Qatari Newspapers Editorials

Doha, January 24 (QNA) - Qatari newspapers highlighted in their editorials Tuesday the strong condemnation expressed by the Shura Council in its weekly session yesterday of the Swedish authorities giving permission to one of the extremist to burn a copy of the holy Qur'an. The papers underlined that allowing this disgraceful behavior is a provocation to the feelings of about two billion Muslims and fuels hate speech and violence; calling for a clear, firm and decisive Islamic position to prevent the recurrence of hate crimes that are inconsistent with the principles of human rights. Al-Watan said that burning a copy of the holy Qur'an in Stockholm is in no way a form of the freedom of expression as asserted by Swedish officials, rather an unacceptable and provocative assault that expresses hatred of Muslims. In this context, Al-Watan noted that the Shura Council, in its weekly session yesterday, denounced and condemned in the strongest terms the Swedish authorities' allowing one of the far-right members to burn a copy of the holy Qur'an in front of the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm, asserting that allowing such a blatant act provokes emotions of nearly two billions of Muslims, and ignites hate speech and violence. The Shura Council confirmed that such an outrageous step contravenes the laws and charters of respect for the religious sanctities of nations, including human rights principles that underscore freedom of religion, and protect sanctities and rituals, the paper added. The Shura Council also expressed its deep astonishment over the silence of some western and European countries towards the persistent offence against the Islamic religion, under the pretext of freedom of expression, pointing out that such a double-dealing with the concept of freedom of expression, has allowed the recurrence of infringements upon Islam, causing the growth of Islamophobia phenomenon. It also deepened the gap between east and west, Al-Watan noted. Qatari daily Al-Sharq also pointed to the strong condemnation expressed by the Shura Council yesterday, noting that the incident sparked widespread anger in the Islamic world and condemnations by Arab and Islamic countries, which warned of the dangers of spreading such acts that offend religions and fuel hate speech and violence. Al-Sharq pointed to the Shura Council's astonishment over the silence of some western and European countries towards the persistent offence against the Islamic religion, under the pretext of freedom of expression, pointing out that such a double-dealing with the concept of freedom of expression, has allowed the recurrence of infringements upon Islam, causing the growth of Islamophobia phenomenon. It also deepened the gap between east and west. The Shura Council called on the Union of Councils of Member States of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), all parliaments of Islamic world and the Parliamentary, Islamic and Arab federations to take essential and serious steps to further adopt a unified Islamic stance to ensure non-infringement of sanctities and prevent the recurrence of such infringements, the paper said. For its part, Al-Raya newspaper stressed that the Qatari position on the far-right extremist's crime of burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an in Sweden is strong, affirming its complete rejection and denunciation of that heinous crime, which provokes the feelings of more than two billion Muslims globally. The paper asked, how can a country like Sweden allow an extremist to commit this condemned crime under freedom of expression? Where are the diplomatic norms that prohibit and criminalize insulting beliefs and religion? The Shura Council has denounced and condemned, in the strongest terms, this heinous crime, asserting that allowing such a blatant act provokes the emotions of two billion Muslims, and ignites hate speech and violence. Such an outrageous step contravenes the laws and charters of respect for the religious sanctities of nations, including human rights principles that underscore freedom of religion and protect sanctities and rituals, the paper noted. Sweden enabling this racist extremist to commit this crime requires a public apology by the Swedish government because burning a copy of the Holy Qur'an in front of the Turkish embassy is not intended to provoke Turkey but the feelings of two billion Muslims around the world. Al-Raya concluded, when did religions and religious symbols become a place of ridicule, attack on others, and political gain? The growing Islamophobia and its transition from a stage of beliefs to public incitement and deliberate provocation is a violation of human rights and calls for an international rally against racism and hatred against Muslims to find ways to enact international laws to combat this effect because the time has come for a pivotal and essential global role in confronting the manifestations of Islamophobia, rejecting terrorism and religious intolerance. Locally, the English-language newspaper The Peninsula noted Qatar's commitment to protecting the environment, especially marine life, and has constantly stressed its commitment to sustainability and climate-friendly practices, evident in the Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy. In its editorial titled "Wastewater Management," the newspaper stated that in Qatar and the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC), seawater is the most crucial source of water – 80 percent of the region’s total drinking water comes from desalination. However, desalination plants are energy intensive and create a potentially environment-harming waste called brine which is mostly dumped into the sea. During a scientific symposium on treating and managing rejected wastewater and salts from desalination plants, HE Minister of Environment and Climate Change Sheikh Dr. Faleh bin Nasser bin Ahmed bin Ali Al Thani emphasized that the Ministry is expanding research to find optimal solutions for the water that comes out of the desalination plants, extract the salts in them, and working to benefit from them, the paper highlighted. The Peninsula concluded that the research should involve all the GCC countries considering the Gulf is a semi-enclosed marginal sea. (QNA)