Charlie, Dialogue, and Rosnida

Latuff, 2015 - Altagreer.com

This week from Paris, we learned that a pen is really much stronger than a gun. A barbaric attack at the office of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo has left 9 cartoonists, 1 editor-in-chief, and 2 policemen (one of them, Ahmed, is a muslim) dead. Two attackers, Kouachi brothers which hijacked Islam in their brutal shooting, have been killed yesterday, AFP reported. While Al-Qaeda in Yemen declared that they are responsible for the attack.

This attack was surprisingly occured in a very bad timing. Not more than a month since another psychopath Man Haron Monis attacked Cafe Lindt in Sydney. Haron also hijacked Islam in his shameful act. 

These attacks by Monis and Kouachis, understandably, have added another prejudice that have to be faced by another 1.6 billions muslims around the world. If muslims face stigma doubled to them, just blame Monis, and now Kouachis! 

While Sydney citizens suddenly felt they have to protect muslims in Sydney by making #IllRideWithYou, there is no (yet?) solidarity campaign for muslims in Paris. Well, netizens made #JeSuisCharlie and #APenforParis for supporting the victims, the media, and the citizens, but still made nothing for muslims as a community. 

After the suspects killed, now the main question is will muslims be safe in Paris? Sadly, at least two mosques in Le Mans and Port-la-Nouvelle have been attacked in last two days.

Okay, I will say it bold, I don’t like Charlie Hebdo. This left-wing media has mocked not only Muhammad, but also Roman Catholic Church–all religious authorities in general, and even their President François Hollande. Just Google "Charlie Hebdo" on images section, and you will know the why. The editors know what they are doing. 

Hate speech? No. French court has decided so. But let alone the court’s decision, to me, mostly of Charlie’s publications are against the Charter of Compassion. To me, they do hate speech obviously, and made every attempt to dialogue even harder. No wonder Charlie Hebdo has cultivated protests from many communities.

But killing the cartoonists–by any name, even religion or God’s name–is killing! And killing hurts our common humanity. Shooting them dead is not the answer for muslims’ disappointment. Just like a boomerang. It grows hatred even more. It won’t be surprising if Charlie Hebdo (with the rest cartoonists) mock muslims again in their cover next week.

If you do not like Charlie Hebdo’s publication, prove them wrong. Do not like their cartoons? Grab your pen–not your gun–and fight back with another cartoons! I pretty believe using stationary as our weapon will lead us to dialogue. A progressive conversation that includes brain and excludes blood. It will strengthen our bridge of understanding between Muslims and the West.

But what happened in Aceh last week has proved dialogue is never be easy. Rosnida Sari, a lecturer from UIN Ar-Raniry has suspended from teaching after inviting her students to do dialogue in a church. She was intimidated by Acehnese clerics and fellow university lecturer, then bullied on social media.

If a satire was resulted on killing, while an attempt to build understanding was misunderstood, what can we do for now?***


Writer, a journalist of Kantor Berita Radio 68H