IRFN (June 20-24): China Approves Distribution of Bibles at Olympics

 

 

 

Feature:  Muslim countries have won a concession to prevent Islam from being criticized during debates at UN Human Rights Council.  Doru-RomulusCostea, the Council President, told journalists in Geneva that only religious scholars should be allowed to discuss matters of faith.  AP has more.  The High Commissioner on Human Rights Louise Arbour criticized the Council’s censorship and expressed concern over “taboos” at the Human Rights Council, reports Reuters.

 

HANOI - A three member Vatican delegation to Vietnam welcomed the improved relations between Vietnamese Catholics and the state, Reuters reported on June 20.  More Vietnamese persons are joining Catholic Seminaries, and there has been increased flexibility in the nomination of bishops.   Currently government officials vet nominees; however, the Vatican would like to maintain its traditional right to appoint Church leaders.  Religious practice in Vietnam is kept under state supervision.  A foreign ministry statement said: "Both sides also informed each other of the establishment of a joint expert working group to promote building a roadmap for the development of Vietnam-Vatican relations."    

 

 

BEIJING - For the first time in Communist China, the government will allow the distribution of Bibles outside of registered shops, The Times reported on June 20.  “A British-based Christian charity has confirmed that 50,000 special bilingual booklets containing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John will be made available in the Athletes' Village in Beijing and five other Olympic cities.”  The books will have the official stamp of the Beijing Olympic organizing committee (Bocog) on their covers.  Other religious literature, such as the teachings of the Dalai Lama, is still banned in China. 

 

 

MINSK - Alexander Lukashenko,Belarus’ authoritarian president, has extended an invitation to Pope Benedict XVI to visit Belarus and approved the idea of a concordant between Belarus andthe Holy See, AP reported on June 22.  Lukashenko met with the Vatican’s No. 2 official, Tarcisio Bertone on Friday.  The former Soviet republic has some of the most repressive laws on religion in Europe.

 

 

ALGIERS – The government is attempting to restructure the nation’s education system in an attempt to avoid the religious radicalization of its students, the New York Times reported on June 23.  Officials and education experts say, “The schools are moving from rote learning — which was always linked to memorizing the Koran — to critical thinking, where teachers ask students to research subjects and think about concepts.”  When Algeria expelled the French in 1963, the government made a concerted effort to create a national identity free from western influences.  Arabic replaced French as the language of education, and Islamic education was mandatory.  The new curriculum will combat religious extremism and equip students with skills that will help them find jobs in a country with a soaring unemployment rate.

 

 

USHACHI – A court has handed down the highest known fine for religious activity to Vladimir Burshtyn, a Baptist who had organized a choir and public discussion on religion at the Ushachi market, Forum 18 reported on June 23.  The fine was for 700,000 Belarusian Roubles ($329 US dollars), which is equivalent to two months salary.  A plain clothes policeman informed Burshtyn that the Baptists should stop as they did not have permission from Ushachi District Executive Committee.  Burshtyn replied that the group was not disturbing public order and cited religious freedom guarantees in Belarus' 1994 Constitution (Article 31) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 18).  Religious activity without official approval is often punished with large fines.

 

SRINAGAR – Two civilians were injured, and one died in the hospitalon Monday, when police fired into a group of protesters who were demonstrating against the recent transfer of 40 acres of land for the annual use of a Hindu pilgrimage, BBC reported on June 24.  The land given to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board is intended as the building site for pre-fabricated huts and toilets for the pilgrims.  Local politicians have protested the land transfer, claiming that it is a means by which the government will increase the Hindu population of Srinagar and reduce the Muslim population.  The hardline and the moderate factions of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) intend to carry out a joint campaign against the land transfer. However, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has threatened to block supplies of essential commodities to the valley of Kashmir if they do so.