This site is dedicated to the campaign for the release of Atty. Remigio Saladero Jr., a prominent labour lawyer currently detained along with other Southern Tagalog activists, in a case of alleged political persecution by the Philippines Government.

The Indian Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, made this statement in a meeting with Dr Samuel Kobia, the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches.

He noted that Christianity in India has a longer history than in many Western countries and made reference to the Indian constitution which states that India “guarantees freedom to practice and propagate one’s faith”. These statements are a strong rebuttal of the views of Hindu nationalist groups who describe Christianity as a foreign religion in order to justify recent attacks on Christians in India.

Manmohan Singh assured Samuel Kobia that his government will take measures to restore the confidence of the Christian community. He has also promised to extend financial assistance from the federal government to rebuild destroyed and damaged churches, and to support Christian families that have lost everything in the violence. Hindu fundamentalists have attacked more than 5,000 Christian houses, 142 churches and dozens of Christian institutions in recent months.

Many places in India are still dangerous for Christians. Reports indicate this is being accentuated by multitudes of houses flying VHP (Hindu World Council) flags whereas Christian homes have none.

Refugee camp conditions for thousands include epidemics of malaria and other water borne diseases. For those forced to go home, there is the danger of living in a house without a VHP flag, in the midst of houses flying them. Many of the 50,000 internally displaced persons, refugees in their own homeland cannot return home for fear of being forced at gunpoint, by VHP youths or the Bajrang Dal, to become Hindus.

Those who have reconverted to Hinduism under this pressure have been forced to burn Bibles and prayer books, and have their heads shaved and to drink cow urine (for Hindu purification).

In Madivala, Karnakata on November 16 police arrested a pastor, charging him with “hurting religious sentiments” after a mob of about 25 Hindu extremists stormed his house church service, struck him and cursed the congregation. He has internally injuries and a seriously damaged eardrum.

Source: http://www.tearsoftheoppressed.org/

This site is dedicated to the campaign for the release of Atty. Remigio Saladero Jr., a prominent labour lawyer currently detained along with other Southern Tagalog activists, in a case of alleged political persecution by the Philippines Government. The Director of the JIM Unit, Dr Mark Zirnsak, has corresponded with the Philippines Ambassador in Australia about this matter; and, the United Churches of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP), a partner church of the Uniting Church in Australia, supports the website.

40 men gang raped Sr Meena
November 21 2008

In her first public appearance since her ordeal, Orissa nun, Sr Meena, said she had been gang raped by forty men while police looked on.

“State police failed to stop the crimes, failed to protect me from the attackers, they were friendly with the attackers,” Sister Meena told a news conference.

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Hindus ‘paid for Christian murders’ in India
Rhys Blakely, Bombay | November 21, 2008
Article from:  The Australian

EXTREMIST Hindu groups offered money, food and alcohol to mobs to kill Christians and destroy their homes, according to Christian aid workers in the eastern state of Orissa.

The allegations follow the British Government’s refusal to prevent members of two radical groups linked to the worst anti-Christian violence in India since Partition from entering Britain.

The US-based head of a Christian organisation that runs several orphanages in Orissa, one of India’s poorest regions, says Christian leaders are being targeted by Hindu militants.

“The going price to kill a pastor is $US250 ($390),” said Faiz Rahman, chairman of Good News India.

A spokesman for the All-India Christian Council said: “People are being offered rewards to kill, and to destroy churches and Christian properties. They are being offered foreign liquor, chicken, mutton and weapons. They are given petrol and kerosene.”

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University standards on the decline, admit teachers
Farrah Tomazin
November 20, 2008

UNIVERSITY teachers admit the quality of education students are getting is worse than it was five years ago, placing growing pressure on the Rudd Government as it prepares for a massive shake-up for the nation’s tertiary sector.

- Tertiary standards on decline: teachers
- Staff survey paints bleak picture
- 60% say funding a major concern

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There is an exciting upcoming event happening in Sydney to raise money for the rehabilitation of former child soldiers.
The event is the ‘Article 39 concert’, an initiative of a passionate yr.12 student Isadore Biffin, and supported by Oaktree’s End Child Slavery campaign.
The Article Thirty-Nine concert is being held at The Factory and features some of Sydney’s best up and coming bands and artists, including Peregrine, The Dawn Collective, Tim Ireland, The Shipwrecked, Falling in Autumn, Jack Carty and The Party, and Adam Cousens from Melbourne.
Tickets for the Article Thirty-Nine Concert are now available for purchase online for just $22 (incl. booking fee) at http://tinyurl.com/article39concert .
This is a chance to support an extremely worthy cause and also have a fantastic night out!

Details
Date: Sunday, 23rd November
Time: 4- 11pm
Place: The Factory, 105 Victoria Road, Enmore. NSW

A workshop with Baganan Kurityityin Theresa Creed and John Tracey

This workshop challenges non-Aboriginal participants to explore the relevance of concepts such as land rights, native title, sovereignty, reconciliation, treaty, self-determination, Aboriginal deaths in custody, customary law, traditional owner etc. to their own life on this country.

It explores ways in which non-Aboriginal people can support Aboriginal Australia.

The workshop offers no easy answers, only difficult questions.

6pm, Tuesday November 25th

@ “The Den” 116 Little Bourke St. Melbourne

 (between Russell St. And Exhibition St. on the north side of the street)

For more info please contact Virginia at Urban Seed v.moebusnelson@gmail.com or 9650-8034

Apprentice wins sexual harassment case against male boss
Ewin Hannan | November 18, 2008
Article from:  The Australian

A MALE boss sexually harassed a male apprentice by repeatedly inviting him to shower with him, touching his genitals, and grabbing him from behind while simulating sex and making pig noises.

Christopher Thomas won $35,000 in damages after a tribunal found his former boss, Dean Alexiou, sexually harassed him between 2003 and 2006.

The tribunal found Mr Alexiou appeared to be motivated by either a desire to bully Mr Thomas in front of his co-workers, or a belief his behaviour was an appropriate form of workplace horseplay.

The harassment started soon after Mr Thomas began work as a 17-year-old apprentice engine reconditioner for the Melbourne company Westpoint Cylinder Heads in January 2003.

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