FEBRUARY 22, 2005

THE CADRE -e 9

Cadre Banned on Campus Continued from Page 1

editorials written by Keating and Managing Editor Rob Walker.

Zain Esseghair, a prominent PEI Muslim, is greatly opposed to The Cadre’s decision to reprint the cartoons. He learned of The Cadre’s actions after the CBC contacted him for comment. “The story could have been told without the pictures.” He, as well as many Muslims across Canada are upset about Canadian institutions reprinting the images.

“They represent a man that for the Muslim faith is a prophet of God. He had an excellent character and was a teacher — our teacher. To have him characterized as a terrorist and a bad person was highly unfair, and went beyond the right to freedom of expression.”

He also argues that the context of the story doesn’t come from the cartoons. “The context should come from where these cartoons were first published.”

Muslim students have also expressed their concerns with both the administration and the Student Union. “Some Muslim students came to my office. I definitely understand where they’re coming from, and it was good to have their input on the days following The Cadre’s release,” Gallant said during an interview Friday.

Meanwhile, a professor at St. Mary’s University has also joined the debate when he posted the cartoons outside his office door. He has since been asked to remove them, and Muslim students have staged protests against his judgment.

Peter March, a philosophy

professor at St. Mary’s, sees the issue’

in much the same light, he told CBC last week “I feel threatened by the crowds around the world shaking fists, shaking sticks, burning things down,” he says. “I wish to make my stand, that here in Canada that won’t wash.”

Since The Cadre has reprinted the Cartoon, two other Canadian publications, the Western Standard and the Jewish Free Press, have followed suit. With the increased media

attention, the issue has escalated into a national debate about free speech and freedom of the press.

Esseghair didn’t want to be misunderstood about where he stands on these freedoms. “We believe 100% in freedom of the press. For many of us that came from other places around the world where such freedom doesn’t exist, we probably value it more than some people who grew up in Canada, but when talking about freedom of the press, we should say there should be some responsibility to think about the consequences of ones actions.”

Gallant can see why people are upset with the censorship that has taken place. “I’m someone who sort

of straddles the issue. I see it as a fine line and for that reason I can see the points of the students who disagreed [with the SU].”

Keating believes that although media attention has calmed down, the issue is still there. “The underlying issues remain... there is definitely a

cloud that’s hanging over the idea of

freedom in Canada. It’s freedom only as long as you don’t upset anyone.”

It seems that Islanders and Canadians are divided on the issue. “T’ve gotten 90-100 emails that pretty much run the spectrum,” said MacLauchlan. “The divide is almost 50/50, but the closer to home, they’re more likely to agree [with banning the ssouer

Gallant believes the majority of students were not happy with The Cadre’s decision, and that it was a factor, when making the decision to confiscate the copies of The Cadre. He did speak to students who disagreed with him as well. “For the most serious conversations, their concern was the limiting of the press and the limiting of discussion on it.”

Esseghair worried about the division over the issue. After a phone in interview for the CBC, Esseghair found that “about 50% supported the Universities decision, and the other 50% didn’t, so I would really dislike the idea of seeing Canadians polarized over this issue”

Even after saying this, Esseghair saw a positive side. “If this could help us reach out to others and build bridges to create some kind of harmony and unity and peaceful means of debate and discussion then I would say that something positive came out of this.”

“{Canada] should be a model for other countries on how to co-exist; this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be controversial, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t debate and criticize, but there are good ways and bad ways,” he added.

MacLauchlan believed that student discourse has evolved due to the issue. “Something has been

achieved to make better character of | tolerance and learning from each |

other, that we should cherish and always want to make better on PEI, “but also said, “I think we have a more constructive learning environment today, than we would have if the cartoons were in circulation.”

He also went on to say, “I don’t think that my decision reflects badly and I didn’t intend it to reflect badly on the quality and leadership of this years Cadre. I’ve been encouraging English 101 classes to read The Cadre. I’m a fan of The Cadre.”

The Cartoons: A Timeline

September 30, 2005

Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten publishes 12 cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. The cartoons reflect the difficulty experienced by Danish journalist Kare Bluitgen in finding someone to illustrate the Prophet for a book he plans to write. Most of the Muslim world is unaware of this and the cartoons are virtually ignored.

November/December 2005

The Imam of Copenhagen, Ahmed Abu- Laban, begins to send delegations to the Muslim world spreading word of the events. The delegations display up to 30 cartoons that were not published and carry with them a 43-page dossier. This document incites many Muslim into

October 17, 2005 mg Protests and flag-burning. Six of the cartoons are reprinted by Egyptian newspaper El Fagr. fix October 2005 - January 2006 December 2, 2005 Cartoons are reprinted in several major

newspapers in Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

January 2006

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar announce boycotts on Danish products, while Iran ceases all trade with any countries where the cartoons have been published.

Pakistani political party Jamaat-e-Islami allegedly offers a $10,000 reward for the murder of one of the cartoonists. The party later claims it was quoted incorrectly.

December 6, 2005 The dossier is unveiled at a summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference

January 29, 2006 The Danish flag is burned in the West Bank. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement gives Danes, Norwegians and Swedes 48 hours to leave the Gaza Strip.

Al-Aqsa Martyrs! Brigades gives Danes and Swedes 72 hours to leave.

January 30, 2006

Jyllands-Posten apologizes, not for printing the cartoons, but for offending the Islamic community.

The Iraqi Mujahideen Army calls for terrorist action in Denmark and Norway.

February 1, 2006 Another bomb threat results in the evacuation of the newspaper's headquarters and its Copenhagen office.

January 31, 2006 Two Jyllands-Posten offices are evacuated

February 2, 2006 Palestinian gunmen force the closure of European Union headquarters in Gaza,

saying that the building would not be opened until Europeans apologize to the Muslim community.

February 3, 2006

Hundreds of Muslims march in a protest in London, chanting phrases like “Free speech go to hell”, “Exterminate those who slander Islam”, and “Be prepared for the real Holocaust.”

Hamas organizes violent demonstrations

in Palestinian territories. February 4, 2006

The Danish embassy in Damascus is firebombed. The building also houses the Swedish and Chilean embassies, which were more badly damaged than the Danish embassy. The Norwegian embassy in Damascus is also set on fire. Both countries threaten to sever diplomatic ties

February 8, 2006

The Cadre publishes the 12 cartoons, along with two editorials explaining its actions. Only 200 copies are distributed before UPEI president Wade MacLauchlan calls for the papers to be confiscated, preventing most students from viewing the cartoons or the papet’s rationale. Cadre staff retains the remaining 1800 copies for distribution at a later date. Later in the day, MacLauchlan bans the newspaper from campus, calling its actions a “reckless invitation to public disorder and humiliation.” After originally supporting the Cadre’s freedom of the press, the UPEI Student Union revokes its support for the paper’s distribution. The publication of the cartoons makes headlines across Canada.

February 5, 2006

The Danish consulate in Beirut is burned during a demonstration.

An Iraqi militant group, The Islamic Army, declares that citizens of any country which has printed the cartoons should be killed. Catholic priest Andrea Santoro is murdered in Turkey. A 16-year- old is arrested and tells police he was influenced by the cartoon uproar. Five people die in Afghani demonstrations.

February 9, 2006 The Student Union imposes a deadline of 3 p.m. on Friday, February 10th for the

return of the remaining 1800 copies of The Cadre.

February 10, 2006 After consulting with its lawyers, the Student Union threatens to press theft charges if the newspapers are not handed over. The Cadre reluctantly returns the remaining copies.