SWISS MOVE TO BAN MINARETS

Source: BBC News

Members of the right-wing Swiss People's Party, currently the largest party in the Swiss parliament, have launched a campaign to have the building of minarets (the tower on top of a mosque) banned. They claim the minaret is not necessary for worship, but is rather a symbol of Islamic law, and as such incompatible with Switzerland's legal system. Signatures are now being collected to force a nationwide referendum on the issue which, under Switzerland's system of direct democracy, would be binding.

The move has shocked Switzerland's 350,000 Muslims, who have been campaigning for decades for more recognition for their faith. Switzerland is a secular state, whose constitution guarantees freedom of religious expression to all. In practice however mosques in Switzerland tend to be confined to disused warehouses and factories. Across the country, there are only two small minarets, one in Zurich and one in Geneva, neither of which are permitted to make the call to prayer.

In the small town of Langenthal, just outside Berne, plans to build a minaret have been put on ice following thousands of objections. Mutalip Karaademi, an ethnic Albanian who has lived in Switzerland for 26 years, was at first pleased when his proposal for a 5m-high (16.5ft) minaret was approved by the local authority. But following a vociferous campaign against the plans, including a petition with thousands of signatures, the cantonal government in Berne delayed the project indefinitely.

Supporters of a ban on minarets say they have no intention of preventing anyone from practising their faith. "We don't have anything against Muslims," said Oskar Freysinger, member of parliament for the Swiss People's Party. "But we don't want minarets. The minaret is a symbol of a political and aggressive Islam, it's a symbol of Islamic law. The minute you have minarets in Europe it means Islam will have taken over."

Mr Freysinger's words may sound extreme, even paranoid, but this is a general election year in Switzerland, and the campaign against minarets is playing well with voters. A recent opinion poll for one Swiss newspaper found that 43% of those surveyed were in favour of a ban on minarets. "We have our civil laws here," insisted Mr Freysinger. "Banning minarets would send a clear signal that our European laws, our Swiss laws, have to be accepted. And if you want to live here, you must accept them. If you don't, then go back to where you came from."

There are fears that the campaign against minarets will provoke growing resentment amongst Swiss Muslims, many of whom were born in Switzerland. "I think Swiss Muslims will be angry and bitter over this," said Reinhard Schulze, professor of Islamic Studies at Berne University. "And we know that anger and bitterness among a community can lead to radicalisation, even to militancy." The Swiss government is extremely nervous about the prospect of militancy among Swiss Muslims; three cabinet ministers have already spoken out against the campaign to ban minarets.

There is a fear that the debate will damage Switzerland's traditionally good relations with the Arab world. But the Swiss People's Party is powerful. If the minaret campaign is, as some suspect, a vote-grabbing ploy ahead of October's general election, then it is a successful one; the party is riding high in the opinion polls. A constitutional amendment forbidding minarets will have to be approved in a nationwide referendum. In the meantime, no minarets are being built anywhere in Switzerland.

EGYPT FACES RISING RISK OF MUSLIM/CHRISTIAN STRIFE

Source: Bloomberg News

Increasing violence between Egypt's Muslims and Coptic Christians is raising alarms that the sectarian hostility besetting Lebanon and Iraq may take root in the Middle East's most populous country.  Egypt's reputation for a live-and-let-live ethos is under assault following recent murders of Copts in Cairo, street fighting in cities including Alexandria and a pitched battle between Muslims and Coptic monks at an ancient desert monastery. "The divisions are deepening,'' Hala Mustafa, editor of the political journal Democracy Review, said.

"There's a growing Islamization of Egypt.'' Copts make up about 10 percent of Egypt's 78 million citizens and are the country's most-populous minority. They increasingly identify themselves primarily by religion, as do the Muslim majority according to Mustafa. Copts view with distress a trend toward an increasing adoption of Muslim mores exemplified by the growing prevalence of veiled women in the streets; the increasing clout of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the government's recent decision to declare Islamic law as a source of civil legislation, Mustafa said.

The Coptic Orthodox Church was founded in Alexandria during the first century by Mark, one of the apostles of Jesus. After an Arab army conquered Egypt in the seventh century, Islam gradually became the country's dominant religion. Tensions, reported in the government-controlled and independent press, have been building for several years.

On May 28 of this year, gunmen fired at a Coptic-owned jewellery store in Cairo, killing four Christians. The assailants haven't been captured. Three days later, dozens of Muslims attacked the Abu Fana monastery 300 miles south of Cairo. Muslim neighbours, claiming that the monks were stealing land, tore down new walls meant to keep the desert at bay and tried to destroy olive and lemon trees. While one Muslim attacker died, there is a dispute over who killed him. Fourteen Muslims remain jailed because of the incident, and police have posted a riot squad in nearby villages.

ZIMBABWE INTRODUCES Z$100BN NOTE

Source: Intercessors Network

Zimbabwe is to introduce a bank-note worth Z$100bn in response to rampant inflation - but the note will barely cover the cost of a loaf of bread. Some are already calling for higher denominations in a country where the official annual inflation rate has exceeded 2,200,000%. Independent economists believe the real rate is many times higher. Zimbabwe's meltdown has left at least 80% of the population in poverty, facing mass shortages of basic goods.

But Zimbabwe residents say the latest note is already worthless, and does not even cover their daily lunch."Nowadays, for my expenses a day, I need about Z$500 billion," one resident said. "So Z$100 billion can't do anything because for me to go home I need Z$250 billion, so this note is worthless." Zimbabwe was once one of the richest countries in Africa. But it has descended into economic chaos in recent years, with many international observers blaming the policies of President Robert Mugabe.

Meanwhile the Zimbabwean government and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have begun talks to put an end to the country's political crisis.  Harare's Anglican Bishop Sebastian Bakare said it is still too early to say whether this would bring about a sustainable solution. "The ruling system is so oppressive that it has denied the people their human rights." he said. "My diocese continues to suffer persecution. We have been denied the freedom to worship." He said that anti-riot police have barred Anglicans from attending services at the city's Anglican Cathedral.

Speaking at a press conference, Bishop Bakare said what Zimbabweans need urgently are "a deep sense of security without fear, the basic necessities of food and medicines" and a climate where "the rule of law is observed and human dignity is respected."  In a moving account of his church's situation, Bishop Bakare said many Zimbabwean Anglicans have "stood up to anti-riot police." "It's their church that they're fighting for...That's the courage that people have developed...This is the context that we have to witness to, where preaching the Good News becomes a challenge."

BRITISH TRIBUNAL RULES IN FAVOUR OF CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR

Source: Inspire Magazine

The unanimous decision by the Employment Tribunal in favour of Christian registrar Lillian Ladele "is a triumph for the place of conscience in public duties," says the Evangelical Alliance. Miss Ladele was pressured by the London Borough of Islington to carry out same-sex civil partnership ceremonies despite her stated unwillingness to do so because of her Christian faith.

Dr Don Horrocks, from the Evangelical Alliance said: "This is an important judgement because it conclusively confirms that where there are competing rights a balance has to be struck which treats the respective rights equally. The Tribunal made it clear that it would be wrong for one set of rights to trump another. This decision underlines that freedom of religious conscience must be protected by law in the same way as any other human right and that employers must take a person's religion and belief fully into account when considering policy and action."

"The Tribunal's unanimous decision is a triumph for the place of conscience in public duties. The demands of conscience and civil duties can and must co-exist. We would call on local politicians to take note and live up to the challenge of this benchmark decision. We commend Lillian Ladele for her bravery in standing up for her faith in such intimidating circumstances," Horrocks said.

ATTEMPTS TO DECRIMINALISE ABORTION IN BRAZIL FAIL

Source: LifeSite News

Two bills to decriminalize abortion in Brazil were defeated for the third time in recent weeks, in what may be the final blow to legislation that has been under consideration for over 17 years in the Brazilian National Congress. The latest defeat was dealt by the Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, Brazil's lower legislative house, in a crushing 30-4 vote, after the head of the committee, Eduardo Cunha, rejected the legislation on June 26th.

"The right to life constitutes the supreme value of the Constitution, because all other rights are derived from it," said Cunha at the time, noting that the right to life cannot be abolished even by a constitutional amendment. The ensuing debate in the Committee provoked an impassioned response on the part of pro-life deputies. Deputy Carlos William brought a baby coffin and two dolls to illustrate his position, and cited verses from the Bible. Deputies Miguel Martini and Luiz Bassuma brought poster-sized photos of unborn children killed by abortion.

After a brief period of discussion, the committee voted for a motion to close debate and hold the vote, angering pro-abortion forces, who protested outside the building. The bill will now be permanently archived. The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies' firm pro-life stance is reflected by the majority of Brazilians, who, according to polls, are more opposed than ever to decriminalizing abortion. In the latest poll released Brazilians opposed to decriminalising abortion rose from 63% to 68%.

MYANMAR RECOVERS SLOWLY AFTER CYCLONE NARGIS

Source: Baptist World Aid

More than two months after Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, reports are that conditions remain desperate.  Rescue24, the relief arm of Baptist World Aid, has reported that "there are huge unmet basic needs for the victims of the disaster." Rescue24 workers in Myanmar report that "many families are living under makeshift shelters made of clothes, branches of trees or even under debris." The document stated that "most of the water sources are either destroyed or contaminated with human and animal carcasses. There is no proper facility for storing drinking water."

The most urgent needs are food, drinking water, hygiene products, psycho-social support, shelter and livelihood support. Conditions have been made worse by the onset of the rainy season which lasts from May to November, and which brings frequent torrential rainfall.  Rescue24 is working closely with other agencies in sending food, drinking water, clothes, mosquito nets and medicine daily by ferries, boats and cars to nearly 100,000 survivors in the Irrawaddy River Delta."

Estimates vary widely as to the number of those who have died from the worst natural disaster to hit Myanmar, with figures ranging from 134,000 to near one million dead. Several million more are estimated to have suffered directly from the cyclone.