Articles – Page 39

Dagestan: Islamic schools prospering

By Nina Agayeva - IWPR, 23 May 2003

Repelled by the corruption of state colleges, many young Dagestanis are turning to Islamic higher education.

Nina Agayeva is a reporter for the Makhachkalinskie Novosti newspaper in Dagestan.

This article was originally published by the IWPR (Institute for War Peace Reporting), London, in the Caucasus Reporting Service (CRS No. 180, 22 May 2003). The Institute for War & Peace Reporting strengthens local journalism in areas of conflict. Religioscope has been allowed by the IWPR to repost its articles.
Website: http://www.iwpr.net/

India: imbroglio over Sikh women’s religious rights continues

By Arup Chanda - Indo-Asian News Service , 22 May 2003

Sikh women seem to be no closer to performing religious rituals in gurdwaras, to go by depositions made before the body that controls the shrines across the country.

Uzbekistan: total state control over Islamic faith

By Igor Rotar - Forum 18 News Service, 20 May 2003

After a major investigation, Forum 18 News Service established that the Muslim clergy is almost completely under the control of the Uzbek authorities, while the leadership of the muftiate’s spiritual administration is virtually an agency of state authority. Imams do not have the right to compose the Friday addresses themselves, but are obliged to read out texts approved by the muftiate. Ironically, Islam is the faith in Uzbekistan that is most thoroughly controlled by the authorities.

Forum 18 News Service (F18News, Oslo, Norway) is a Christian initiative which is independent of any one church or religious group. Its independence is safeguarded by a board whose members are Protestant, Orthodox and Catholic Christians. F18News is objective, presenting news in a deliberately calm and balanced fashion, and presenting all sides of a situation. The overriding editorial objective of F18News is to as accurately as possible present the truth of a situation, both implicitly and explicitly.

Website: http://www.forum18.org/index.php

India: Hindu groups demand ban on conversions in Bihar

By Imran Khan - Indo-Asian News Service, 19 May 2003

Alarmed by missionary activities and the reported mass conversion of Dalits to Christianity in Bihar, some rightwing Hindu groups have demanded a ban on conversions. They have also warned the missionaries to stop their conversion programme or face the consequences.

Kosovo: no protection in capital for attacked Orthodox Church

By Branko Bjelajac - Forum 18 News Service, 13 May 2003

Despite repeated requests for protection, including requests made personally two weeks ago to the KFOR commander, adequate protection for a Serbian Orthodox Church and its priest in Kosovo’s capital Pristina has not been provided since the removal of KFOR guards at the end of 2002. Attacks have become frequent.

Website: http://www.forum18.org/index.php

India: Haryana’s Dalits converting to Buddhism

By Arup Chanda - Indo-Asian News Service , 13 May 2003

A large number of Dalits, who form the lowest rung of Hinduism’s social ladder, are embracing Buddhism across Haryana in protest against their “oppression” by upper caste Hindus.

Pakistan: huge increase in madrassas

By Indo-Asian News Service, 5 May 2003

Religious seminaries, or madrassas, in Pakistan have seen the largest growth since the country’s independence to touch 27 times their 1947 total, according to an interior ministry report.

Latvia: registration “refuseniks” to challenge “discriminatory” law

By Felix Corley - Forum 18 News Service, 30 April 2003

The two churches refused registration as an association under Latvia’s religion law – the Confessional Lutheran Church and the Autonomous True Orthodox Church – are preparing protests against the article of the religion law that does not allow more than one association of any one denomination to register.

Website: http://www.forum18.org/index.php

Iraq: the Shia challenge to the United States

By Patrick Searle, Al-Hayat/Globalvision News, 28 April 2003

It seems inevitable that the U.S. and the Shias of Iraq must soon find themselves locked in a struggle for power. This is because the Shias – some 60 percent of the population – are the only indigenous force able to challenge the American military presence and, conversely, because the U.S. army in Iraq is the only force able to prevent a Shiite seizure of power.

Globalvision News Network

Central Asia: only limited censorship of religious websites

By Igor Rotar - Forum 18 News Service, 22 April 2003

Despite authoritarian rule, high levels of censorship of the local media and periodic barring of access to foreign-based political opposition websites, Central Asia’s governments have so far only enacted limited censorship over access to religious websites based outside the region.

Website: http://www.forum18.org/index.php

Dagestan: Islamic schools prospering

India: imbroglio over Sikh women’s religious rights continues

Uzbekistan: total state control over Islamic faith

India: Hindu groups demand ban on conversions in Bihar

Kosovo: no protection in capital for attacked Orthodox Church

India: Haryana’s Dalits converting to Buddhism

Pakistan: huge increase in madrassas

Latvia: registration “refuseniks” to challenge “discriminatory” law

Iraq: the Shia challenge to the United States

Central Asia: only limited censorship of religious websites

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