Danish video flare-up

Apropos of the Agence France Presse report “Mohammed video in Denmark irks Muslims” (THT, Oct. 9), this unfortunate case is now up in the media in different places of the world.

Clarifying on the issue, Danish PM Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in a statement on Oct. 8, said that he strongly condemns the contents of the video shot by members of the youth wing of Danish Peoples’ Party. He also clarified that this tasteless behaviour does not represent the views of the Danish people or the way young Danes view Muslims. He was quoted as saying that he had noted with great satisfaction the strong condemnation of video clips by the youth wings of other political parties, including the Liberal Party.

I wish to add that the private video clips produced during a summer camp of the Danish People’s Party’s Youth Organisation show people acting in a deeply reprehensible manner. Some of the clips had been uploaded to the video-sharing website “YouTube.” All other major political youth organisations in Denmark, including organisations representing the two parties in government, have already distanced themselves from, and strongly condemned, this inappropriate behaviour. The chairman of the culpable youth organisation and the chairman of the political party it is affiliated to have also distanced themselves from the conduct seen in the video clips. No doubt, therefore, that such behaviour is strongly opposed in Denmark. The clips have now been removed from the websites hosted by “YouTube” and “Defending Denmark” and the related story from “Nyhedsavisen’s” website.

The clips were produced by the artist group “Defending Denmark”.

According to its website: “Defending Denmark joined the youth faction of the Danish People’s Party in 2005 to document the party’s extreme right wing associations”. According to the same website, the videos were uploaded between Oct. 5 and 9. Freedom of expression is crucial to all of us but so is respect for other people’s religion.

Finn Thilsted, Danish Ambassador to Nepal

Corruption

While leaders are busy discussing the prospects of a new Nepal following the success of Jana Andolan II, there has been no significant improvement in lawlessness and corruption. Major

political issues may be settled through the peace talks, but as long as there is corruption, money power will play a decisive role in politics, thereby sowing the seeds of future conflicts.

Hence one of the most important tasks of the future interim government should be to appoint a strong person of integrity as the head of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The public should also be asked to contribute by reporting the cases of corruption and financial irregularities to the CIAA. One of the main slogans of the April

revolution was against corruption.

Ramesh B Shrestha, Lalitpur

Snail’s pace

The summit talks between the Maoists and the SPA are progressing at a snail’s pace, thanks to the PM’s insistence on certain issues. He should understand that the basis of any negotiation is give-and-take. If Koirala doesn’t mend his ways soon, another revolution might erupt to oust him.

G Chapagain, via e-mail