September 27, 2006

Merkel warns against bowing to fear of Muslim violence

By Madeline Chambers

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned on Wednesday against bowing to fears of Islamic violence after a Berlin opera house cancelled performances of a Mozart work because of concerns some scenes could enrage Muslims.

"We must take care that we do not retreat out of a fear of potentially violent radicals," Merkel was quoted as saying in Hanover's Neue Presse newspaper. "Self-censorship out of fear is not tolerable."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is seen in this September 22, 2006 file photo during a news conference Lathen. Merkel warned on Wednesday against bowing to fears of Islamic violence after a Berlin opera house cancelled performances of a Mozart work because of concerns some scenes could enrage Muslims. (REUTERS/Dennis Hicken)

Merkel's comments, which echoed those of other senior German politicians, fuelled a row over the cancellation of Mozart's "Idomeneo" which is overshadowing a government-sponsored conference on Wednesday to promote dialogue with the country's 3.2 million Muslims.

Berlin's Deutsche Oper said on Monday it had cancelled performances of the opera, which shows the severed heads of the Prophet Mohammad, Buddha, Jesus and Poseidon, after police warnings that it could pose a "incalculable" security risk.

The row comes two weeks after Pope Benedict enraged some Muslims by quoting from a medieval text linking the spread of the Islamic faith to violence.

Last year's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad in a Danish newspaper triggered violent Muslim protests.

The government's integration commissioner told broadcaster ZDF the opera controversy would feature at the conference.

"We must together stand up against intolerance and violence, that is the point of such a conference," said Maria Boehmer.

The meeting aims to tackle issues such as equal rights, the building of mosques, Islam lessons and imam training.

Integration has become a priority for the government as concern grows about the emergence of an underclass of disillusioned young Muslims, mainly Turks, in Germany and about fears of Islamic radicalisation across Europe.

A recent outbreak of violence at a Berlin school where the bulk of pupils are immigrant children and last year's "honour killing" of a Turkish woman have highlighted the challenges faced by the government and Muslim communities.

Muslim groups are participating in the conference but some say it lacks a clear goal and has an inappropriate guest list.

Germany brought over unskilled labourers from Turkey after World War Two to help drive its economic boom. There are now about 1.8 million Turks in the country.

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