cswpress

“El Emperador de los corazones hindúes”: Narendra Modi es bautizado nuevamente

Posted on 14/02/2024 by cswpress in Asia ES, español, India ES

Millones de hindúes en la India y en todo el mundo observaron con orgullo cómo el primer ministro de la India, Narendra Modi, inauguró el gran Ram Mandir (templo de Ram) en Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, el 22 de enero.

Fue un momento histórico que muchos devotos habían estado esperando presenciar durante décadas. Este es el sitio que se cree que es el lugar de nacimiento de una de las deidades hindúes más veneradas, Ram, y la inauguración del templo o la ceremonia de Pran Pratishta (el acto de consagrar el ídolo en el templo y darle vida) tenía un profundo significado religioso.

Más de 7.000 personas fueron invitadas, entre ellas celebridades de Bollywood, jugadores de críquet, propietarios de grandes empresas y unos 4.000 sacerdotes hindúes. Había mares de azafrán no solo en Ayodhya, sino en todo el país, donde la gente se reunía en templos locales más pequeños para celebrar la ocasión.

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Indonesia’s presidential elections: How have human rights fared under Jokowi?

Posted on 07/02/202407/02/2024 by cswpress in Asia, Indonesia

Indonesia’s presidential election is imminent; on 14 February President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, will step down after two terms in office and the world’s third-largest democracy and largest Muslim-majority nation will head to the polls to elect their next leader. National and local parliamentary representatives and senators will also be voted on.

The election carries with it significant implications for human rights including freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). How have religious minorities fared under Widodo’s presidency and what must be addressed by the incoming president to improve the FoRB for all in the country?

The instrumentalization of religion in politics

Jokowi is a popular figure in Indonesia, with 97% of non-Muslims voting for him in the 2019 elections, but his election promises of addressing past human rights abuses, inequalities and bolstering rights protections remained largely unrealised. Under Jokowi’s presidency, discriminatory practices and violent assaults on ethnic and religious minorities have persisted.

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A life of struggle and survival: the reality of religious oppression in Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba, Latin America

Father Alberto Reyes Pías is a Roman Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of Camagüey, Cuba. He is one of the most articulate voices on freedom of religion or belief in Cuba and continues to courageously speak out about the Cuban government’s systematic violations of this right. This is a transcript of a presentation he gave as part of a panel discussion moderated by CSW, at the 2024 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, DC.

In Cuba, one of the most subtle mechanisms of evil is what we call “normalisation” which is nothing more than evil becoming a habitual part of our life. We not only take its presence for granted, but also focus our energies not on eliminating it and freeing ourselves from it, but on figuring out how to continue walking, despite it hindering our steps, tying our hands, and oppressing our throat.

In appearance, religious freedom is respected in Cuba. In general, churches are open, worship is allowed, catechesis exists, young people gather, one can openly talk about God, possess a Bible, and wear religious symbols. Yet, in Cuba, there is a thirst for God. Pastoral agents focus on serving those seeking an experience with God that touches their lives, even at the cost of accepting as “normal” what is not.

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Una vida de lucha y supervivencia: la realidad de opresión religiosa en Cuba

Posted on 01/02/2024 by cswpress in Cuba ES, español, Latin America ES

Padre Alberto Reyes Pías es un sacerdote católico romano en la Arquidiócesis de Camagüey, Cuba. Es una de las voces más articuladas sobre la libertad de religión o de creencias en Cuba y continúa denunciando con valentía las violaciones sistemáticas de este derecho por parte del gobierno cubano. Esta es una transcripción de una presentación que hizo como parte de un panel de discusión moderado por la CSW, en la Cumbre Internacional de Libertad Religiosa de 2024 en Washington, DC.

Uno de los más sutiles mecanismos del mal es lo que llamamos “la normalización”, que no es otra cosa que el mal convertido en parte habitual de la vida, de modo que no sólo damos por hecho su presencia sino que enfocamos nuestras energías no en eliminarlo y liberarnos de él sino en ver cómo podemos seguir caminando a pesar de que nos traba los pies, nos ata las manos y nos oprime la garganta.

Aparentemente, en Cuba se respeta la libertad religiosa: las iglesias están abiertas, los cultos son permitidos, las catequesis existen, los jóvenes se reúnen, se puede hablar abiertamente de Dios, poseer una Biblia, portar signos religiosos… Y como en este momento en Cuba hay tanta sed de Dios, los agentes de pastoral nos enfocamos en atender a toda esa gente que viene buscando una experiencia de Dios que toque su vida, pero al precio de asumir como “normal” lo que no lo es.

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‘Emperor of Hindu hearts’: Narendra Modi rebranded

Posted on 31/01/202431/01/2024 by cswpress in Asia, India

Millions of Hindus in India and across the world watched with pride as India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the grand Ram Mandir (Ram temple) in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh on 22 January.

It was a historic moment that many devotees had been waiting to witness for decades. This is the site that is believed to be the birthplace of one of the most revered Hindu deities, Ram, and the inauguration of the temple or the Pran Pratishta ceremony (the act of consecrating the idol in the temple and bringing it to life) held deep religious significance.

More than 7,000 people were invited as guests, including top Bollywood celebrities, cricketers, large business owners and about 4,000 Hindu priests. There were seas of saffron not just in Ayodhya but across the country where people gathered in smaller local temples to celebrate the occasion.

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