The Prime Minster of Fiji, Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, says he is proud of the fact that Fiji is one of very few countries in which a public holiday is set aside for Prophet Mohammed’s birthday as well as great commemorations for other major religions – Christianity and Hinduism. He says it underlines the unique nature Read more
Last Thursday, Human Rights Watch Australia published a report explaining that, despite two years of processing, very few detainees have left Australia’s Manus Island detention centre. The report is a fresh reminder that forced integration can throw up some wicked dilemmas, whether it is in Nauru or Australia’s other offshore resettlement facility on Manus Island, Read more
More than 40,000 New Zealand Muslims began the month of Ramadan with the new moon that occurred on Wednesday night. The New Zealand Catholic Bishops’ Committee for Interfaith Relations, have written a letter of support addressed “our Muslim brothers and sisters” offering them “best wishes for a blessed and holy Ramadan.” “Catholics share with you a Read more
Auckland’s third new Hindu temple this year will open in Henderson next month. Community worker Pravin Patel said there were now 17 Hindu temples across Auckland. The city’s Hindu adherents increased by more than any other religion between the 2006 and 2013 censuses, from 45,324 to 61,458, and are now 4.3 per cent of all Read more
Muslims will take up full representation at the Wellington Council of Christians and Jews, which will re-launch as the Wellington Abrahamic Council on 14 April at an event at Parliament hosted by the Attorney General, Hon Chris Finlayson. Jewish Co-chair Dave Moskovitz said that the Council had welcomed Muslims at all meetings since 2007, and Read more
A Myanmar court has jailed a New Zealand bar manager, Philip Blackwood, and two Myanmar colleagues for two and a half years for insulting religion by using a psychedelic image of Buddha wearing headphones to promote their bar. Myanmar’s semi-civilian government has lifted restrictions on freedom of speech, association and media, but reforms have been accompanied by Read more
The Anglican Church has demoted the bishop who offended visiting Jews and Muslims at an inter-faith meeting last month. A statement issued by the Anglican Church of Aoteoroa said Archbishop Brown Turei, the head of Pihopatanga, (the Maori Anglican Church in Aotearoa New Zealand) had appointed Bishop Te Kitohi Pikaahu as his Vicar General. Bishop Read more
A Christian has been inaugurated as governor of Jakarta. This is the first time such a thing has happened for 50 years. There have been weeks of protests against it from Islamic hardliners. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama is also the first person from the country’s tiny ethnic Chinese minority to become leader of Jakarta. He was sworn in Read more
Fiji’s Prime Minister Rear Admiral (Ret) Voreqe Bainimarama officiated at a pre Diwali event at Lautoka on Saturday night and reflected on the significance of the festival of lights. “Most Fijians share a sense of excitement and goodwill about Diwali, no doubt looking forward to a feast of splendid lights, and of course to those Read more
Moslem leaders have expressed disappointment about the backlash they are experiencing as a result of the activity of Moslem extremists. While they are disheartened by this they say the situation is not as bad in New Zealand as it is in other places. The constant association with radicals is disheartening, says the President of the Read more