The dangers of naming God

Malaysia's ban on the use of 'Allah' in a Catholic newspaper stokes fears of increased suppression of minorities.

By Fr William Grimm
Tokyo: 

I wish I could remember the exact words and who it was who said them to the effect that while Christianity can be believed, some Christians are absolutely incredible.

The same can be said of Islam and some Muslims.

The biggest threats to Islam are not from non-Muslims. The threats come from within the community.

Terrorists who claim that Islam justifies and even mandates atrocious violence come to mind immediately, of course. Their actions reinforce prejudices against the religion, giving Islam a reputation for violence.

But it is not only the perpetrators of violence who undermine the image of Islam — even, I assume and even hope, among many Muslims.

There are people who claim to speak on behalf of Islam who make ridiculous statements and perform horrific acts, which can only make non-Muslims wonder if one must be brain dead to be a Muslim. Of course, these individuals do not represent all Muslims.

(In fairness, Catholics like those who get themselves nailed to crosses in the Philippines each Holy Week, or evangelicals in America who handle rattlesnakes, raise the same sorts of questions about Christians. Lunacy in the name of religion is not a Muslim monopoly.)

A couple of years ago, an Egyptian Muslim group declared that, "Eating tomatoes is forbidden because they are Christian." The declaration was accompanied by a photo that showed that when a tomato is cut in half horizontally its core resembles a cross.

Eventually, ridicule of the commandment resulted in the group’s issuing a revision that allowed the eating of tomatoes so long as they were not cut a particular way.

Now, a majority-Muslim nation is joining the parade of the brainless who seem intent on making Islam a laughingstock in the world.

The Malaysian justice system has upheld a ban on a Catholic newspaper’s use of the word "Allah" in its Bahasa-language texts to refer to God. This is in spite of the fact that such use by Christians in Arabic-speaking lands predates the birth of Mohammed. Much of the religious vocabulary of Bahasa, the Malay language, comes from Arabic. In fact, the word is ultimately of pagan origin, as is the English word "god".

Those disturbed by the ban on the centuries-old use of a single word in a single publication see it as a first step toward increased suppression of religious and ethnic minorities in Malaysia. They are probably right. In that case, the country will be seen as not simply ridiculous, but malevolent.

Are the Malaysian government agencies lately promoting tourism to that country ready to see that happen? Are most Malaysian Muslims happy to see yet one more event that increases perceptions of their religion and their country as not only tritely ridiculous, but potentially dangerous?

Christians and other minorities in Malaysia legitimately fear that proscribing the use of “Allah” in the Catholic newsweekly Herald will simply be the beginning of more persecution to come. But, in the meantime, might this ban open new possibilities for Malaysian Catholics to broaden and deepen their relationship with God?

Of course, persecution always provides that opportunity. But, on a less dramatic level, having to search for new vocabulary can be a blessing.

A priest in Cambodia who was engaged in translating Scripture, liturgy, the catechism and other texts into Khmer, the local language, said there is a value in not using common words.

The problem with commonly used words is that people think they know what they mean. And that meaning might not capture the richness of new thoughts. They have become stale and carry no more taste. They may even carry connotations that go against what we really hope to say.

A difficult or uncommon word can stop us and make us think: "I’m not sure what that word means. What might it mean?" Thought begins and insight can happen.

This can be especially true when we begin to think that a word can encompass the reality of God. In fact, the words we use can carry "linguistic DNA" that can infect that relationship.

For example, the English word "god" is of pagan Germanic origin. The Latin "deus," related to the Greek Zeus via "theos," does not speak of the one true God who is love. Both the Germanic and Mediterranean words originally denoted a domineering warrior, though mythology does present Zeus as a rather promiscuous lover in a non-Christian sense of the word.

The search for an alternative that Malaysian fanatics are imposing on the Herald may be a gift in disguise.

My personal recommendation is that the newspaper follow Jewish custom and simply say the Bahasa equivalent of "The Name," ha-shem in Hebrew. That might even be worth considering for English use, a way of opening up new vistas for reflection and prayer.

Source: ucanews.com

Journalist detained in China for reporting on Christian persecution

Removal of crosses and demolition of churches has become common in Wenzhou.

China:  Authorities in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang on Friday detained and questioned a Hong Kong journalist who went to cover a story about the demolition of church crosses in the region.

Jiang Yannan, a reporter for the Hong Kong-based Chinese-language news magazine Asiaweek told RFA's Mandarin Service that she was detained briefly in Pingyang county near Wenzhou, a city that has been dubbed "China's Jerusalem" because of a high concentration of Christian believers there.

"I was here to do some reporting and interviews on the demolition of crosses [on Christian churches] ... They didn't hold me for very long. They just stopped me from interviewing people."

She said police had continued to monitor her movements and contact her interviewees since her release after a brief period of detention at a nearby police station.

"I didn't pay any attention to them, but they asked me what I was doing," Jiang said. "They have been following me and bothering the people I am trying to interview."

She added: "I did a lot of interviews on this trip, and this time the local authorities are being much tougher [on journalists]."

Jiang, who arrived in Pingyang earlier this week, told RFA in a later interview that she had already left the province.

"I am no longer in Zhejiang. I have left the area," she said. "They were following me the whole time."

"But it's not convenient for me to give interviews right now," Jiang said, before hanging up.

Beijing-based rights lawyer Chen Jiangang, who has been following religious issues in Wenzhou, said he had received a phone call from Jiang earlier on Friday asking for help.

“She called me at around 1pm, when she was in the police car," Chen said.

"She said the police had dragged her into their vehicle against her will, and driven her to the police station and asked to see her ID," he said.

"She waited around at the police station for about 10-20 minutes, and then they released her," he said, adding: "I am in touch with her, and she could be subjected to further restrictions by police at any time."

According to the US-based Christian rights group China Aid, hundreds of Protestant churches in Zhejiang have been targeted for demolition in the past year.

The actions against churches in Zhejiang are all connected to the province's "Three Rectifications and One Demolition" campaign, which claims to target all illegal structures, the group said in a recent report on its website.

The campaign calls on local officials to take action to "demolish illegal structures that violate laws and regulations, occupy farmland, affect public safety and major construction, seriously affect urban and rural planning, and those that are located on both sides of main lines of transportation," it said.

A Wenzhou-based Christian church member who declined to be named said Jiang's detention could be linked to local tensions around plans to sue the Pingyang authorities over the detention of Fengwo Church pastor Huang Yizi.

Huang's lawyers plan to file three separate lawsuits against the county government and police department on Monday, according to a report on China Aid's website.

Huang Yizi was detained on August 2 on suspicion of "gathering a crowd to disrupt public order," following clashes between church followers and officials who demolished the church's cross in July.

"I think this has to do with the congregants' planning to sue the authorities," the church member said. "They have hired some new lawyers."

Zhejiang-based Protestants estimate that crosses were torn down from at least 410 churches in the province during 2014.

"According to our incomplete statistics, from January to November 2014, more than 400 churches with names have either been forcibly torn down or had their crosses forcibly relocated or demolished," China Aid founder Bob Fu told RFA in an interview earlier this week.

"Previously, these things only happened during the Cultural Revolution," Fu said.

"But in 2014, they happened in some major cities and regions of Zhejiang province, then sporadically took place in some other provinces," he said.

"This is a very noticeable change in 2014."

Jiang's detention, though brief, comes amid growing concern over the fate of Zhang Miao, a news researcher from the Beijing bureau of Germany's Zeit News, who was detained while covering a poetry recital at Beijing's Songzhuang Artists' Village last October.

Zhang and six others, including artists and a poet, were detained at the event on the outskirts of Beijing in support of the Occupy Central pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong.

ZEIT correspondent Angela Kockritz, who has launched a social media campaign for Zhang's release under the hashtag #freemiao, said in a recent online account of her detention that she was accused of "brawling" and assaulting a police officer.

Zhang, who is now being held in a Tongzhou Prison on the outskirts of Beijing, was allowed a meeting with her lawyer on Dec. 10, Kockritz wrote on the ZEIT website on January 14.

"The law forbids police officers and guards to abuse inmates," she wrote. "But they often avail themselves of certain cell mates who will mistreat other inmates in the knowledge or at the request of the guards."

"[The lawyer] indicates that we can't speak freely on the phone, but he does share with me that Miao is suffering both physically and psychologically."

And in May Japan's Nihon Keizai Shimbun employee Xin Jian, who worked as a news assistant — a post which often involves reporting activities — was detained ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy protests in Tiananmen Square.

China doesn't allow its own nationals to work as reporters for foreign news organizations, which instead often hire local journalists to act as news assistants or translators.

China led the world in imprisoning journalists in 2014, with a total of 29 behind bars, according to Paris-based press freedom group Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which said the authorities are also holding 73 netizens out of a global total of 178 detentions.

However, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) put the figure at 44 jailed journalists in its 2014 annual report.

It said restrictions on state media have tightened significantly since President Xi Jinping took power in November 2012.

Source: Radio Free Asia

Hong Kong media 'manipulated' by officials: report

Journalists must be allowed to 'perform their professional duties without fear or intimidation'.

Hong Kong: 

A report by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) warned Monday of "intervention behind the scenes" of Hong Kong's media as fears grow over press freedoms and interference from Beijing.

It is the second report this month to flag up concerns over media censorship and manipulation as well as physical assaults on journalists in a city which prides itself on freedom of expression, compared with severely restricted reporting in mainland China.

"As well as highlighting the pressure by political forces, the IFJ reminds the business sectors of the mainland and Hong Kong that a free and independent press plays an important role in the business environment," it said in a statement.

"Press freedom is a human right and the media must be able to perform their professional duties without fear or intimidation."

Tensions remain high in Hong Kong after more than two months of mass protests for fully free leadership elections ended in December, with no concessions on reform.

The IFJ report presented at Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club is based on the first-person accounts of three journalists, all of whom used pen names.

A Hong Kong journalist using the name Lam Hei described 2014 as a "watershed" for the city's media and said it had "abandoned editorial independence".

Sensitivity towards advertisers and "unusually frequent" contact between Hong Kong officials and media managers were among pressures publications faced, Lam's account said.

The journalist said that interference from Beijing was "raw and undisguised" with officials based in Hong Kong putting pressure on reporters during the protests.

"Most of the media did not offer resistance... the Hong Kong media have already half-knelt," the journalist said.

The report comes less than two weeks after another from US literary and human rights group PEN American Center which said the media in Hong Kong was at "increasing risk", with physical assaults and cyber attacks among the threats.

A British colony until 1997, Hong Kong is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal that allows it far greater civil liberties than those enjoyed on the Chinese mainland, including freedom of speech and the right to protest.

But there are growing concerns that those long-held freedoms are being eroded.

A number of high-profile media figures have been attacked, with the latest two weeks ago, when the home and office of pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai were firebombed. Lai and his outspoken newspaper Apple Daily have been repeatedly targeted.

The former editor of liberal newspaper Ming Pao, Kevin Lau, is still recovering after being attacked with a cleaver in the street in broad daylight last February.

Two Chinese journalists who contributed to the IFJ report also told of tightening controls on the already strictly censored media on the mainland, describing the situation as "the darkest days" for 15 years.

Source: AFP/UCAN

Mindanao peace process should continue despite bloodbath: rebels

Dozens of police commandos and five rebels killed in southern Philippines.

Authorities recover the bodies of police commandos who died in an encounter with Moro rebels in Mindanao on Sunday

Manila: 

A Muslim rebel group in the southern Philippines says it is still committed to pursuing peace in troubled Mindanao, but deadly clashes on Sunday pose a major test for the long-delayed peace process.

Both rebel and government officials said Monday that a tenuous ceasefire was holding, only a day after an 11-hour gun battle ended in a bloodbath, with dozens of police commandos and at least five rebel fighters killed.

As of Monday afternoon local time, the government confirmed that 44 of its elite police commandos were killed. However, sources in the military and among rebel groups told ucanews.com that up to 64 died on both sides during the operation, the majority coming from the police commando unit.

The fighting started when police entered the remote town of Mamasapano, held by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), on Sunday. The members of the elite Special Action Force had been targeting Zulkifli bin Hir, a Jema'ah Islamiyah bomber, according to a military source. Zulkifli has a US$5 million bounty for terror attacks and is listed on the most wanted terrorist list of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Mohagher Iqbal, MILF's chief peace negotiator, told reporters at a press conference on Monday that the police "entered our area and attacked us”.

"What are we going to do? You cannot baby them,” Iqbal said. “What happened was self-defence.”

He said authorities failed to coordinate with the ceasefire committee and the joint action group established by the government and MILF after the peace deal last year.

Von Al Haq, the MILF's vice-chairman for military affairs, said five rebel fighters died during the attack.

"This should be a lesson to everybody not to ignore the ceasefire mechanism and to understand more the ongoing peace process," Al Haq said.

The incident on Sunday was the first armed clash between the government and the MILF after the two sides signed a peace deal in March last year. Iqbal said the MILF is doing all it can diffuse tensions after the battle.

But he said the group was concerned the fighting would affect the passage of legislation meant to formalize the peace process. The Philippine Senate on Monday suspended discussion of the proposed legislation, known as the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

“The peace process is important,” Iqbal said. “It's unfortunate that people died, but we cannot bring them back [to life]. What’s important is coordination to prevent these things from happening.”

Ghadzali Jaafar, MILF vice chairman for political affairs, called the incident "a violation” of last year’s ceasefire deal, but said it underscored the importance of continuing the peace process and not delaying passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

"Technically, there is still war in Mindanao…. There is [still] no solution to the real problem in Mindanao,” Jaafar said in a phone interview. “So until the solution to the real problem in Mindanao is being implemented, Mindanao remains as it is.”

Representative Carlos Zarate of the progressive party Bayan Muna (Nation First), said the recent incident "showed that finding genuine peace in Mindanao is still as elusive as before".

"As it is now, very clearly there are groups that are apparently still left behind under the present scheme of things because it is not fully addressing the Moro people's historical quest for self-determination," said Zarate, who is from Mindanao. He called for a “thorough investigation” of Sunday’s events.

Sunday's bloodbath highlighted "security challenges" but nonetheless strengthened the resolve of negotiators, government peace panel chairperson Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said in a statement.

The 10,000-member MILF had agreed to end decades of rebellion in the mainly Catholic nation in exchange for a proposed law now being debated in parliament that would give minority Muslims self-rule in several southern provinces.

The rebels were scheduled to start disarming at the start of this year under the peace treaty.

Sourca: ucanews.com

ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY: Anglican Church in England gets first female bisho...

ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY: Anglican Church in England gets first female bisho...: Anglican Church in England gets first female bishop Lane has been a priest since 1994.   ...

Anglican Church in England gets first female bishop

Lane has been a priest since 1994.

London:  The Anglican Church in England on Monday consecrated its first female bishop, the Reverend Libby Lane, at a historic ceremony in the Cathedral of York, in northern England.

Lane, who was appointed to the post December 17, 2014, will become the eighth bishop of Stockport, a city in northern England, in an event witnessed by a thousand guests.

In an interview with Radio Manchester, Lane, 48, said, "It is a remarkable thing that this happens to me, and people have been very supportive of me personally, but actually this is about a moment in the Church's history."

On December 17, the Anglican Synod appointed Libby Lane as its first woman bishop after having voted last July in favour of the consecration of women, a measure which was then approved in November by the relevant legislation in parliament.

Lane has been a priest since 1994.

Besides England, there are 165 countries with the presence of the Anglican Church, representing some 85 million faithful.

Some of these countries accept women bishops, including Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US, with a total of 29 women consecrated.

IANS

Higher education to the aid of rural India - through technology

The programme was launched Nov 11, 2014, National Education Day, which also marked the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first education minister.

New Delhi:  Aimed at encouraging higher education institutions to engage with problems of rural India like sanitation and hygiene, water, health and education and to provide appropriate solutions for them, the government's recently launched Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA) can lead to transformational change in the country if the technologies are "relevant, robust and affordable", experts say.

The programme was launched Nov 11, 2014, National Education Day, which also marked the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first education minister.

"What is being attempted is rural development with appropriate technology intervention. To the extent that the technologies are relevant, robust and affordable, they will lead to transformational change. This is what happened with the mobile phone revolution too," Bhaskar Ramamurthi, director of IIT Madras, one of the implementing agencies, told IANS.

Elaborating, S.K. Saha, coordinator, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan Cell (UBAC) at IIT Delhi, told IANS: "The main aim is to take already developed solutions to the rural people and how to create links with them so that problems faced by them can be taken up by the IIT community as their academic problem or otherwise."

Under UBA 18 institutions of higher education have been roped in. These include IITs at Bombay, Delhi, Gandhinagar, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Indore, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Madras, Kharagpur, Mandi, Patna, Roorkee and Ropar, BHU Varanasi and also Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, and Malviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur.

"Unnat Bharat Abhiyaan will connect our institutions of higher education to develop technical solutions to address challenges in rural India," Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani said at the launch.

According to UBA's website, 70 percent of India's population lives in rural areas, engaged in an agrarian economy with agriculture and allied sectors employing 51 percent of the workforce but accounting for only 17 percent of the GDP.

Each institute has adopted villages where it will work. While IIT Delhi has adopted 32 villages across Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, IIT Bombay has adopted 27 villages and IIT Madras 11 villages.

"The villages were selected based on earlier interactions with some of the faculty members of IIT Delhi. It is emphasized here that the technical solutions whenever available with any IIT will be taken to a village or a cluster of villages that have similar requirements or demands," Saha said.

Explaining how the institute will help "address development challenges through appropriate technologies", A.K. Sharma, professor of sociology and co-principal investigator of RuTAG (Rural Technology Action Group) at IIT Kanpur, told IANS: "This will be done by identifying problems in rural areas which need technical solution. However, we think that rural development requires both technical and social scientific solutions. Therefore, team work will be required."

How exactly will the model work and what will be the role of the village and IIT community?

"There is no one model for making each project work. For example, the affordable housing technology project using what has been developed by IIT M is being implemented by the Kerala government. The rural ATM developed at IIT M is being supplied by an IIT M startup to banks operating rural branches," Ramamurthi said, explaining the work being carried out by IIT M.

The UBA also aims to foster a new dialogue within the larger community on science, society and the environment and to develop a sense of dignity and collective destiny.

While highlighting the role industries can play once the challenges are identified and solutions demonstrated, experts said that the biggest achievement of the programme would include linking knowledge to field; technology transfer and technology development; solving small technical problems of rural artisans; and interventions in education, health, irrigation, and agricultural innovations.

Agreed Ramamurthi, who said: "A corollary gain will be orientation of students towards rural transformation and social enterprise."

IANS

'Ghar wapsi' part of government's agenda: Singhal

Singhal reiterated that ghar wapsi is different from conversion.

India:  The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has now claimed that ghar wapsi (reconversion) programme was one of the “developmental agendas” of the BJP-led NDA Government in the Centre.

“We will continue ghar wapsi programme because it is a developmental agenda of the Centre,” VHP leader Ashok Singhal said in Kanpur on Saturday.

He was there to attend a function of Jainism. He also claimed that the development of the country without ghar wapsi wouldn’t be possible.

He stressed that the VHP was gearing up to bring these two “agendas of development” on the forefront.

“These issues would be taken up on a priority basis,” he further said.

The VHP leader had also held a meeting at Magh Mela of Allahabad a few days ago and succeeded in mobilising a large number of seers to preach their disciples to organise ghar wapsi in their respective areas.

Some of the seers even trained their disciples to “re-convert those who were converted to Islam or Christianity in the past”.

Swami Narendranand of Kashi-Sumerupeeth told his disciples during a prayer on Friday: “Collect their details and keep a record of them. Keep meeting them frequently and convince them to return to their original religion. Remind them that their forefathers had changed their religion because of fear or greed.”

Swami Vasudevanand Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of Jyotishpeeth, had also declared that he would start a campaign for ghar wapsi.

“The NDA Government is shying away from this issue, we will take forward the ghar wapsi programme,” he declared.

While justifying the programme of the VHP, Singhal reiterated that ghar wapsi is different from conversion.

“We are demanding from the Centre to put a ban against religious conversion. But we don’t agree with those who equate ghar wapsi with conversion. We are here to protect the Hindus by bringing them back to their homes,” he added.

Source: dailymail

Christians, Muslims look to Obama for help

The IAMC letter said that “forced conversions of Muslims and Christians” were being undertaken by “Hindu supremacist organizations, of which the ruling BJP is the political wing”.

Kolkata:  Muslim and Christian leaders in India have shared hopes that visiting US President Barack Obama would raise the persecution of relgious minorities with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The minorities are feeling threatened and insecure now more than ever before,” Father Dominic Emmanuel, director of New Delhi-based Sadbhavana- Institute for Communication and Inter-religious Dialogue.

“Obama must impress upon Indian Prime Minister that of late the rising aggression of the right wing Hindu groups are putting the lives of the minorities in serious jeopardy,” Emmanuel who also edits The Word Among Us (India), added.

Obama arrived in New Delhi on Sunday night on a 3-day visit to the country to showcase what many see as a deepening relationship between the US and India.

He is the first US leader to be selected as the Guest of Honour at India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

Before Obama landed in India, Christian and Muslim communities urged him to convey the communities’ concerns to Modi.

In the US, Indian American Christian activists created an online petition on the White House website, urging Obama to ask Modi intervene to help “preserve and promote the religious freedom” of the religious minorities who, the petition said, felt threatened with the rise of the Hindu extremism in India.

The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), the largest advocacy group of Indian American Muslims, has also wrote a detailed letter warning that since Modi-led Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formed the national government, “militant Hindu nationalist” forces turned more aggressive and many “deeply disturbing developments” in India left a “profoundly negative impact on millions of religious minorities in India, including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Parsis.”

The IAMC letter said that “forced conversions of Muslims and Christians” were being undertaken by “Hindu supremacist organizations, of which the ruling BJP is the political wing”.

“In your discussions with Prime Minister Modi and other Indian officials, express concern over the rapidly deteriorating situation of Christians, Sikhs, Muslims and other minorities in India,” the letter urged Obama.

“A reference to their plight during your speech would go a long way in highlighting the international community's cognizance of the ground realities in India.”

Father Emmanuel says he supported the petition as well as the IAMC letter “to put it firmly on record during Obama’s meeting with Modi, that a democracy like India cannot allow the repression of religious minorities- particularly the Muslims and the Christians”.

“No country, be it the USA or India, can walk on the road to progress, if it cannot take its minorities along,” he said.

Source: onislam

ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY: Rev. JEROME DHAS, the Bishop Elect, Diocese of Kuz...

ROBERT JOHN KENNEDY: Rev. JEROME DHAS, the Bishop Elect, Diocese of Kuz...:  

Rev. JEROME DHAS, the Bishop Elect, Diocese of Kuzhithurai visits Murasancode Parish on 25/01/2015 (Photographed by Mr. Benedict Prince and Deacon Southern Star)

 

 

Women's power, pomp, Obama at R-Day parade

A woman led the Indian Navy contingent while a tableau depicted the success achieved by an all-women's team in scaling the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.

New Delhi:  If the annual Republic Day parade is known for its pomp and splendour, the 66th edition will remain etched in the memory for two other factors - the women's power showcased during the two-hour event and the presence of US President Barack Obama as the chief guest on the occasion.

Quite appropriately, the honour of leading the marching contingents was given to the one drawn from the three services, while the Indian Army, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force also fielded all-women's contingents.

A woman led the Indian Navy contingent while a tableau depicted the success achieved by an all-women's team in scaling the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest.

All this, coupled with a woman leading the contingent that presented a guard of honour to US President Barack Obama Sunday is reportedly Modi's way of showcasing women's power in India - despite the many stories of atrocities on women and the odds stacked against them socially.

The day began cloudy and rainy and there were apprehensions that the flypast, one of the most-eagerly awaited events at the parade, would be curtailed but, in the end, the weather cleared sufficiently for this to take place though the sky remained overcast.

Before the proceedings began, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resplendent in a tricolour turban and for whom it was his first Republic Day parade, drove to India Gate to lay a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial to the unknown soldier.

He later drove back to the saluting base at Rajpath to welcome Obama and President Pranab Mukherjee, who took the salute at the two-hour parade.

Before it commenced, Mukherjee handed over posthumous Ashok Chakras - the nation's highest military award in peacetime - to the widows of Major Mukund Vardarajan and Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh, who were killed in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir.

As in the past, the marching contingents stole the show with their dazzling array of ceremonial uniforms, leaving the audience in the jam-packed stands - despite the cold - spoilt for choice: the blue and gold trimmed tunics of the 61 Cavalry contrasting with the vivid red turbans of the Brigade of the Guards, the red-gold turbans of the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry and the green-blue turbans of a Territorial army unit attached to the Punjab Regiment.

Most of the paramilitary and police contingents were in regulation khaki but they too got a look-in, thanks to their ceremonial cummerbunds, sashes and turbans.

Notably, the mechanised columns were down to a minimum this time around - perhaps to paper over the fact that 70 percent of the hardware with the armed forces is imported, a situation that Modi's 'Make in India' initiative hopes to reverse.

The music, as usual, made for considerable patriotic fervour, what with rousing tunes like Sare Jahan Se Aacha, Hanste Lushai, Kadam Kadam Badahe Ja and Sound Barrier, many of which had Obama keeping time - which he also did when the tableaux came on with their wealth of folk music.

This also made for a seamless blend of military might and heritage as 25 tableaux - 16 from the states and nine from various ministries - graphically displayed India's rich cultural diversity.

Andhra Pradesh chose to do this through a harvest festival; Madhya Pradesh highlighted the Bhagoria festival of love and matchmaking; Uttarakhand through the pilgrimage to Kedarnath; Sikkim through cardamom farming, Assam by re-creating Majuli, the world's largest river island; Telangana by re-creating the Golconda fort and Haryana with likeness of the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary - quite naturally, with twittering birds.

The 'Make in India' tableau by the department of industrial policy and promotion depicted a mechanised lion against the backdrop of a smart city. The campaign aims to promote manufacturing in India.

Another pet project of the prime minister, the 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' programme, a campaign against female foeticide which he launched from Panipat in Haryana Jan 22, was also featured in a tableau.

And, as usual, the flower-bedecked tableau of the Central Public Works Department drew loud applause. It featured the source of the Ganga river high up in the Himalayas.

The weather began to lift as the tableaux were rolling down Rajpath and just as the schoolchildren had finished their routines, three Mi-35 attack helicopters of the IAF streamed in through the somewhat cloudy sky.

Then, in quick succession came the newly acquired C-130J Super Hercules medium-lift transport, the P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft escorted by MiG-29 combat jets (both of the Indian Navy), the C-17 heavy-lift transport escorted by Sukhoi Su-30 MKI combat jets and the Jaguars.

All this left most spectators with a feeling of “Yeh dil maange more”, but for that they'd have to wait a full year. It would be a wait well worth it.

IANS

Pope Francis, the climate advocate

Pontiff's comments on global warming are a boost for those campaigning to protect the planet.

Pope Francis greets the people of Tacloban last Saturday

By Anna Abad
Manila:  The recent visit by His Holiness Pope Francis to the Philippines served as an inspiration and a re-awakening of faith.

Countless testimonials bring to light how he invigorated and touched the lives of millions of Filipinos who braved heavy rains and tuned in for his homilies and speeches.

Central to the pope’s message was caring for the poor. The highlight was his trip to Tacloban in Leyte province, underscoring his desire to be in solidarity with victims of Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) who continue to experience social injustice.

They have become victims of climate change and have suffered mental anguish from losing loved ones and their homes, not to mention being traumatized by such a climate catastrophe that is now considered a ‘new normal’.

Aboard the papal plane en route to the Philippines, the pope declared that “human activity is the main cause of climate change”, and that “man has slapped nature in the face”.

The pope’s words are a powerful indictment of how we risk destroying what many describe as God’s creation.

In his homily in Luneta, and in an undelivered speech at a youth forum at the University of Santo Tomas, Pope Francis tackled head on the importance of protecting the environment.

He emphasized how countries like the Philippines will be “seriously affected by climate change”, disproportionally affecting the poor and marginalized.

The pope’s call to action on climate is not only groundbreaking, but also prompts us to think and act with urgency — to do something about our climate situation while we still can.

Climate change has become a social and moral problem that affects everyone, especially the poor. That is one crucial reason why the pope is calling on a “moral imperative” to ensure social and climate justice for present and future generations.

It is admirable that the pontiff — known to be a champion of the poor — is taking on another global injustice and is going above and beyond the secular realm to convince and persuade the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, religious leaders — even political leaders — to act “courageously” and urgently on climate change.

Pope Francis’ unique role as a religious leader who is also vocal about the environment comes at a crucial time when countries will make an attempt at concluding 20 years of fraught negotiations with a commitment to reduce heat-trapping emissions.

The pontiff hopes that the forthcoming encyclical on climate change could influence UN climate talks taking place in Paris later this year.

The pope commended Filipinos for their strength, faith and resilience in the face of natural disasters. He is right to say that we are courageous and resourceful survivors, not mere victims.

However, let us not lose sight of who the perpetrators are: the big polluters — the fossil fuel industry — that have profited from pumping carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere and contributed to social exclusion. They must be held accountable for the climate crisis that besets countries like the Philippines.

Thus far, the morally bankrupt fossil fuel industry remains invincible, hiding behind the cloak of their vast wealth and power.

They have bankrolled governments and injected fear into the political arena, thereby constraining it from embracing truly sustainable development.

In order for us to create an enabling environment for change, we must break away from the tight grip of the fossil fuel industry.

More than a moral question, it is an ethical imperative for world leaders to now make climate justice a reality, to hold the big polluters accountable and set us on a low-carbon pathway so that our children may have a sustainable future.

Anna Abad serves as Climate Justice Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia. She holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the National University of Singapore – Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Source: ucanews.com

Hong Kong religious leaders voice climate change alarm

Interfaith statement calls for worldwide consensus on how to halt global warming.

Hong Kong:  Hong Kong’s six main religions have joined forces to urge world governments to come to a consensus on tackling climate change, among the first interfaith organizations in Asia to do so.

In a statement on Thursday, the Colloquium of Six Religious Leaders of Hong Kong — including Catholicism, Protestantism, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism — warned that increasingly erratic weather causes storms and disease, leaving the world’s poor worst affected.

“Act now — time is running out,” they said. “Currently, we are on the trajectory of emissions with potentially catastrophic consequences — threatening all of us and the natural world.”

The statement calls on governments to come to a worldwide consensus on reducing emissions when United Nations climate talks resume in Paris at the end of the year.

Although countries including the US and China have reached bilateral deals to reduce emissions, at the UN level nations continue to disagree: many less-developed nations argue they should not be held to stringent emissions limits when they haven’t had a chance to develop their economies.

“The religious leaders are concerned about climate change and environmental protection. That is the spirit of all religions and we do hope an agreement could be reached in the climate talks in Paris later this year,” said Chan Kim-kwong of the Christian Council.

The statement by Hong Kong’s main interfaith group represents a landmark as it is “probably the first” of its kind in Asia, said Ciara Shannon, Asia regional coordinator of Our Voices, a worldwide multi-faith climate movement.

“It is important that faith leaders raise awareness on the moral imperative of climate change, globally and in Asia, and our shared responsibility to act,” she added.

The statement from Hong Kong comes as Pope Francis prepares to publish an encyclical on ecology and climate change which is also expected to urge world leaders to reach a binding emissions agreement at the next round of talks.

Source: ucanews.com

China home to 33 million more men than women as of 2014

Gender bias continues to result in heavily skewed ratio of male to female births.

China:  China was home to 33 million more men than women in 2014, renewing a long-running controversy over selective abortion, abandoned baby girls, and the country's family planning restrictions, according to government figures released this week.

China's population stood at 1.36 billion at the end of last year, according to official statistics released this week, of whom 700 million are men and 667 million are women.

"The gender ratio at birth is still dangerously high, with 115.88 boys born to every 100 girls in 2014," the official Xinhua news agency reported. The figures compare with a global average of 103 to 107 boys to every 100 girls.

China's gender ratio peaked far above the global average of 107 in 2004 at 121.18, and fell to 115.8 in 2014, the National Health and Family Planning Commission said Wednesday in a statement on its website.

But it warned that the ratio is still higher than in any other country.

"The gender imbalance in [China] is the most serious in the world, and has lasted for the longest period of time and affected the largest number of people," the Commission said.

It said the government plans to crack down further on blood-testing to determine the sex of a fetus, as families continue to send blood samples overseas for testing to circumvent a domestic ban on the practice.

It also reiterated warnings to agencies who make money sending the samples overseas, reminding medical staff that carrying, mailing or transporting blood samples abroad is illegal.

Experts said the gender imbalance in China's population can be traced back to the start of the "one-child policy" during the 1970s.

Gender studies scholar Lu Pin, who edits the online newspaper Women's Voice, said the policy had combined with a preference in Chinese traditional culture for male heirs, whose duty it is to care for their parents in old age.

"The one-child policies actually allow for the gender bias in favor of boys, and, as such, can be said to bear some responsibility for reinforcing it," Lu said.

"In rural areas, the one-child policy was always in effect a 'one-and-a-half child policy,' because couples would be allowed a second child if the first was a girl," she said.

"If the first-born was a boy, then they wouldn't be allowed to have another."

She said the government had colluded with traditional ideas that boys are more valuable than girls.

"We should really reflect on this aspect of our family-planning policies," Lu added.

Cheng Yuan, acting director of the non-governmental Pingji Center in Guangzhou, said the stringent population controls of the past four decades had also ensured that there aren't so many younger people to take care of the country's elderly.

"The one-child policy has caused other problems, too. Namely that of an aging population," Cheng said.

"The burden on [younger] relatives will be much heavier, while the aging problem is more apparent at a time when China's social security and welfare system is far from ideal," she said.

Easing of restrictions

In the first significant easing of the one-child policy in nearly 30 years, Beijing announced at the end of 2013 that couples will be allowed to have two children if one of the parents is an only child.

Previously, most parents were restricted to having one child, although the political and financial elite were able to afford the financial penalties, and often have larger families.

Urban couples were permitted a second child if both parents do not have siblings, while rural couples were allowed to have two children if their first-born was a girl.

But overseas women's rights campaigners say the changes aren't likely to reduce the number of forced abortions and abandoned girl babies, or ease human trafficking in the country, as a growing number of rural men have trouble finding wives.

According to Reggie Littlejohn, founder and president of California-based Women's Rights Without Frontiers, allowing couples to have two children if either parent is an only child under a so-called reform of the one-child policy won't end voluntary, sex-selective abortion of baby girls.

Littlejohn has called on Beijing to reduce the numbers of aborted or abandoned girls by providing economic incentives to families giving birth to girls and special compensation to retirement-age couples who have no sons to support them.

And many couples continue to face large fines, seizure of their property and loss of their jobs, as well as forced abortions and sterilizations, and even violent forced evictions by local officials, if they break the rules.

China last year launched pilot drop zones for unwanted infants in 25 major cities last year in a bid to prevent unwanted babies from being left to die on the streets, but many schemes were forced to close after being overwhelmed, mostly by infants with severe disabilities.

Source: Radio Free Asia

Manila homeless removed from streets, kept at luxury resort during papal visit

Pope would have wanted to see the Philippines, 'warts and all', says congressman.

Homeless families watch a movie on a compact DVD player, using electricity tapped from a supply at a public park in Manila on September 22, 2014

Manila:  The Philippines government came under fire Friday after admitting that hundreds of homeless people were taken off Manila's streets and put into luxury accommodation during Pope Francis's recent visit, when he preached compassion for the poor.

Members of parliament demanded an explanation after Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman revealed 490 beggars and homeless people were taken to air-conditioned log cabins at a resort near Manila for the January 15-19 visit.

"The pope would have wanted to see the Philippines, warts and all. Let us not pretend that we are a first-world country," said House of Representatives member Terry Ridon, who is initiating a congressional inquiry.

Soliman said the street people, many of whom live in shanties and hammocks tied to palm trees along the Manila Bay seafront, were removed from the capital's Roxas Boulevard before the visit.

A record crowd of six million flooded the bayside road on Sunday to hear Pope Francis celebrate mass in a nearby park, the highlight of his tour of the Catholic outpost where he preached "mercy and compassion" for the poor.

But the homeless were instead taken to plush accommodation at a hilltop resort south of Manila during the trip, before being deposited back on the streets hours after the pontiff's departure on Monday.

Renato Reyes, secretary-general of the left-wing group Bayan, criticized the decision, saying the government was "whitewashing poverty".

But Soliman said the homeless would have been "vulnerable to syndicates and discriminated (against) a lot" had they stayed in the area.

"You cannot hide poverty. When the pope landed, the first thing he saw was the shanties by the river," she said.

She also said they had received training as part of a government scheme launched last year to provide 11,000 homeless families with rent-free accommodation for up to a year a year. So far the program has helped 2,000.

"Part of the orientation is to familiarize themselves with a room with a door and toilets," Soliman said.

The Chateau Royale resort where the homeless people stayed offers swimming pools and rock-climbing facilities, and usually charges up to 24,000 pesos (US$544) for a room per night, according to its website.

Soliman said the government did not pay the full price, without providing details.

Source: AFP/UCAN

Vatican names members of new body responsible for tackling clergy abuse

Office will handle cases of 'grave crimes' such as sexual abuse of a minor by a priest.

Vatican City:  Pope Francis completed the membership of the new Vatican body with responsibility for dealing with clerical sex abuse on Wednesday, marking a further step in providing adequate procedures to insure justice for victims.

The body is a specific office within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith that will deal with 'delicta graviora', or 'more grave crimes'.

These are the most serious crimes in the Church, and most notably include offenses against morality: the sexual abuse of a minor by a cleric; or the acquisition, possession, or distribution of child pornography by a cleric.

The new office is established as a college of seven people, whose names were announced on January 21.

Bishop Charles Scicluna has been appointed president of the college. Now the Auxiliary Bishop of Malta, Bishop Scicluna served from 2002 to 2012 as Promoter of Justice in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith — that is, as the Vatican's public prosecutor — personally handling the sex abuses crises of 2002 and 2010 and carrying forward the ‘zero tolerance’ line wanted by St John Paul II and Benedict XVI to tackle the issue.

The other members of the college are: Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Cardinal Attilio Nicora, president emeritus of the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See; Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio, president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Bishop Juan Arrieta Ochoa de Chinchetru, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See; and Archbishop Jos� Mollaghan, Emeritus of Rosario.

The college has also two supplementary members: Cardinal Julian Herranz Casado, president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts; and Bishop Giorgio Corbellini, president of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See and of the Disciplinary Commission of the Roman Curia.

The new office is charged with lightening the work of the ordinary session of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, handling the appeals on 'delicta graviora'.

Aside from sexual abuse of minors, the 'delicta graviora' which the college will examine include those against the sacraments — including those against Eucharist, such as profaning a consecrated Host; against Confession, such as violating the seal; and against Holy Orders, such as the attempted ordination of a woman.

Source: Catholic News Agency

China to continue illicit ordinations in defiance of Holy See

New working plan for religious affairs gives no hint of rapprochement with the Vatican.

Bishop candidate Father Ding Lingbin (center, left) with SARA director Wang Zuoan (center, right) during an inspection trip to Changzhi diocese last year.

Hong Kong:  China will continue its practice of electing and ordaining bishops independent of the Holy See, according to a 2015 working plan by the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA).

The plan, which appeared on the SARA website on January 15, was the product of a national meeting of religious officials in Beijing on December 26-27, in which SARA director Wang Zuoan is quoted as saying “2015 will be a very important year for religious work”.

Wang added that the administration’s work “must be done according to religious regulations, promote the rule of law and take the opinion of the faithful into consideration when implementing religious policies and directions of the central government” because of outstanding issues.

These outstanding issues, according to the working plan, include support for the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the bishop’s conference in proceeding with the independent election and ordination of bishops.

The issue of independent ordinations has been a principal obstacle to peaceful relations between Beijing and the Vatican, which demands the right to name its own prelates, and the working plan indicates that illicit episcopal ordinations done in defiance of the Holy See would continue.

Since the last episcopal ordination in 2012, there remain a handful of bishop candidates awaiting approval from the bishops’ conference that have not been recognized by the Vatican, including Father Joseph Tang Yuange of Chengdu, who was elected in May last year.

The working plan also instructs the two Church bodies to “convene the National Catholic Representatives Congress, strengthen their leadership-building and promote democracy in running the Catholic Church”.

The congress, comprising elected clergy, Religious and laypeople, convenes every five years and oversees the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association and the bishops’ conference — and thus is deemed to be at variance from the Catholic Church hierarchy.

In a statement in 2010, the Vatican said it was “with profound sorrow” that it saw the eighth national congress convene in that year and warned Catholic clergy and laypeople not to participate in the event.

In an effort to promote what it calls the rule of law, the working plan further announced that the administration would monitor all religious personnel serving in Church venues and would instruct religious venues and seminaries to open their individual bank accounts.

In addition, the working plan will begin conferring work certificates to the faculty of the National Seminary in Beijing as well as conferring bachelor’s degrees to seminarians and commencing formation of postgraduate students.

In the same meeting last year, SARA also published a work report from 2014, in which the Catholic Church was mentioned only once.

The 2014 report noted “difficult and hot issues that need to be solved”, including to “implement thoroughly the regulations with regard to bishops’ election, push forward a norm on election and ordination of bishops, and to enhance formation of middle-aged and young clergy”.

Source: ucanews.com

Irom Sharmila released from custody, resumes fast

Sharmila has been fasting since November 2000 to demand repeal of the AFSPA.

Guwahati:  Human rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanua "who has been fasting since 2000 demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958," was released from a hospital turned into a jail Thursday.

The development came after a court in Manipur's Imphal East district rejected the charges against her.

Soon after the verdict, the activist was released from the hospital ward in Imphal, which was turned into a jail for her all these years.

But just after release, Sharmila resumed her fast, her colleagues said.

This is the second time that the court in Manipur has struck down the charges against her. Last August, Sharmila was released following an order of the sessions court, which dismissed the prosecution charge against her.

However, police arrested her soon after to "save" her life as she continued with her hunger strike against the AFSPA.

The re-arrest was made under IPC Sections 309 (attempt to commit suicide) and 353 for obstructing police from discharging duty.

"The court in its ruling today observed that there was no material evidence on the charges against her and, accordingly, ordered her release," Sharmila's counsel Khaidem Mani said.

Asked if she could be arrested again, the advocate said that it was up to the Manipur government.

"I hope the issues Sharmila has been fighting for all these years will be dealt with politically rather than criminalising her struggle," said Manipur-based Human Rights Activist Babloo Loingtongbam while expressing his happiness over her release.

Sharmila has been fasting since November 2000 to demand repeal of the AFSPA. She decided to sit for indefinite fast after the Assam Rifles killed 10 civilians at Malom in Imphal.

The Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which covers large parts of northeastern India and Kashmir, allows security forces to search, enter property and shoot-on-sight.

The repeal of the infamous act has also been recommended by a number of national bodies, including the Second Administrative Reforms Commission, the Jeevan Reddy Commission and the Prime Minister's Working Group on Confidence-Building Measures in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Justice Verma Committee on Amendments to Criminal Law said in January 2013 that the AFSPA legitimised impunity for sexual violence, and recommended an urgent review of the law.

In March 2013, the Amnesty International also appealed to the Indian authorities to immediately release Irom Sharmila Chanu and drop all charges against her.

IANS

Four spiritual leaders conferred Padma award

Jagat Guru Amrta Suryananda Maha Raja, who is based in Portugal, was among the 75 recipients of the Padma Shri award.

New Delhi:  Jagat Guru Ramanandacharya Swami Rambhadracharya and three other spiritual leaders, including a NRI in Portugal, were Sunday conferred with Padma awards.

Swami Rambhadracharya, from Uttar Pradesh, was among the nine awarded India's second highest civilian honour, the Padam Vibhushan.

Swami Satyamitranand Giri from Uttar Pradesh, and Shivakumara Swami from Karnataka were among the 20 recipients of the Padma Bhushan, a home ministry release said.

Jagat Guru Amrta Suryananda Maha Raja, who is based in Portugal, was among the 75 recipients of the Padma Shri award.

IANS

Don't make religion a cause for conflict: President

Commenting on terrorism, the president said “violence is seeping across our borders”.

New Delhi:  President Pranab Mukherjee Sunday said political discourse that "cuts and wounds" people’s hearts was “abhorrent" to India’s traditional ethos.

In his customary address to the nation on the eve of Republic Day, Mukherjee said: “The freedom inherent in democracy sometimes generates an unhappy by-product when political discourse becomes a competition in hysteria that is abhorrent to our traditional ethos.”

“The violence of the tongue cuts and wounds people’s hearts,” he added.

Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said: “Religion is a force for unity; we cannot make it a cause of conflict."

Mukherjee once again objected to government enacting laws without discussion, saying that it impacts the law-making role of the parliament and breaches the trust reposed in it by the people.

“This is neither good for the democracy nor for the policies relating to those laws."

Recently the president had raised strong objections to a string of ordinances - executive orders - passed by the union cabinet, including the one on the land acquisition act.

While acknowledging that the constitution provided for promulgation of ordinance in extraordinary situation, Mukherjee had said this route cannot and should not be taken for normal legislation.

In his address, the president also stressed on the importance of the parliamentary process in making laws saying there can be no governance without a functioning legislature.

“The legislature reflects the will of the people. It is the platform where progressive legislation using civilized dialogue must create delivery mechanisms for realizing the aspirations of the people. It calls for reconciling the differences amongst stakeholders and building a consensus for the law to be enacted,” he said in his address that was aired in Doordarshan, the national broadcaster.

The aspect of women's security also found mention in the president's speech Sunday.

Mukherjee said: “...it pains me to see that Mother India is not respected by her own children when it comes to the safety of women.

“Atrocities of rape, murders, harassment on the roads, kidnapping and dowry deaths have made women fearful even in their own homes,” the president said, adding every Indian must take a pledge to protect the honour of women from violence of any kind.

Commenting on terrorism, the president said “violence is seeping across our borders”.

“While peace, non-violence and good neighbourly intentions should remain the fundamentals of our foreign policy, we cannot afford to be complacent about adversaries who will stop at nothing to disrupt our progress towards a prosperous and equitable India,” he added.

India has the strength, confidence and determination to defeat architects of this war against its people, he said.

“Repeated violations of the ceasefire along the Line of Control and terrorist attacks must get an integrated response through incisive diplomacy and impregnable security mechanisms. The world must join India in fighting the menace of terrorism,” he said.

The president also said that the results of last year's general elections have been remarkable as people have voted a single party to power after three decades.

“The voter has played her part; it is now up to those who have been elected to honour this trust. It was a vote for clean, efficient, effective, gender-sensitive, transparent, accountable and citizen-friendly governance,” he added.

IANS

Tamil Nadu asks top official to stop preaching faith

His open and public preaching of Christianity has raised the hackles of right-wing groups who are campaigning against him.

Chennai:  The Tamil Nadu government has directed one of its IAS officers not to go ahead with “preaching and propagating“ his faith as it is against service rules and could create communal disharmony.

C Umashankar, a crusader against corruption and an early advocate of the use of free software in e-governance, was born a Hindu dalit but said he changed his faith to Christianity during the stressful times he faced in his battles against politicians.

His open and public preaching of Christianity has raised the hackles of right-wing groups who are campaigning against him.

In a letter, TN chief secretary K Gnanadesikan told the commissioner for disciplinary proceedings, Umashankar: “It has been brought to the notice of government that you are going to take part in preaching and propagating activities in Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Kanyakumari districts from January 24 to January 26 which are likely to cause communal disharmony and disturbance to public order.

You are directed not to indulge in such activities which are unbecoming of a member of the service, failing which, necessary and appropriate action would be taken under relevant provisions of All India Services (conduct) Rules, 1968 read with the All India Services (Discipline & Appeal ) Rules, 1969.“

The chief secretary also referred to Umashankar's previous visit to Kanyakumari district on January 16 in which “he indulged in activities which created disturbance to public order resulting in registration of two cases in Pudukadai police station in the district“.

Umashankar said “guided by God,“ he has cancelled seven prayer meetings scheduled in the next few days, but said he will move the high court against the government's direction.

Gnanadesikan in his letter said civil service conduct rules say that “every member of the service shall at all times maintain absolute integrity and devotion to duty and shall do nothing which is unbecoming of a member of the service.“ A senior police official in South Tamil Nadu said since Kanyakumari is vulnerable to communal violence they are worried about Umashankar's meetings.

Former chief election commissioner N Gopalaswami said since the direction of the state has mentioned a previous incident which reportedly created disturbance to public order, the order against Umashankar is justifiable.

செய்திகள் - 26.01.15

செய்திகள் - 26.01.15

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1. திருத்தந்தை - விசுவாசத்தை மற்றவர்களுக்கு வழங்குபவர்கள் முக்கியமாக பெண்கள்

2. திருத்தந்தை - கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் என்பதாலாயே துன்புறுத்தப்படுகின்றனர்

3. உக்ரேய்னில் தாக்குதல்கள் நிறுத்தப்பட திருத்தந்தை வேண்டுகோள்

4. கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு ஆவல் கடவுள்மீதுள்ள தாகத்தின் ஓர் அங்கம்

5. இலங்கையில் தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகள் விரைவில் விடுதலை செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்

6. பாரசீக மொழியில் முதல் கத்தோலிக்க மறைக்கல்வி ஏடு

7. மோதல்களுக்கு மதத்தை ஒருபோதும் காரணமாகக் காட்டக் கூடாது

8. உடல் உறுப்பு தானத்தில் தமிழகம் முதலிடம்

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1. திருத்தந்தை - விசுவாசத்தை மற்றவர்களுக்கு வழங்குபவர்கள் முக்கியமாக பெண்கள்

சன.26,2015. விசுவாசம் தூய ஆவியாரின் கொடை, இவ்விசுவாசத்தை மற்றவர்களுக்கு வழங்குபவர்கள் முக்கியமாக பெண்கள் என்று, ஆயர்களான திமொத்தேயு, தீத்து ஆகிய புனிதர்கள் விழாவான இத்திங்களன்று கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

இந்நாளைய முதல் வாசகமான, புனித பவுல் திமொத்தேயுவுக்கு எழுதிய திருமடலை (2 திமொ.1,1-8) மையமாக வைத்து மறையுரையாற்றிய திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்கள், தாய்மாரும், பாட்டிமாரும் அடுத்த தலைமுறைகளுக்கு விசுவாசத்தை வழங்குகின்றார்கள் என்றும் கூறினார்.

இத்திங்கள் காலை வத்திக்கான் சாந்தா மார்த்தா இல்லச் சிற்றாலயத்தில் நிறைவேற்றிய திருப்பலி மறையுரையில் இவ்வாறு கூறிய திருத்தந்தை, திமொத்தேயு பெற்றுள்ள விசுவாசம், அவரது பாட்டி லோயி, தாய் யூனிக்கி ஆகியோரிடமிருந்து தூய ஆவியாரிடமிருந்து பெற்றார் என, பவுலடிகளார் திமொத்தேயு மற்றும். கூறினார் என்றார்.

விசுவாசத்தை மற்றவர்க்கு வழங்குதல் என்பது ஒன்று, அடுத்தது, விசுவாசம் பற்றிய காரியங்களைக் கற்பிப்பது என்று மறையுரையில் கூறிய திருத்தந்தை, விசுவாசம் ஒரு கொடையாகும், அதைப் படிப்பினால் பெற இயலாது, விசுவாசம் பற்றிப் படிப்பவர்கள் அதைப் பற்றி நன்றாகத் தெரிந்துகொள்வதற்காகப் படிக்கின்றனர் என்றும் கூறினார்.

விசுவாசம் தூய ஆவியாரின் கொடை, இது ஒரு குடும்பத்தில் பாட்டிமார் மற்றும் தாய்மாரின் நற்பணிகளால் பிறருக்கு வழங்கப்படுகிறது, இதைப் பெண்கள் உணர்ந்திருக்கிறார்களா என்று, இன்று சிந்திப்போம் எனவும் திருத்தந்தை கூறினார்.

நாம் விரும்புவது அனைத்தையும் நம்மால் செய்ய இயலாது என்பதை மெய்ஞானத்தின் தூய ஆவியார் அறிவார், எனவே உறுதியான விசுவாசத்தை, சூழலுக்கேற்ப மாறக் கூடாத ஒரு விசுவாசத்தை நாம் பெறுவதற்கு ஆண்டவரிடம் வரம் கேட்போம் என்று மறையுரையை நிறைவு செய்தார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

ஆதாரம் :   வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

2. திருத்தந்தை - கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் என்பதாலாயே துன்புறுத்தப்படுகின்றனர்

சன.26,2015. இக்காலத்தில் கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் என்பதற்காகவே, எல்லா கிறிஸ்தவ சபைகளைச் சார்ந்தவர்களில் பலர் துன்புறுத்தப்பட்டு கொல்லப்படுகின்றனர், இதுவே இந்நாளில் உள்ளத்தின் ஆழத்திலிருந்து வெளிப்படும் இரத்தக் கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு என்று கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

இம்மாதம் 18ம் தேதி முதல் 25ம் தேதி வரை உலக கிறிஸ்தவ சபைகள் கடைப்பிடித்த கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு வாரத்தின் நிறைவாக, இஞ்ஞாயிறு மாலை உரோம் புனித பவுல் பசிலிக்காவில் திருவழிபாட்டை தலைமையேற்று நடத்திய திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்கள் இவ்வாறு கூறினார்.

கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு என்பது, இது குறித்த கலந்துரையாடலில் ஈடுபடும் ஒவ்வொரு குழுவும் தனது கருத்து ஏற்றுக்கொள்ளப்படுவதற்கு முயற்சிக்கும் நுட்பமான கொள்கைமுறை உரையாடல்களின் பலன்களால் வருவது அல்ல, மாறாக, நம்மை ஒன்றிணைப்பது எது என்பதை அதிகமாகவும் முழுமையாகவும் புரிந்து கொள்வதற்கு வழிகளைத் தேடுவதாகும் என்று கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை.

வானகத்தந்தையாம் கடவுளின் அன்பு, தமது மகன் மூலம் தூய ஆவியார் வழியாக, வெளிப்படுத்தப்பட்டதைப் பகிர்ந்துகொள்வதற்கு கிறிஸ்தவர்கள் அழைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர் என்பதைக் குறிப்பிட்டுப் பேசிய திருத்தந்தை, கிறிஸ்தவர்களாகிய நாம் நம்மிடையே காணப்படும் பிரிவினைகளைக் களைவதற்கு முயற்சிக்க வேண்டும் என்பதற்கு அழுத்தம் கொடுத்து உரையாற்றினார்.

இந்த மாலை திருவழிபாட்டில், கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு முதுபெரும் தந்தையின் பிரதிநிதி பேராயர் Gennadios, கான்டர்பரி ஆங்கிலக்கன் பேராயரின் பிரதிநிதியான உரோமையிலுள்ள ஆயர் David Moxon உட்பட பிற கிறிஸ்தவ சபைகளின் பிரதிநிதிகளும் கலந்துகொண்டனர்.

ஆதாரம் :   வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

3. உக்ரேய்னில் தாக்குதல்கள் நிறுத்தப்பட திருத்தந்தை வேண்டுகோள்

சன.26,2015. உக்ரேய்னில் இடம்பெறும் தாக்குதல்கள் நிறுத்தப்பட்டு, உரையாடல்மூலம் பிரச்சனைக்குத் தீர்வு காணப்படுமாறு மிகவும் உருக்கத்துடன் அழைப்பு விடுப்பதாக இஞ்ஞாயிறு மூவேளை செப உரைக்குப் பின்னர் கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

உக்ரேய்ன் நாட்டின் கிழக்கில் இரஷ்ய ஆதரவுப் புரட்சியாளர்கள் இச்சனிக்கிழமையன்று நடத்திய தாக்குதலில் குறைந்தது முப்பது பேர் கொல்லப்பட்டுள்ளனர், மேலும் நூற்றுக்கணக்கானோர் காயமடைந்துள்ளனர்.

இன்னும், தொழுநோயால் துன்புறுவோருடன் ஒருமைப்பாட்டைத் தெரிவிக்கும் உலக தினம் இஞ்ஞாயிறன்று கடைப்பிடிக்கப்பட்டதை நினைவுபடுத்திய திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்கள், இந்தத் தொழுநோயாளர்களுடன் நம் ஒருமைப்பாட்டைப் புதுப்பிப்போம் எனக் கேட்டுக்கொண்டார்.

இந்நோயாளர்கள் மத்தியில் பணிசெய்பவர்கள், இந்நோயை ஒழிப்பதற்கு முயற்சிப்பவர்கள் என எல்லாரையும் ஊக்கப்படுத்திய திருத்தந்தை, உலகில் அமைதி நிலவ வேண்டுமென இத்தாலிய கத்தோலிக்க கழகத்தின் சிறார் நடத்திய பேரணியில் கலந்துகொண்டவர்களைப் பாராட்டினார்.

தான் அண்மையில் பிலிப்பீன்ஸ் நாட்டுக்கு மேற்கொண்ட திருத்தூதுப் பயணத்தை நினைவுகூர்ந்து, வத்திக்கான் வாளாகத்தில் தேசியக் கொடிகளுடன் நின்றுகொண்டிருந்த பிலிப்பீன்ஸ் மக்களை வாழ்த்தினார் திருத்தந்தை. இம்மக்களின் விசுவாச வாழ்வுக்கு நன்றியும் தெரிவித்தார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

ஆதாரம் :   வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

4. கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு ஆவல் கடவுள்மீதுள்ள தாகத்தின் ஓர் அங்கம்

சன.26,2015. இயேசுவின் சீடர்களில் ஏற்படும் கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்புக்கான ஆவல், தீமை மற்றும் மரணத்தின் அடிமைத்தனத்திலிருந்து விடுதலை பெறும் முழுமையான வாழ்வுக்குரிய தாகமாகும் என்று திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்கள் கூறினார்.

இஞ்ஞாயிறு நண்பகலில் வத்திக்கான் வளாகத்தில் கூடியிருந்த ஏறக்குறைய நாற்பதாயிரம் மக்களுக்கு மூவேளை செப உரை வழங்கிய திருத்தந்தை, இவ்வாண்டின் கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு வாரத்தின் மையப்பொருளான, "எனக்குக் குடிப்பதற்குக் கொஞ்சம் தண்ணீர் கொடு" என்று இயேசு சமாரியப் பெண்ணிடம் கேட்ட இறைச்சொற்களை மையமாக வைத்து சிந்தனைகளைப் பகிர்ந்துகொண்டார்.

கிறிஸ்தவ ஒன்றிப்பு வாரத்தின் நிறைவாக, இஞ்ஞாயிறு மாலை உரோம் புனித பவுல் பசிலிக்காவில் நடைபெற்ற திருவழிபாட்டில் கலந்துகொள்வதற்கும் விசுவாசிகளுக்கு அழைப்பு விடுத்தார் திருத்தந்தை.

கடவுள் மனிதராய்ப் பிறந்ததன்மூலம் நம் தாகத்தைச் சுவைத்தார், அதில், தண்ணீருக்கான நம் உடல் தாகத்தை மட்டுமல்ல, எல்லாவற்றுக்கும் மேலாக, தீமை மற்றும் மரணத்தின் அடிமைத்தனத்திலிருந்து விடுதலை பெறும் முழுமையான வாழ்வுக்குரிய தாகத்தையும் சுவைத்தார் என்று கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ்.

இயேசு, கடவுளின் வாக்குறுதிகளின் நிறைவாக இருக்கிறார், ஏனெனில் இவர், தூய ஆவியாருக்கு உயிருள்ள தண்ணீரை அளிப்பவர், அலைந்துதிரியும் இதயங்களின் தாகத்தையும், வாழ்வு, அன்பு, சுதந்திரம், அமைதி ஆகியவற்றுக்கான பசியையும், இறைவனுக்காக ஏங்கும் தாகத்தையும் இத்தண்ணீர் தீர்த்து வைக்கின்றது என்றும் கூறினார் திருத்தந்தை.

நாம் நம் இதயங்களில் இந்தத் தாகத்தை எவ்வளவு அடிக்கடி பெற்றுள்ளோம் என்று கூறிய திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்கள், கிறிஸ்தவர்களாகிய நாம் ஒன்றாய் இருக்க வேண்டுமென இயேசு விரும்புகிறார், ஆனால் நாம் பிளவுபட்டுள்ளோம், நம் பாவங்களும் வரலாறும் நம்மைப் பிரித்துள்ளன, நாம் ஒன்றிணைந்து வருவதற்குத் தூய ஆவியாரிடம் செபிப்போம் என்றும் கூறினார்.

ஆதாரம் :   வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

5. இலங்கையில் தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகள் விரைவில் விடுதலை செய்யப்பட வேண்டும்

சன.26,2015. இலங்கைச் சிறைகளில் தடுத்து வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ள தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகளை, நூறு நாள் வேலைத்திட்டத்தின்கீழ் விடுதலை செய்வதற்குரிய நடவடிக்கைகளை அரசுத்தலைவர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன தலைமையிலான புதிய அரசு முயற்சிக்க வேண்டும் என்று யாழ் மறைமாவட்ட ஆயர் தாமஸ் சவுந்தரநாயகம் அவர்கள் வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்துள்ளார்.

அரசுத்தலைவர் மைத்திரிபால சிறிசேன அவர்களுக்கு, இந்த வேண்டுகோளை முன்வைத்து கடிதம் அனுப்பியுள்ள ஆயர் தாமஸ், ஆயிரக்கணக்கான தமிழ் அரசியல் கைதிகள் நீண்ட காலமாக சிறையில் தடுத்து வைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளதாகவும், வெள்ளை வேன் கடத்தல் மற்றும் இறுதிப் போரின்போது சரணடைந்தவர்கள் தொடர்பாக உடன் விசாரணை நடத்தப்படல் வேண்டும் எனவும் கேட்டுள்ளார்.

இதற்கிடையே, திருத்தந்தை பிரான்சிஸ் அவர்களின் இலங்கை திருத்தூதுப் பயணத்தை முன்னிட்டு சிறைக்கைதிகள் சிலர் பொது மன்னிப்பின் அடிப்படையில் விடுவிக்கப்பட்டனர் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

ஆதாரம் :  ஆதவன்/வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

6. பாரசீக மொழியில் முதல் கத்தோலிக்க மறைக்கல்வி ஏடு

சன.26,2015. ஈரான், ஆப்கானிஸ்தான், தசகிஸ்தான் போன்ற நாடுகளில் பேசப்படும் மொழி பாரசீக மொழியில் (Persian) முதல் கத்தோலிக்க மறைக்கல்வி ஏடு வெளியிடப்பட்டுள்ளது.

ஈரானின் Qom நகரிலுள்ள மதங்கள் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் முயற்சியால் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டுள்ள இக்கத்தோலிக்க மறைக்கல்வி ஏடு, இம்மாதம் 12ம் தேதி உரோம் கிரகோரியன் பாப்பிறை பல்கலைக்கழகத்தில் வெளியிடப்பட்டது.

இது குறித்துப் பேசிய கிரகோரியன் பல்கலைக்கழக இறையியல் துறைத் தலைவர் அருள்பணி Dariusz Kowalczyk, ஈரானிலுள்ள வல்லுனர்கள் கிறிஸ்தவம் பற்றி வாசிக்கவும், கற்றுக்கொள்ளவும் இவ்வேடு உதவும் என்ற நம்பிக்கையத் தெரிவித்தார்.

இஸ்லாம் மதத்தின் புனித மையங்களில் ஒன்றாகிய Qom நகரில், நூற்றுக்கும் மேற்பட்ட ஆய்வு மையங்கள் உள்ளன. இஸ்லாம் மற்றும் குரானில் சிறந்த ஏறக்குறைய அறுபதாயிரம் வல்லுனர்கள் இங்கு உள்ளனர். இவர்களில் ஏறக்குறைய இரண்டாயிரம் பேர் இந்து, புத்தம், யூதம், கிறிஸ்தவம் உட்பட பல்வேறு மதங்கள் பற்றி படிக்கின்றனர்.  இந்தோ-ஐரோப்பிய மொழிக் குடும்பத்தைச் சேர்ந்த பாரசீக மொழி, பிரித்தானியக் காலனி ஆதிக்கத்துக்கு முன்னர் இந்திய துணைகண்டத்தில் இரண்டாம் மொழியாக இருந்தது. இதனால் இந்தி, சிந்தி, வங்காள மொழி, உருது ஆகிய மொழிகளில் இதன் தாக்கத்தைக் காணலாம். மேலும், பாரசீக மொழி, இன்றைய ஈரான், ஆப்கானிஸ்தான், தாஜிகிஸ்தான், உஸ்பெகிஸ்தான் ஆகிய நாடுகளில் பரவலாகவும், ஆர்மீனியா, ஈராக், பஹ்ரைன், ஓமான் ஆகிய நாடுகளில் ஓரளவிலும் பேசப்படுகிறது.

தற்போது உலகில் 7 கோடியே 50 இலட்சம் பேர் பாரசீக மொழியைப் பேசுகின்றனர்.

ஆதாரம் :  வத்திக்கான் வானொலி

7. மோதல்களுக்கு மதத்தை ஒருபோதும் காரணமாகக் காட்டக் கூடாது

சன.26,2015. மதம், மோதல்களுக்கு ஒருபோதும் காரணமாகக் காட்டப்படக் கூடாது என்றும், மக்களின் இதயங்களை வேதனைப்படுத்தும் அரசியல் உரை இந்தியாவின் பாரம்பரிய உயரிய நன்னெறிகளைப் புண்படுத்துவதாக உள்ளது என்றும் கூறினார் இந்திய குடியரசுத் தலைவர் பிரணாப் முகர்ஜி.

இந்தியாவின் 66வது குடியரசு தின விழாவை முன்னிட்டு குடியரசுத் தலைவர் பிரணாப் முகர்ஜி அவர்கள், இஞ்ஞாயிறன்று நாட்டு மக்களுக்காக தொலைக்காட்சியில் உரையாற்றியபோது, நாவின் வன்முறை மக்களின் இதயங்களை வேதனைப்படுத்துகின்றது என்று கூறினார்.

மதம், ஒற்றுமையின் சக்தி, அதனை, மோதல்களுக்கு காரணமாக ஒருபோதும் வைக்கக் கூடாது என்று மகாத்மா காந்தி அவர்கள் கூறியதை, தனது உரையில் குறிப்பிட்டுப் பேசிய பிரணாப் முகர்ஜி அவர்கள், விவாதங்கள் இன்றி அரசு சட்டங்களை இயற்ற முயற்சிப்பதற்கு மீண்டும் தனது எதிர்ப்பைத் தெரிவித்தார்.

இந்நிலை, சட்டம் இயற்றும் மக்களவையின் பங்கில் தாக்கத்தை ஏற்படுத்துவதோடு, மக்களவைமீது மக்கள் வைத்திருக்கும் நம்பிக்கையையும் உடைத்தெறிகிறது என்றும், சட்டம் இயற்றுவதில் மக்களவையின் பங்கையும் சுட்டிக்காட்டியுள்ளார்.

மேலும், தீவிரவாதத்துக்கு எதிராக இந்தியா நடத்தி வரும் போரில் உலக நாடுகள் அனைத்தும் கைகோர்க்க வேண்டும் எனவும் வேண்டுகோள் விடுத்தார் பிரணாப் முகர்ஜி.

இதற்கிடையே, இந்திய குடியரசு தினத்தை முன்னிட்டு ஜம்மு-காஷ்மீர் மாநில எல்லைப் பகுதியில் 3 இடங்களில் இந்திய இராணுவத்தினர், பாகிஸ்தான் இராணுவப் படையினருடன் இனிப்புகளை பரிமாறிக் கொண்டனர்

ஆதாரம் : IANS/வத்திக்கான் வானொலி                  

8. உடல் உறுப்பு தானத்தில் தமிழகம் முதலிடம்

சன.26,2015. இந்தியாவில் உடல் உறுப்பு தானத்தில், தமிழகம், முதல் இடத்தில் உள்ளது என்றும், தமிழகத்தில் கடந்த மூன்று ஆண்டுகளில், உடல் உறுப்பு தானத்தால், 2,178 பேருக்கு மறுவாழ்வு கிடைத்துள்ளது என்றும் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது.

தமிழகத்தில், உடல் உறுப்பு தானம் குறித்து, மக்களிடம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ள விழிப்புணர்வால் தமிழகம் இதில் முதலிடத்தில் உள்ளது என்றும் செய்திகள் கூறுகின்றன.

கடந்த 2008ம் ஆண்டில், விபத்தில் உயிரிழந்த, காஞ்சிபுரம் இதயேந்திரன் என்ற ஒரே மகனின் உடல் உறுப்புகளை, பெற்றோர் தானம் அளித்ததன் மூலம், தமிழகத்தில், உடல் உறுப்பு தானம் குறித்த விழிப்புணர்வு ஏற்பட்டது.

இதன் அவசியத்தை உணர்ந்த தமிழக அரசு, உறுப்பு தானத்தை முறைப்படுத்த, உடல் உறுப்பு மாற்று சிகிச்சை ஆணையத்தை துவக்கியது. பதிவு செய்து காத்திருப்போருக்கு முன்னுரிமை அடிப்படையில், மூளைச்சாவு அடைந்தோரின் உடல் உறுப்புகள் தானம் பெறப்பட்டு, தரப்பட்டு வருகின்றன.

சென்னை அரசு பொது மருத்துவமனை உள்ளிட்ட, ஐந்து அரசு மருத்துவமனைகள் மற்றும் ஐம்பதுக்கும் மேற்பட்ட தனியார் மருத்துவமனைகளிலும், உறுப்பு மாற்று அறுவை சிகிச்சைகள் நடக்கின்றன.

தமிழகத்தில் இதுவரை, 571 பேரின் உடல் உறுப்புகள் தானம் பெறப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதயம் - 110; நுரையீரல் - 48; கல்லீரல் - 527; சிறுநீரகம் - 1,024; கணையம் - 4; இதய வால்வுகள் - 552, கண் - 854; தோல் - 13 என, 3,133 உடல் உறுப்புகள் தானம் பெறப்பட்டு உள்ளன. இதுவரை, 3,063 பேர் பயன்பெற்று உள்ளனர். கடந்த மூன்று ஆண்டுகளில் மட்டும், 2,178 பேர் மறுவாழ்வு பெற்றுள்ளனர்.

மாநில அளவில் உடல் உறுப்பு மற்றும் திசு மாற்று மையமும், மண்டல அளவில் அதுபோன்று மையங்களும் ஏற்படுத்த முயற்சிகள் நடந்து வருகின்றன' என, நலவாழ்வுத் துறை தெரிவித்துள்ளது.

ஆதாரம் :  தினமலர்/வத்திக்கான் வானொலி