Day: April 30, 2010

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Report on Religious Freedom

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Eleventh Annual Report on Religious Freedom in the World Released
— recommending “13 nations–Burma, China, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam–be named ‘countries of particular concern,’ or CPCs.”
— Watch List Nations: Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Laos, Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Venezuela
— USCIRF concerned about religious based violence and breakdown in justice – known as impunity
— “USCIRF has seen the effects of impunity firsthand—particularly on vulnerable minority religious groups—during fact-finding trips to Egypt, Nigeria, and Sudan. USCIRF also has monitored the state’s failure to punish private, religiously-motivated violence in Afghanistan, Eritrea, India, Iran, Iraq, and Pakistan.”
— Press Release

— Adobe PDF of report

uscirf

Pakistan, 12 others named violators of religious freedom

Egypt: US religious freedoms report finds support among local activists

Nigeria among worst violators of freedom

In American foreign policy, why religious freedom matters

Religious persecution is widespread, report warns

Religious Freedom Group Sees Rise In Persecution

West Bank: “Two Palestinian cars torched, scrawled with ‘price tag’ graffiti”

West Bank: “Two Palestinian cars torched, scrawled with ‘price tag’ graffiti”
— Haaretz reports: “Two vehicles in a Palestinian village in the northern West Bank were torched early Friday. The vandals, who have not yet been located, scrawled the words ‘price tag’ on one of the cars.”
— “The incident was apparently carried out by settlers, who have taken on the phrase price tag as part of their protest against Israel’s temporary construction freeze in the West Bank.”
— “A similar incident was carried out on Wednesday morning, when unknown vandals sprayed a Star of David with the name Mohammed beside it on a mosque in the West Bank village of Hawara.”
— “The words ‘Thank you God, for not making me a Gentile’ were spray-painted elsewhere in the village and two cars were torched in another location. No suspects have yet been caught.”

More West Bank Arson - Haaretz: "Palestinian cars torched in northern West Bank." (Photo: Gil Eliyahu)
More West Bank Arson - Haaretz: "Palestinian cars torched in northern West Bank." (Photo: Gil Eliyahu)

Attack on Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque — Israel Army Condemns Mosque Vandalism

West Bank: “Israeli settlers burn Palestinian vehicle, smash others near Nablus”

Canada: Vandals deface sign of future mosque, Muslim center

Vandals deface sign of future mosque, Muslim center
— CTV Ottawa reports:
— “Ottawa’s Muslim community is expressing concern after a sign marking the future location of a mosque and Muslim community centre in Barrhaven was defaced.”
— “The organization says several similar instances of hate have been reported at mosques in Hamilton, Calgary and Waterloo in the last four months. A mosque in Pickering was spray-painted earlier this week.”
— “Ottawa’s Muslim community says although the vandalism has them concerned, they believe the vandals’ sentiment is not widespread.”
— “The red and black graffiti was discovered by residents in the area early Friday morning. It has since been removed. Ottawa police are investigating.”
— “The latest statistics show there were 785 hate crimes committed in 2007.”
— “Jewish people are listed as the most frequent targets, accounting for 16 per cent of hate crime victims. Muslims are targeted about four per cent of the time.”

Canadian CTV: "Offensive words were spray painted on this sign located at the site of a future mosque and Muslim community centre in Barrhaven. The graffiti was discovered Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)
Canadian CTV: "Offensive words were spray painted on this sign located at the site of a future mosque and Muslim community centre in Barrhaven. The graffiti was discovered Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)
Canada's CTV: "Local residents discovered vulgar words on this sign on Woodroffe Avenue, marking the future site of a mosque and Muslim community centre, Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)
Canada's CTV: "Local residents discovered vulgar words on this sign on Woodroffe Avenue, marking the future site of a mosque and Muslim community centre, Friday, April 30, 2010." (Photo: CTV)

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Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) supports our unqualified, universal human rights for all.  We urge those who promote hate to release the burden of the hate from their hearts, and to rejoin the family of humanity in support of our unqualified, universal human rights.

Choose love, not hate.  Love Wins.

British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD) — “Think global act local: A study of the political choices of British Muslim students”

British Muslims for Secular Democracy (BMSD)  (Adobe Acrobat PDF) — “Think global act local: A study of the political choices of British Muslim students”
— BMSD release pilot study on the political participation of British Muslim students

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BMSD Logo