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11-08-2011 11:08 AM
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*July 2011*
*Doctrine Divides, Action Unites*
*Contents*
* ۩ Home Page * * ۩ *School of
Peace
* ۩ Faith and Peace Archives *
* ۩ *Photos and events * ۩ Who are
we
*
*e-mail : *
► *Transforming Communities One Person at a Time*
*Bruce Van Voorhis*
A two-week workshop was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, by Interfaith Cooperation
Forum (ICF) to discuss ways in which people in diverse communities can
relate to one another, especially those with a different identity from
themselves, and how conflict can be an opportunity for social change rather
than an obstacle. For the first time, participants from outside of Asia
attended a program conducted by ICF with nearly one-third of the
participants from the YMCA in England. [Read
more
]
► *The Attacks in Norway and the Price of Fear*
*Natana J. DeLong-Bas*
The societal factors at the root of violent attacks that are based on a fear
and ignorance of those whose identities are different from the mainstream
community need to be addressed, notes the author, or otherwise, the lethal
actions of Anders Behring Breivik will only be replicated in the future by
someone else. [Read more ]
► *Resisting Revenge: A Terrorism Victim Stops the Cycle of Violence*
*Helen Thompson*
The bombing on Bali in 2002 claimed the lives of 202 people. One of those
killed was the husband of Hayati Eka Laksmi. She explains to the author why
vengeance is not her aim. [Read
more
]
► *Court Verdict Encourages Further Attacks against Religious Minorities in
Indonesia*
*Asian Human Rights Commission*
Participants in mob violence that killed and injured members of the
Ahmadiyyah community in Indonesia on Feb.6 this year were sentenced to three
to six months in prison on July 28. The lenient sentence for taking the life
of another human being is expected to inspire the loss of more life for the
Ahmadis. [Read more ]
► *Blood, Tears and Optimism: A Reflection from Dang*
*Shree Ram Chaudhary*
The author, a member of the Tharu ethnic community in Nepal’s midwest region
of Dang, shares the decades of hardship of his people, especially during the
years of war that engulfed the country from 1996 to 2006. [Read
more
]
► *Dialogue Can Build Understanding, Trust and Peace among Thais and
Cambodians*
*Pornpimon Ponprom*
A School of Peace (SOP) alumni from Thailand shares her reflections about a
meeting in May in Bangkok, which was co-sponsored by Interfaith Cooperation
Forum (ICF), that emphasized the teachings of faith and the use of dialogue
to promote peace between the people of Cambodia and Thailand as the two
countries work to resolve the tensions on their border. [Read
more
]
► *Indian Women’s Rights Activists Stand in Solidarity with Women in Sri
Lanka*
A civil war that began violently in Sri Lanka in July 1983 ended violently
in May 2009. Many observers inside and outside of the country are troubled
by an apparent escalation of human rights violations during the last five
months of the war, especially in the North of the country as the Sri Lankan
army took control of the last enclave held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE). It is in this context that women in India share their concern
for their sisters in Sri Lanka for their past and ongoing suffering through
this statement. [Read more
]
► *Torture Leads to Death in Custody in Kashmir*
Nazim Rashid, 28, was detained by the police’s Special Operations Group
(SOG) and army on July 30 in the Kashmiri town of Sopore for questioning
about a man who was killed. The next day he himself was dead, allegedly
because of torture inflicted by the Indian security forces during his
interrogation.
“Allah never showed a father the body of his son in a such a condition. I am
shattered,” his father screamed.
Further details about Rashid’s death in custody can be read at <
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2011/Aug/1/sopore-youth-dies-in-police-custody-107.asp
>.
► *Churches across America Read from the Qur’an*
*Tad Stahnke*
In the wake of the 9/11 tragedy in 2001, incidents of Islamophobia have been
evident in many parts of the United States with one of the most recent and
well-publicized examples being the burning of the Qur’an in March by a
pastor and his church in Florida. Faith Shared, an event held in June in
places of worship across the country, reflects an effort to return to one of
the pillars on which the republic was founded in 1776—respect for all faiths
and those who practice them. [Read
more
]
► *The Meaning of an Image*
A graphic image was recently circulated among those who have attended the
14-week School of Peace (SOP) in Bangalore, India, and a mini-SOP for three
weeks in Sri Lanka in 2010. The alumni were asked to reflect on the image
and share their observations with each other. The image generated many
different meanings, interpretations that were often influenced by the
realities found in their countries. [Read
more
]
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