Prophet cartoons boycotts costing Denmark millions
Muslim boycotts of Danish goods over the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad are costing Denmark’s companies millions and have raised fears of irreparable damage to trade ties.
From Havarti cheese to Lego, Danish products have been yanked off the shelves of stores in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and other countries around the Middle East as Muslims await an apology for the cartoons, which the Copenhagen government has said it cannot give.
The boycotts began in Saudi Arabia on January 26 when supermarkets either put up signs saying to stop buying Danish goods or removed products from shelves. Since then it has spread to other Muslim nations, and even to Western stores doing business there.
A supermarket in Cairo run by France’s Carrefour has had signs, for example, saying that it is not offering Danish products “in solidarity with Muslims and Egyptians”.
Indonesia’s importers association on Wednesday began boycotting Danish goods, which it said made up $74m (€108m) in 2005, about 1% of the nation’s annual imports.
In Syria, banners on walls and storefronts all call for consumers to avoid Danish products.
“It’s a situation that causes a great concern from our members,” said Henriette Soltoft, director of international market policy for the Confederation of Danish Industries.
“There’s also the fear (for the future) … that the consumer will not remember exactly what happened, but they will remember the connection to Denmark,” she said, noting that the Middle East is seen as a growth area.
“Our good relations with these countries have been damaged but we don’t know yet to what extent – that we’ll see in the future and it will depend on how soon this crisis will be solved and how it will be solved.”
The drawings published by newspaper Jyllands-Posten in September have sparked protests, sometimes violent, in Muslim countries. Islam widely holds that representations of Muhammad are banned for fear they could lead to idolatry.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Manushehr Mottaki reiterated a common position yesterday, saying on a visit to Lebanon that “in order for the Danish government to mend its relations with the Islamic world and Muslim peoples, it should issue a formal apology”.
Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has repeatedly rejected such demands, saying the government cannot be held responsible for the actions of an independent newspaper. The paper itself has apologised for offending Muslims, but has stood by its decision to print the drawings, citing the freedom of speech.
EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has warned governments that if they are behind the boycotts that they could face action at the WTO if the EU proves they are involved. If the boycotts are purely consumer-driven, however, little can be done.
| Related Stories: |
|
