Bernardo Cervellera

Attacks on religious freedom and violence against Christians embrace nearly all Asian countries. Western governments prefer to criticize some of the violations - such as those committed by Muslims - but are silent on the attacks against Christians in Vietnam or China. A preview of the August-September editorial from AsiaNews monthly magazine.

The repression of the Ughurs is not an isolated case. Protestant are in jail and bishops have disappeared. The oppression of human rights is endemic in China and created the basis for revolts and clashes that can provoke unease and war everywhere. Benedict XVI and John Paul II: Human rights are the foundation of peace.

The president of the Pontifical Council for interreligious Dialogue highlights an improved atmosphere and greater trust in Muslim-Catholic relations, also after Benedict XVI’s trip to the Holy Land. Problems do remain, including the right of Muslims to convert and the possibility to have Christian places of worship in the Saudi kingdom. Oasis conference focuses on tradition and dialogue between religions and cultures. Issues touched include the US, French and British cases, the development of Islam in given nations, and the move away from literalism in Qur’anic exegesis.

The 42 page special edition gives a day-by-day account of Benedict XVI’s pilgrimage to Jordan, Israel and Palestine. It is the most important but also most misunderstood journey to date. Criticism tends to destroy any hopes that peace is possible, preparing the ground instead for war. But the pope’s message of pace and coexsistence is the most realistic.

As of today AsiaNews will begin to publish a dossier on the 20th anniversary of the massacre of Tiananmen Square, which took place on June 4th 1989. It will include interventions from the protagonists of the democracy movement of that time and of today. They will speak of the past, but above all, they will speak of the needs and urgent issues that China faces in the present and the future.

The publication two years on from the Letter on the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. The Letter is furthering unity between the official and underground Church, but the Patriotic Association pounces on their divisions with controls and arrests.

The statement on the work completed by the Vatican Commission for the Church in China has been published. For the first time in years, names and details of persecution have been provided. The problems related to the formation of priests, seminarians, and religious personnel in China have been addressed, in order to help them be "disciples of Christ" and "exemplary citizens." An impulse toward mission.

He was taken from his home by 5 police officers. For weeks, he had been under surveillance 24 hours a day, to prevent him from meeting with the official bishop, with whom he had reconciled on instructions from the Vatican. A blow to the Holy See's strategy of unifying the Chinese Church, while the meeting of the Plenary Commission on the Church in China continues at the Vatican. Bishop Jia Zhiguo was also taunted by the police.

An underground priest is arrested in Hebei for celebrating Mass. Controls are tightened ahead of the anniversary of the death of Mgr Joseph Fan Xueyan, killed under torture in 1992. Like him many underground bishops and priests have disappeared or ended up in camps. Official bishops are also under pressure to submit to the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association. The Commission for the Catholic Church in China begins a meeting today in the vatican.

The speech of the director of AsiaNews at the conference on the theme "Religious freedom and reciprocity" held in Rome on March 26 and 27 at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Condoms will not eliminate the AIDS scourge but will make it worse, this according to the Pope but also scientific research. Data from South Africa, Uganda, Thailand and the Philippines confirm it. A neo-colonialist pro-sexual revolution lobby is behind the attacks against the Pontiff and is being pursued by fringe groups within the United Nations and the European Union

China’s premier reiterates Beijing’s point of view on everything: the economy, US-Sino relations, yuan revaluation, Tibet and the Dalai Lama’s so-called “separatism.” Any criticism is simply brushed aside.