Agora

UPDATE: DPP requests that all Danish Imam’s statements be recorded. See below.

In a not-so-surprising move by Arla foods of Denmark, those of whining fame when the Battle of Khartoon first set in, Arla has launched a new advertising campaign in the Arab world. That’s not too bad in and of itself. BUT. They’ve decided to go about it by printing this statement in Arab newspapers together with TV commercials:

Arla Foods Distancing itself from the Cartoons

Statement from Arla Foods

At Arla Foods we feel that it is our duty to bring to your attention our position on the unfortunate event which took place a few months ago. We are also addressing the conference for International Support for the Prophet to take place on March 22 and 23 2006 to explain our point of view.

Arla foods distances itself from the act of Jyllands-Posten in choosing to print caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed and we do not share the newspaper’s reasons for doing so.

Having been in the Middle East for 40 years, participating as an active and integrated part of the community, we understand that you feel offended. Our presence in the region has brought us knowledge of your culture, values and your religion, Islam. This understanding has been the basis of our being able to provide you with good products of the highest quality and with the taste you demand through many years. We have built brands such as Lurpak, Puck, The Three Cows and Dano through your confidence in our products. Therefore we understand and respect your reaction, leading to the boycott of our products as a result of the irresponsible and unfortunate incident.

We would also like to use this opportunity to provide you with vital information about our company. Arla is a Danish-Swedish cooperative, owned by the farmers. Our subsidiary in the Middle East has investors and business partners from the Arab world. Arla is employing on the order of 1.000 Moslems in the Arab and Islamic world together wth more than 250 in Europe. All of them have felt offended by these cartoons. Arla’s trade was hit in the Middle East not as a result of our own actions but as a result of those of others.

Honored citizens, the years we have been in your world have taught us that justice and tolerance are fundamental values of Islam. We would like to cooperate with Islamic organisation to find a solution to the boycott of Arla’s products. We only ask you to consider this and hopefully, to reconsider your stance towards our company.

Now you know more about who we are, how we think and what we think. We’ll leave the rest up to you.

Arla Foods

The conference they’re referring to is one to be held in Bahrain where the Danish Imams of pig-eared fame will be participating. It was arranged by five Moslem organisation, including The International Union of Moslem Scholars, headed by Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a major spokesman for the boycott. Fahmy Almajid, integration advisor, on the conference and al-Qaradawi: “The man has power, and he is very intractable. February 3 he called for what he called ‘The Friday of Wrath’, resulting in a tightening of the boycott, since the Imams listen to him.”
On the Danish Imams, Almajid says: “They are probably not there to say that everything is dandy. Their demands have far from been met because they still need to get an apology.”
Abdul Wahid Petersen, a Danish imam set to participate in the conference: “We can’t avoid mentioning the decision of the Crown’s Prosecutor, which will probably provoke some. We’ll have to wait and see how the conference progresses and I think the input from Denmark will be essential. I can’t say what the result of the conference will be and I haven’t discussed strategy with the other delegates, but I expect to talk about the decision at the conference and how I, as a Danish Moslem, view the signals sent by the Crown’s Prosecutor.”

The delegation from Denmark will consist of: Imam Abdul Wahid Petersen, Imam Abu Laban, Imam Abu Bashar, Imam Shaykh Raed Hlayhel, Imam Ahmed Akkari and the Chairman of the Danish Islamic Council, Jihad al-Farra.

The position of this blog on the matter of Arla is that of Jyllands-Posten. Fuck ‘em.

UPDATE: According to a DR story, The Danish People’s party has requested from the Foreign Ministry that the conference be monitored and that all statements made by Danish Imams be recorded, to be reviewed at a meeting of the Committee for Foreign Affairs.
Søren Espersen of the DPP says: “It is very disturbing that this disagreeable group of extremist and unreliable Imams has yet again set out to hurt Denmark’s cause.”
Imam Abdul Wahid Petersen says: “I am willing to urge that the boycott of Danish goods be stopped. But if Yusuf al-Qaradawi and other respected Scholars are of a different opinion, I can’t imagine that my voice will be listened to.”

UPDATE: The government responds: Liberals’ Spokesman Jens Rohde says Arla should move to Teheran.

Relevant links:
Statement from Arla in Danish
Article from B.T. with statements from Abdul Wahid Petersen and Fahmy Almajid
Article from Jyllands-Posten: “The Travelling Imams”
Article from Jyllands-Posten: “Danish Imams’ false pictures were misleading”
Arab News article detailing the plans for the conference

Articles about Ahmed Akkari (favourite whipping-boy of this blog):
Jyllands-Posten: “Imam was forced to leave teaching job”
Transcript of DR interview with Ahmed Akkari
Akkari: “Denmark needs to open its eyes”
Jyllands-Posten: “Imam apologized for assault on 11-year-old”