Asia

• 17 February 2004
  ASIA/INDONESIA - “Many still living in camps need money to move and rebuild a home: religious communities must forgive and forget and start rebuilding society”: Catholic Bishop appeals for help for Moluccas Islands still suffering affects of violent inter-ethnic clashes Ambon (Fides Service) - “Funds are urgently needed to assist refugees: many are still in camps simply because they have no means of transport or money to rebuild their homes. What the Moluccas need is forgiveness and s ...
• 16 February 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Postponed explorative talks between government and Muslim separatists: missionary tells Fides what’s in the way of peace Manila (Fides Service) - Explorative talks between the Philippines government and Muslim separatist rebels in the south scheduled for 16 February in Malaysia, have been postponed “for administrative reasons”, accordi ...
• 14 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Politics, society religion in the present stage of the Island’s history Colombo (Fides Service ) - Today 14 February, Fides presents a special report on Sri Lanka, an all round view of the situation on the eve of elections, analysis of political, social and religious questions. News items, s ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - “Island in situation of political uncertainty. Dangerous mix of politics and religion”: a local missionary reports to Fides Colombo (Fides Service) - “The elections are unnecessary. The electorate is almost equally divided between the two main groups, supporters of President Kumaratunga and supporters of Prime Minister Wicremesinghe. If the ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SOUTH KOREA - Seoul archdiocese opens an Institute of Theological Studies for lay people Seoul (Fides Service) - It is a known fact that the laity are the engine of the Church in Korea: their valid cooperation in all fields of pastoral work puts the Church in South Korea among those which have better underst ...
• 13 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - Tomorrow Fides presents: Special report on Sri Lanka - politics, society and religion in the present phase of the country’s history Colombo (Fides Service ) - Tomorrow 14 February, Fides will present a special report on Sri Lanka, an all round view of the situation on the eve of elections, analysis of political, social and religious questions. News i ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/IRAN - Earthquake: in the villages of Nartich and Esfikan Caritas will build 500 new homes with the direct involvement of local people. Another convoy of aid has reached Bam and supplies are being distributed to 303 families. Rome (Fides Service) - In the past month 1,012 families have been reached by Caritas aid, in all 4,166 persons. Supplies distributed include rice, sugar, tea, canned food, dried milk and soap. According to the latest inf ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/PHILIPPINES - Terrorists or guerrillas? Government in a hurry to negotiate with rebels Manila (Fides) - In view of elections in May, the Philippines government is in a hurry to reach an agreement with the different rebel groups in the country. While waiting for the start of explorative talks with the Moro ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/IRAQ - “It is amazing to see that at the slightest signal of a return to normality, murderous hands are ready to strike causing death, destruction and terror” Father Nizar Semaan in Iraq tells Fides Baghdad (Fides Service)-“These crimes are the work of foreigners or Iraqis who are not patriots and do not want peace in their country” Father Nizar Semaan in Ninive, diocese told Fides expressing the grief and ange ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA/INDIA - Following attacks by fundamentalist Hindus in Madhya Pradesh, police mount guard in front of churches and schools Bhopal (Fides Service) - Concern is growing among Christians in Jhabua, western Madhya Pradesh on the border with Gujarat state. Following attacks by fundamentalist Hindus in recent weeks in Jhabua police positioned guar ...
• 12 February 2004
  ASIA - New case of bird flu confirmed in Vietnam and new suspected outbreak in China Rome (Fides Service) - The World Health Organisation excludes that two sisters who died of bird flu in Vietnam were infected person to person. WHO says tests on the girls revealed that the genetic material is of aviary o ...
• 10 February 2004
  ASIA/HOLY LAND – World Wide Web offers “Today’s Gospel” in Arabic, thanks to a team of volunteers in the Middle East Jerusalem (Fides Service) – With the help of a team of volunteers in the Holy Land, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon the Gospel day by day with comments by the Fathers of the Church is now available to web users in Arabic. Today ...
• 10 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - Missionary Childhood Day in Pakistan: all over the country Catholic children “Heralds of hope, peace and reconciliation” pray and celebrate Multan (Fides Service) - On 1 February with prayers, songs and dancing Catholic children in Multan diocese in northern Pakistan celebrated local Missionary Childhood Day. Children in Catholic schools and parishes lived t ...
• 9 February 2004
  ASIA/PAKISTAN - “Make me a channel of your peace!” pray Muslims and Christians together, condemning terrorism and issuing a message of tolerance and harmony Multan (Fides Service) – Together leading Christians and Muslims in Pakistan have condemned terrorism and called for tolerance and harmony, following the most recent episode of anti-Christian violence on 15 January wh ...
• 9 February 2004
  ASIA/SRI LANKA - President announces early elections, Tamil Tigers disapprove: peace process threatened: fervid debate in the country Colombo (Fides Service) – Peace in Sri Lanka is threatened after a sudden decision on 7 February by president Chandrika Kumaratunga to dissolve parliament and announce early elections on 2 April. The decision has given ...