TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi urged the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to condemn Quran-burning incidents in Sweden and Denmark. The minister relayed the message while attending virtually the Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers on Monday, July 31, 2023. The meeting was requested by Saudi Arabia, the 14th OIC Chairman, and the Iraq Republic as a response to the OIC executive committee statement on July 2, 2023, discussing the burning incidents.

Foreign Ministry said that Retno has communicated directly with Denmark's Foreign Minister to express concerns regarding the Quran burning. Meanwhile in Jakarta, Foreign Ministry has summoned Sweden's Ambassador. "Freedom of speech shall not injure the feelings of people who honor the Holy Book," said ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah when met in Jakarta, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

A number of protests showing Quran burnings and desecration occurred in Sweden and Denmark in the last few weeks, inviting outcries from Muslim communities around the world. Sweden's Embassy in Baghdad was attacked and burned last week.

Recently, Denmark and Sweden allow Quran burnings under their freedom of speech laws. Tempo has not been able to reach both countries' embassies in Jakarta for confirmation.

Sweden Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Sunday that he already talked with Denmark Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, agreeing that the current situation is dangerous. "We need to take measures to strengthen our national security," he said. The Swedish Government said this month that it will examine the possibility of Public Order Law reform to ban the protests in Sweden.

Meanwhile, Denmark Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said in a public broadcaster on Sunday that it will find legal means to enable authorities to prevent the burning of copies of the Quran in front of other countries' embassies in Denmark.

OIC on Monday expressed "regrets" against Sweden and Denmark's response toward a series of Quran-burning in the countries, setting off outrages in the Middle East.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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