Charlie Hebdo's satirical cartoon mocking the Turkey-Syria earthquake sparks indignation

Like many other Western nations, France is witnessing a surge in Islamophobia. The fear generated by negative stereotypes is one of the primary causes of prejudice and social marginalisation among Muslims. The history of colonialism endures in modern French culture, where many French still believe Muslims' lives are not worth living. This cultural racism has caused magazine editors, like those at the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, to allow themselves to print insulting cartoons against Muslims.

A few days ago, a horrific earthquake struck huge parts of Turkey and Syria, inflicting thousands of fatalities, tens of thousands of injuries, and the disappearance of countless others. Instead of expressing sympathy, the editors of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo mocked the suffering of the Turkish victims by publishing a derogatory cartoon depicting the destruction caused by the earthquake in Turkey, writing, "You do not even need to send in tanks."

By ridiculing the victims of the recent catastrophes in Turkey and Syria, Charlie Hebdo contributed to the pervasive Islamophobia in France and the West in general. The Charlie Hebdo cartoonists revel in the devastation inflicted on a Muslim country. In France, journalists with no ethical principles who foment social animosity are lauded as champions of free speech. In fact, Charlie Hebdo's publication of the offensive cartoons only exacerbates social tensions in France.

The West's backing for such aggressive actions is not surprising, as they act as though natural calamities would exclusively affect Islamic countries. Although, according to all international norms, during natural calamities, all members of humanitarian relief organisations, from the World Red Cross and the Red Crescent to those affiliated with the United Nations, should hurry to assist, many Western politicians have not even bothered to call the presidents of the nations hit by the earthquake to offer their condolences.

By: M. Sharifi