Powershop, a state owned enterprise, has entered the political arena by erecting a number of four-and-half-storey high billboards which suggest the Catholic Church is an example of how “large institutions can sometimes lose touch with their modern constituents.” The Pope is used as a symbol of “crusty utilities, many of whom remain resistant to the Read more
New Zealand Catholic Bishops appeared before the New Zealand Government Administration Select Committee considering the Marriage (Definition of Marriage) Amendment Bill on Wednesday to share their concerns over the future implications should it become law. Archbishop John Dew, Bishop Colin Campbell and Mrs Sue Devereux, representing the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, made a verbal submission Read more
A court in Pakistan has dropped a controversial blasphemy charge against a Christian girl accused of burning pages from the Koran, but many others are suffering under the same draconian blasphemy law. Rimsha Masih, who is 14 but considered to have a lower mental age, was charged after being accused by a neighbour, a Muslim Read more
Catholic bishops in Argentina have denied claims by a former dictator that the Church was complicit in crimes committed by the 1976-1983 military regime. The bishops said they were open to a profound review of the Church’s role during those years, which human rights groups say resulted in the killing of up to 30,000 people Read more
The Central Body for the Fellowship of Baptist Churches has expressed alarm at the conduct of Indonesian security forces in Papua, according to a press release dated 01 November. Examples of crimes by the Indonesian security forces include: The bombing of the parliament Jayawijaya building on 1 September 2012 by OTK (Orang Tak Dikenal) the throwing Read more
Radio Australia reports that the processing of asylum seekers sent to Nauru by the Australian government “may be six months or more away yet”. This is according to a spokesperson for Australia’s Immigration Minister. Major Paul Moulds, of the Salvation Army, is quoted as saying that the uncertainty is having a detrimental effect on the Read more
The recent school brawls involving secondary school students in Suva, Fiji are a reflection of the deep rooted bad effects of human rights or children’s rights on the family structure. In his written submissions to the Constitution Commission, Aisea Vunibaka, a retired revenue collector, said human rights were stopping teachers from punishing students. “Their parents, Read more
Although the majority of New Zealand newspapers, including New Zealand’s largest circulation paper, declined to republish any of the Danish cartoons, two local newspapers and two television channels did so, despite expressions of concern from the Federation of Islamic Associations and the Government. The publication was followed by strong interfaith and government condemnation, a public Read more
“Religious ministers have the right to refuse to marry anyone. That right will not change if the Bill becomes law,” says Human Rights Chief Commissioner David Rutherford. “It will be up to any individual marriage celebrant, including those who are religious ministers, to decide whether or not they wish to marry a same-sex couple.” The Human Read more
The New Zealand Human Rights Commission has formally endorsed same gender marriage and a non-discriminatory approach to adoption that gives primacy to the best interests of the child. The conclusion to The HRC’s short paper states: “In order to ensure formal legal equality, including the right to found and form a family regardless of sexual orientation or Read more