SANGAT strongly condemns the willfully provocative, destructive and unethical film

We, the Members of SANGAT, a South Asian Women’s network, strongly condemn the willfully provocative, destructive and unethical film, ‘The Innocence of Muslims’. We are also extremely disturbed by the spiral of senseless violence that followed in its wake, engulfing large parts of the world, taking many innocent lives and creating a deep sense of insecurity for communities across all religions.

As feminists we believe in peace, pluralism, tolerance of and respect for others’ faiths and sensitivities. We believe in a world where all people have equal right to life and dignity. We also believe that there is no place in society for any actions and words that pit community against community. The deliberate provocation of this kind and the extreme counter violence that we saw in recent weeks constitute a crime against humanity.

Governments have the responsibility to act with urgency to prevent acts of this kind and secure the lives of its citizens. Failure to act decisively would only mean playing into the hands of those behind these malevolent strategies that create social divisions and violent upheavals at a mass level. It threatens the stability of states and communities and undermines democracy.

We call upon states, civil society and the public, to understand the nature of the divisive forces that confront us today and come together to build a more harmonious and peaceful world.


September 2012, 
Dhulikhel, Nepal.