Economic and human costs of the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy
Encyclopedia
Social consequences
- Andrea SantoroAndrea SantoroFather Andrea Santoro was a Roman Catholic priest in Turkey, murdered in the Santa Maria Church in Trabzon where he served as a member of the Catholic Church's Fidei donum missionary program.On 5 September 2006 he was shot dead from behind while kneeling in prayer in the church...
, an ItalianItalian peopleThe Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, was killed on February 5, 2006, in TrabzonTrabzonTrabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
, TurkeyTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. A 16-year-old high school student was arrested two days later carrying a 9mm pistol. The student told policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
he had been influenced by the cartoons. - At least four protesters were killed in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, in MihtarlamMihtarlamMihtarlam , also spelled Mehtar Lam, is a town in Afghanistan, the capital of Laghman Province and center of Mihtarlam District. It is the only large urban settlement in the province. The town is situated in the valley formed by the Alishing and Alingar rivers, 47 km northwest of the city of...
, and a US air base in BagramBagramBagram , founded as Alexandria on the Caucasus and known in medieval times as Kapisa, is a small town and seat in Bagram District in Parwan Province of Afghanistan, about 60 kilometers north of the capital Kabul. It is the site of an ancient city located at the junction of the Ghorband and Panjshir...
. One protester was trampled to death in Bossaso, SomaliaSomaliaSomalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, when the crowd stampeded as police fired in the air to disperse them. On February 5, 2006, one protester died at the blazing Danish Embassy in BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. - On February 6, 2006, one demonstrator involved in the torching of the Danish consulate in BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, was found dead on a staircase. One protester was shot to death in Laghman Province, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. - Four people were killed and 22 injured on February 7, 2006, in an attack on a NATO base in Maymana, AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. - On February 13, 2006, two people were killed in LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, PakistanPakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The next day two were killed in PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, Pakistan; and another in Lahore during widespread protests across the city.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4715084.stm - On February 15, 2006, three people were killed by local police forces in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan during widespread demonstrations in the city.
- On February 17, 2006, eleven people died during protests in LibyaLibyaLibya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
- On February 18, 2006, sixteen people were killed in northern NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
as demonstrators protested the cartoons by storming and burning ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches and businesses. The majority of the casualties were believed to be Christians, a minority group in Northern Nigeria. - As of February 24, 2006, around 146 people have been killed in religious riots in NigeriaNigeriaNigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, touched off by attacks against Christians in the predominantly Muslim North http://www.watchermagazine.com/wp-mobile.php?p=3787&more=1 http://www.watchermagazine.com/wp-mobile.php?p=3788&more=1. - As of March 22, 2006, 139 people have died, and at least 823 people have been injured as a result of the political and religious backlash against the cartoons (these figures do not count riots in Nigeria).
- As of April 14, 2006, a 67-year-old Coptic Christian was knifed to death by a 25-year-old Muslim in an attack on faithful in a Coptic church in AlexandriaAlexandriaAlexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
, Egypt. At the same time others attacked two other Coptic churches and injured more than ten Christians. According to press reports, referring to the department of the Interior of Egypt, the killer acted in revenge to the publication of the Muhammad cartoons. - On May 3, 2006, 28-year-old Pakistani Amir Abdur Rehman CheemaAmir Abdur Rehman CheemaAmir Abdur Rehman Cheema was a 28-year-old Pakistani textile engineering student who entered the offices of the German daily newspaper Die Welt on March 20, 2006 with a large knife and attempted to murder Roger Koppel, he was later arrested by building security guards...
hanged himself in prison in BerlinBerlinBerlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany while awaiting trial for an unsuccessful attempt to enter the building of the German newspaper Die WeltDie WeltDie Welt is a German national daily newspaper published by the Axel Springer AG company.It was founded in Hamburg in 1946 by the British occupying forces, aiming to provide a "quality newspaper" modelled on The Times...
, armed with a knife, and attack the chief editor. At his autopsy, two high-ranking Pakistani police officials were present.
Economic consequences
While many Muslims and supporters took part in protests throughout the world, many more took part in one of the single biggest boycotts of all time. Consumers, especially Arab nations, began a process of boycotting all Danish goods. This was then followed by the government of IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
issuing boycotts and restrictions on consumer products imported from Denmark. Denmark is concerned about the potential loss of 11,000 jobs resulting from boycotts against Danish products in the Islamic world. However, Danish exports to the Middle East only made up 1.1 percent of total exports in 2005 meaning that the overall economic impact of even a full boycott would be limited.
The biggest single loser of the boycott was Swedish-Danish company Arla Foods
Arla Foods
Arla Foods is a Swedish-Danish cooperative based in Århus, Denmark, and the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia. Arla Foods was formed as the result of a merger between the Swedish dairy cooperative Arla and the Danish dairy company MD Foods on 17 April 2000.Arla Foods is the seventh...
. Arla, Denmark's biggest exporter to the Middle East, has been losing 20 million kroner (3.2 million dollars, 1.3 million euros) per day since its products were taken off the shelves in several countries, and has had to temporarily lay off 125 workers. In response, Arla began to sell its product without its brand name being present and in large containers. Other companies have replaced their "Made in Denmark" label with a "Made in the EU" label. Others still have used foreign subsidiaries to camouflage the origin of Danish production, according to the Confederation of Danish Industries’ (DI).
The boycott continued, despite hopes that it was a temporary dispute which would quickly blow over. The pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk said that it had lost a 200-million-kroner insulin contract in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
blaming the ongoing controversy. Jyske Bank has estimated that the cost of the boycott to the Danish economy could total 7.5 billion kroner which is in the area of 0.5 percent of the Danish GDP.
Property damage
- On February 4, 2006, the buildings containing the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Syria were set ablaze, although no one was hurt.
- On February 12–15, 2006, there were widespread protests in the cities of LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
and PeshawarPeshawarPeshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
. In LahoreLahoreLahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, many western offices, restaurants like KFC and McDonalds, telecom offices and banks were vandalized. During three days of riots in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan people demonstrated against symbols of Western culture. Fast food restaurants, banks and two offices of TelenorTelenorTelenor Group is the incumbent telecommunications company in Norway, with headquarters located at Fornebu, close to Oslo. Today, Telenor Group is mostly an international wireless carrier with operations in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe and Asia, working predominantly under the Telenor brand...
(a Norwegian telecom company) were vandalized. The Punjab Assembly buildingProvincial Assembly of the PunjabThe Provincial Assembly of the Punjab is a unicameral legislature of elected representatives of the province of Punjab, which is located in Lahore in eastern Pakistan...
in Lahore was also ransacked.
Other calls for boycott
- In February, the FrenchFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
international supermarket chain CarrefourCarrefourCarrefour S.A. is an international hypermarket chain headquartered in Levallois-Perret, France. It is one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world...
took all Danish products off the shelves in Muslim countries. Posters with the Carrefour logo proclaiming a boycott of Denmark, resulted in a boycott of Carrefour in BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. - On March 5, 2006 Ayman al-ZawahiriAyman al-ZawahiriAyman Mohammed Rabie al-Zawahiri is an Egyptian physician, Islamic theologian and current leader of al-Qaeda. He was previously the second and last "emir" of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, having succeeded Abbud al-Zumar in the latter role when Egyptian authorities sentenced al-Zumar to life...
of Al Qaeda urged all Muslims to boycott, not only Denmark but also Norway, France, Germany and all others that have "insulted the Prophet Mohammed" by printing cartoons depicting him. - Iran has announced that it plans to review its trade ties with all countries where the cartoons were published. A high level committee involving the Foreign Minister, the Deputy Foreign Minister, the Deputy Trade Minister and the Deputy Oil Minister has been set up.
- In February 2008, SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
President Omar al-BashirOmar al-BashirLieutenant General Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir is the current President of Sudan and the head of the National Congress Party. He came to power in 1989 when he, as a brigadier in the Sudanese army, led a group of officers in a bloodless military coup that ousted the government of Prime Minister...
stated that he would bar Danes from Sudan and called for the Muslim world to boycott Denmark. At a rally, he stated “We urge all Muslims around the world to boycott Danish commodities, goods, companies, institutions, organizations and personalities" and that "not a single Danish foot will from now on desecrate the land of Sudan.”
Support Denmark movement
The Support Denmark Movement is a movementAnti-boycott
An anti-boycott is a term used to describe excess buying of a particular brand or product, in an attempt to counter a boycott of the same brand/product...
in Western countries to support the Danish people
as a reaction against the Anti-Denmark Boycott. Supporters are encouraged to seek out and buy more Danish produce and display stickers and web banner
Web banner
A web banner or banner ad is a form of advertising on the World Wide Web delivered by an ad server. This form of online advertising entails embedding an advertisement into a web page. It is intended to attract traffic to a website by linking to the website of the advertiser...
s with supportive slogans and Danish flags
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Large numbers of blogs, websites and message boards have sprung up, listing Danish products that people can buy and publishing messages of support.