Tag: Minorities

Pakistan bishops call for new census

November 28, 2016 Pakistan Catholics, Corruption, Marriage, Minorities, Pakistan, Protestants

Pakistani bishops have called for a new population census to help give a more accurate count of religious minorities, says . The last population census was in 1998. Up-to-date figures will help the government assign the right proportion of public service jobs to minorities – a provision designed to help . . . Read More

Doctor has to leave Pakistan for treating Christian

August 4, 2016 Pakistan Islamic extremism, Minorities, Pakistan

A Muslim doctor in Pakistan who gave life-saving treatment to a Christian using medicine donated via zakaat (Islamic alms-giving) had to seek asylum in the US following death threats for his ‘misuse’ of the funds. The man whose life he saved arrived at the clinic seeking urgent dialysis, which the . . . Read More

India: bishop ‘shocked’ after Assam attack

June 27, 2016 India Assam, Bajrang Dal, Hindu nationalism, Hyderabad, India, Minorities, Mumbai, Narendra Modi, Uttar Pradesh

A bishop in the north-eastern Indian state of Assam has spoken of his “shock” after a local priest was attacked with a machete on 19 June. Bishop Michael Akasius Toppo of Tezpur it was “the first ever incident like this in our region”. (Assam is one of , linked to . . . Read More

Another Christian killed in Bangladesh

June 6, 2016 Bangladesh Bangladesh, Catholics, Converts, Islamic State, Minorities

A Christian grocer has been killed in Bangladesh, the latest in a string of violent attacks against minorities that have left more than 40 dead in the last three years. IS claimed responsibility for the murder through its Amaq news agency, according to US-based SITE monitoring, saying it was “part . . . Read More

Hindu nationalist training video goes viral

June 2, 2016 India Bajrang Dal, Beef, Hindu nationalism, India, Maharashtra, Minorities, Uttar Pradesh, Vishva Hindu Parishad

A video showing members of a Hindu nationalist group receiving firearms training has gone viral on social media in India. The video depicting Bajrang Dal members in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh has been criticised as “coercing young people towards violence and encouraging violence against minorities”, . Other videos . . . Read More

EU appoints first int’l religious freedom envoy

May 11, 2016 Europe, Jan Figel, Minorities, Pope Francis, Religious freedom

The European Union has appointed its first special envoy for religious freedom with a brief outside of the EU. Jan Figel, former leader of Slovakia’s Christian Democratic Movement and a former EU Education and Culture Commissioner, was appointed as by President Jean-Claude Juncker on 6 May. The President made the . . . Read More

Hate speech fuels violence vs. Turkish non-Muslims

April 22, 2016 Turkey Armenians, Churches, Islamic extremism, Islamic State, Kurds, Minorities, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Religious freedom, Sunni, Turkey

A new report analysing freedom of religion or belief in Turkey faults both strong nationalism and the Erdogan government’s public endorsement of a Sunni Muslim identity for rising levels of hate speech against the nation’s religious minorities. According to studies cited in the April report by Christian Solidarity Worldwide, “religious . . . Read More

Ethnic affairs ministry ‘vital’ to Myanmar

March 22, 2016 Myanmar Kachin, Karen, Minorities, Myanmar

Myanmar’s new President-elect says the appointment of a new ethnic affairs ministry is “vital” for the country’s future. In his first public address, Htin Kyaw said the ministry would be central to Myanmar’s “peace, development and sustainability”. Myanmar is made up of eight major ethnic groups, who all hoped for . . . Read More

Uncertain future for Canada religious freedom post

February 17, 2016 Andrew Bennett, Canada, Europe, Human rights, Islamic State, Lord Alton, Minorities, Religious freedom, UK

Canada’s ambassador for religious freedom has had his contract extended for another month, but the post may still be abolished. Andrew Bennett became Canada’s first ambassador for religious freedom when he was appointed three years ago, but Canada’s new Foreign Affairs Minister, Stéphane Dion, said religious freedom should not be . . . Read More

Myanmar’s new Speaker represents ethnic minorities

February 10, 2016 Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi, Baptists, Kachin, Karen, Minorities, Myanmar

An ethnic Karen Christian has been selected as Speaker, a senior job in Myanmar’s Upper House that is seen as a reconciliation effort towards the country’s ethnic minorities, . Mahn Win Khaing Than was appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, which swept to power in Myanmar’s first . . . Read More

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