Norway to distribute 10,000 Qurans to fight racism

STOCKHOLM

Norway's Muslim associations announced Thursday they would distribute 10,000 Qurans with Norwegian translations in an effort to fight racism and hate.

It will be a collaboration with the Islam Literature Association and the Minhaj-ul-Quran mosque, the Norwegian Muslim Arts and Culture Association reported.

The decision came after an extreme right-wing group tried to burn a copy of the Muslim holy book during a protest in Kristiansand, a city populated with migrants.

Stop the Islamization of Norway (SION) members were prevented from the desecrating by police, however, the group’s leader threw the Quran in the garbage.

Turkey, Pakistan, Iran reacted strongly to the Nov. 16 incident by issuing their formal condemnations.

"We want to respond to negative actions by spreading love and knowledge as taught by the Holy Quran," said Muslim Arts and Culture Association in a statement that indicated the Qurans would be handed out via the Internet.

Turkey's Ambassador to Oslo Fazli Corman told Anadolu Agency his office closely follows developments that concern the welfare of Norway’s Muslim community.

Corman said just before the incident in Kristiansand, Justice and Immigration Minister Joran Kallmyr said the burning of the Quran is considered freedom of speech and told the police not to ban any burning of the Quran.

After receiving reactions from the Muslim community, Kallmyr held a meeting with the Islam Council of Norway.

"Minister Kallmyr, who met with representatives of the Islamic Council yesterday, said that Norway has distanced itself from the anti-Islamic organization and said it does not provide any support to this organization," Corman said.

Kallmyr said that the Norwegian Muslim community's safety is as important as the Norwegian citizens.

*Writing by Dilara Hamit in Ankara