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courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06MAPUTO228, MOZAMBICAN NEWSPAPERS' REPRINTING OF DANISH

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06MAPUTO228 2006-02-22 15:59 2011-08-26 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Maputo
VZCZCXRO5342
PP RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR
DE RUEHTO #0228 0531559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221559Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY MAPUTO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5018
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
UNCLAS MAPUTO 000228 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S - HTREGER 
DS/IP/AF 
AF/EX 
AF/PD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PHUM ASEC PREL MZ
SUBJECT: MOZAMBICAN NEWSPAPERS' REPRINTING OF DANISH 
CARTOONS PROVOKES MUSLIM PROTEST 
 
REF: MAPUTO 177 
 
1. On Friday, February 17, the Mozambican independent weekly 
newspaper "Savana" reprinted eight of the 12 Danish cartoons 
that have sparked world furor.  This provoked a demonstration 
outside the paper's Maputo office that afternoon, involving 
approximately 120 Muslims.  For the past several weeks Muslim 
leaders have been urging their followers not to resort to 
violence, but some of the protesters did so - breaking flower 
planters and destroying a guard booth on the street.  Muslim 
leaders managed to have the demonstrators disburse. 
 
2. Government spokesperson Luis Covane, speaking on February 
19, characterized the publication of the cartoons by Savanna 
as "unreasonable," given worldwide Muslim sensitivity to the 
issue.  He underscored, however, the government's secular 
principles, as well as its commitment to religious freedom. 
Covane urged the Muslim community to behave in a way that 
would promote national stability and unity. 
 
3. On February 19 Savana editor-in-chief Fernando Conclaves 
appeared on evening television and read a short apology.  He 
insisted that no offense was intended in the reprinting of 
the cartoons, but that the decision was made to show 
Mozambicans what exactly had caused the global uproar. 
(Note: Some observers cynically believe that Savana made a 
calculated decision based on simple economics - the paper has 
been losing money for some time, and this would have been a 
way to sell more copy.  Others maintain that Savana may have 
thought it would not be viewed as anti-Muslim since one of 
its featured columnists is Islamic theologian and Islamic 
Council leader Sheik Aminuddin Mohamed.) 
 
4. According to the press, the Muslim community is now 
organizing a general boycott of Savana and calling for 
another demonstration outside the newspapers' office on 
Saturday, February 25. 
La Lime