Author: Priya Saha

Distinguished Professor Ali Riaz has been quoted in a report in The Economist on the recent crackdown on an Islamist group in Bangladesh. In recent weeks, the Bangladesh government has arrested several leaders and activists of the Hefazat-i- Islam (HI), a conservative Islamist group. This came after the group organized demonstrations against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March. Some of these demonstrations became violent, and at least 16 people died. The government previously had a warm relationship with the HI. Riaz said that indulging Hefazat has allowed the (incumbent Awami) League to signal that “we’re against Jamaat…

India on Friday invited non-Muslims like Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists belonging to Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan and residing in 13 districts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Punjab to apply for Indian citizenship. According to a report of Hindustan Times, the Union home ministry issued a notification in this effect for immediate implementation of the order under the Citizenship Act 1955 and Rules framed under the law in 2009 even though the rules under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) enacted in 2019 are yet to be framed by the government. “In exercise of powers conferred under Section 16 of…

05/28/2021 China (International Christian Concern) – Two high-level institutions in the US government recently highlighted certain religious freedom issues in China and called for an end to the government-led persecution there. The Department of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)—both created by the IRF Act of 1998—were united in their criticism of the Chinese government’s campaign against religion. As it has since its first year of operation in 1999, State designated China as a Country of Particular Concern for “having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” Along with…

In Kigali, French President Emmanuel Macron asked Rwandans for “forgiveness” for France’s role in the 1994 killings. The story so far: French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday asked for forgiveness for his country’s role in the 1994 Rwandan massacre in which about 800,000 people, mostly ethnic Tutsis, were killed. Speaking at the genocide memorial in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, Mr. Macron said France chose “silence over examination of the truth” for too long, but stopped short of issuing an apology, saying France had not been an accomplice in the genocide.What was France’s role in the killings?France, which enjoyed close ties with…

Research carried out by think tanks the Runnymede Trust and CLASS showed that housing became less affordable in these areas during this time as middle-classes buyers snapped up property. Meanwhile, Havering, Bexley and Bromley were the London boroughs to least be affected by gentrification in the past decade“Gentrification is broadly defined as a process in which poor neighbourhoods are transformed by the entrance of middle-class occupants who trigger a ‘socioeconomic uplift’ in the surrounding area,” the report said.However, the phenomenon led to the displacement of working class residents as well as black and ethnic minorities in the capital in the…

ReportFirst points for Sri Lanka in ODI Super League; Bangladesh take series 2-1Sri Lanka 286 for 6 (Perera 120, de Silva 55*, Taskin 4-46) beat Bangladesh 189 (Mahmudullah 53, Mosaddek 51, Chameera 5-16) by 97 runsDushmantha Chameera’s maiden five-wicket haul complemented his captain Kusal Perera’s sixth ODI hundred as Sri Lanka finished their Bangladesh tour with a 97-run win in the third ODI. It is Sri Lanka’s first points in the ICC ODI Super League; also a much-needed win for the new-look side even though Bangladesh took the series 2-1.After Perera’s 120 hauled Sri Lanka to 286 for 6 in…

LAHORE: Punjab Governor Ch Sarwar has said Pakistan is the safest country in the world for minorities while massacre of minorities are taking place in India, sanctioned by the Modi government. The governor said this while talking to a Sikhs delegation in the US. India is still not accepting the Kartarpur Corridor project, adding that people of different religions are living in harmony in Pakistan and practicing their rights with freedom.International organisations including the United States should take note of Indian atrocities so that minorities in India can have protection and religious freedom.He said all minorities in Pakistan including Christians,…

UN General Assembly President Volkan Bozkir has expressed their determination to ensure a better future for the Rohingyas, a persecuted minority of Myanmar. “I assure you, the United Nations General Assembly is determined to ensure a better future for the Rohinga people,” he said after his visit to the camps in Cox’s Bazar where nearly a million Myanmar nationals took shelter after fleeing persecution in Rakhine State. For all latest news, follow The Daily Star’s Google News channel. Rohingyas have been taking refuge in Bangladesh since 1980s. Most of the refugees in Bangladesh fled military crackdown in Rakhine in 2017,…

Based on cases handled by emergency medical services, the number of people in the U.S. who died due to drug overdoses was 42% higher in 2020 than the average number of overdose deaths in 2018 and 2019. According to a study by researchers from UCLA, Northeastern University and the University of Utah, the largest increases were among Black Americans (50.3%) and Latinos (49.7%). Spikes were also most pronounced in low-income neighborhoods (46.4%) and in the five states — Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington — that border the Pacific Ocean (63.8%). Public health authorities had expected a sharp increase in…

Johnnie Moore called China’s recent decision to bar him from entering the country a “publicity stunt” and a sign that Americans’ continued advocacy on behalf of religious minorities is having an effect. After concluding his second term serving on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) earlier this month, the evangelical leader was sanctioned by the Chinese government Wednesday for his outspoken criticism toward what he deemed “the world’s foremost violator of human rights and religious freedom.” USCIRF’s annual report, released in April, condemned China’s religious freedom violations and designated the country’s abuse of the Uighur Muslim population as…

Security researchers have discovered a new Chinese phishing campaign targeting the ethnic minority Uyghur group with emails impersonating the United Nations and others. Check Point and Kaspersky teamed up to lift the lid on the attacks, which spoof not only the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) but also a fake human rights organization called TCAHF, targeting Uyghurs applying for grants. As well as emailed documents from the ‘UNHRC’ designed to trick individuals into installing a Windows backdoor, the researchers discovered a phishing website branded with the details of the fake human rights organization. This aims to convince victims into downloading…

Philo. Will the municipality and the county finance the religious education of Seventh-day Adventists? Both Wieluń poviat and Wieluń councilors will focus on organizing religion lessons at the point of extracurricular catechesis during upcoming sessions. It is about a class that Adventists will attend. A request for such an event was made by the pastor of the church in Vielo. Philo. Will the municipality and the county finance the religious education of Seventh-day Adventists? It is the responsibility of the councilors of Wieluń poviat and Wieluń to create an extracurricular educational point for the Adventist Church in the city. Consultants…