suitable to talk about peacebuilding.
They point out that Isfit is meant to create unity, and wonder how that is going to happen when the festival is inviting such a controversial person. They would have liked to be consulted before the Dane was invited, and emphasize that there are a lot of Muslim students in Trondheim.
– Isfit is an organization that works for peace to unify people across religions and cultures. Msat is supporting this work, but the question is if the theme for this year’s festival, peacebuilding, is consistent with inviting someone like Flemming Rose. He is going to talk about freedom of speech, but we think, based on what his previous statements, that he is not suitable to talk about peacebuilding, they say.
Ashraf and Ejaz tell us that Msat has not yet decided if, or possibly how, they will react to this. They also think that it is impossible to predict how Muslim participants will feel about Rose's invitation.
– It is important that the participants get informed about Rose before the festival starts, says Ashraf.
He emphasizes that Msat is suporting Isfits work, and says among other things that one of their coworkers has been participating in the festival.
– Must focus on the hard issues
– Even though Rose is invited by Isfit, it does not mean that the festival shares his views, says President of Isfit, Tryge Thorson.
He tells us that Rose is going to participate in a debate on freedom of speech with professor within peace studies Johan Galtung. Galtung’s view on the term “freedom of speech” is totally different from Rose’s view.
– We wish to create a debate on a subject we think is important, he says.
Thorson thinks that Msat has a point when they ask why they were not consulted.
– But we invite a lot of speakers. If we had to consult every organization before inviting speakers, the process would take too long. But it is important to point out that Isfit is not doing this to provoke anyone.
– Won’t Rose’s invitation lead to that Isfit’s role as a unifier is weakened?
– To build bridges one also has to focus on the hard issues. If one only focus on the easy things one won’t get anywhere. Our agenda is to put our challenges in the spotlight. Because of this we think that there is no contrast between Rose’s subject; freedom of speech, and the subject of peacebuilding, it is on the contrary.
– Do you fear that Muslim participants may feel offended by Rose’s presence?
– Some may react to it, but as already mentioned, it is not our intention to provoke reactions. The debate will hopefully stay constructive, and not just be about the Muhammad caricatures, but look at that incident in a wider perspective, in association with democracy and peacebuilding. It will, however, surprise me if there are no reactions, because we have invited students with strong commitments, says Thorson.
Translated by Maria Kråkmo
