The Indonesia Post – A mosque in the Northeast City of Paris is now closed. In French the mosque is called Grande Mosquee de Pantin or the great mosque of Pantin. It looks like an airplane hangar with corrugated walls and a small window near the roof. The address is Rue Racine 48.
Outside there is an official notice. Dilaminated so as not to get wet when exposed to rain. The contents of his notification about the forced closure by the French government on allegations of involvement in the Islamic movement and also sharing social media videos targeting history teacher, Samuel Paty, who was killed. After he used the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo containing caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad Sholollohualaihiwassalam as a learning medium.
Apart from closing mosques, the BBC also said the French government had searched more than 120 houses. Disband an association accused of spreading Islamist rhetoric and targeting terrorist financing. The French government has also detained a number of parties suspected of involvement in the murder.
But that is not what makes the eyes of Islamic countries to look to France. It is President Emmanual Macron’s statement that he calls Islam a country in crisis. And stated that he would not attract the publication of a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad Sholollohualaihiwassalam.
Now a number of Islamic countries condemn this statement. Starting from the Turkish President who said Macron should have a mental check. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan who thinks Macron has attacked Islam. Then a number of Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and even Iran. Followed by the World Muslim League (MWL) and the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC). And last night, it was Indonesia’s turn to criticize. Even though the criticism was issued about four days after Macron’s confusing statement, yes … at least there is some firmness shown by Indonesia, which is the world’s majority Muslim.
I don’t know what happened to Macron. Why did he suddenly act strange and seem hostile to Islam. Yet during his tenure, Macron was careful to distinguish between security threats and secularism.
So far, Macron has avoided questions about the hijab, burkini swimwear, or halal food at school. So as not to get caught up in the debate between the right group (Keka) which is identical with obedience and the left group (keki) who are
Islamophobia.
Could it be because of the heat of the political climate ahead of the 2020 presidential election? Or is it because he doesn’t want to appear weak in the eyes of the right group (Keka), which looks more assertive about security?
“Macron and his government” overreacted “for political reasons; In particular, the presidential election is 2022. Macron is making the situation even hotter. He didn’t want to appear weak, compared to the [challengers of] the right and far right. His main goal is to be re-elected in 2022, [so] he needs to tackle the issue of the far right. And their theme, since the end of the 19th century, has been immigration and security, ”replied Laurent Mucchielli, a sociologist at the French National Center for Scientific Research.
Apart from Mucchielli, criticism also came from the French opposition party. French opposition leader Jean-Luc Melenchon was quoted by CNN Indonesia as condemning President Emmanuel Macron for his remarks deemed insulting Islam. Jean said Macron “completely lost control of the situation” in his dispute with Turkey over Islamophobia.
Regardless of Macron’s reasons, no one, let alone a president, discredit and insult a religion. Not only Islam but also other religions.
Now Macron and France are starting to feel the impact of his words. In addition to criticism and demonstrations such as those held in Syria, Yemen and Sudan, a number of countries also boycotted products from France. In Kuwait, some supermarket chains have started removing all French products from the shelves in protest. In Qatar, Alwajba Dairy Company and Almeera Consumer Goods Company said they would boycott French products and would provide alternatives. The same thing happened in Jordan, Palestine to Israel. Qatar University has also joined the boycott campaign.
Although a number of experts say the boycott will only have a small and temporary impact on the French economy, it is not impossible that other bad things will happen following the growing criticism from Islamic countries. (nfl)
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