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Christians Decry Malaysia's Detention of Bible Books
After stopping 5,100 Bibles in 2009, authorities withhold 30,000 Malay-language copies.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, March 14 (CDN) — The detaining of 30,000 copies of the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs in the Malay language at Malaysia's Kuching Port has "greatly disillusioned" the nation's Christian community.
The books, imported from Indonesia by the local branch of Gideons International for distribution in schools, churches and longhouses in Betong, Saratok and other Christian areas in Sarawak state, have been detained at the Kuching Port since January.
Authorities told an unnamed officer of the importer on Jan. 12 that he could not distribute the books in Sarawak state, on the island of Borneo, since they "contained words which are also found in the Quran," according to online news agency Malaysiakini. The officer was ordered to transport the books to the Home Ministry's office for storage.
Last week, when the same officer enquired of the Home Ministry officials on the status of the Malay Bibles, authorities said they had yet to receive instructions on the matter.
This is not the first time government authorities have detained Malay-language Bibles, and Bishop Ng Moon Hing, chairman of Christian Federation of Malaysia, decried the action.
"The CFM is greatly disillusioned, fed-up and angered by the repeated detention of Bibles written in our national language," Ng said. "It would appear as if the authorities are waging a continuous, surreptitious and systematic program against Christians in Malaysia to deny them access to the Bible in [Malay]."
An earlier consignment of 5,100 copies of the Good News Bible in Malay, imported by the Bible Society of Malaysia, was detained in Port Klang in March 2009. Together with this latest seizure, the total number of Bibles seized and remaining in possession of the Home Ministry amounts to 35,100 copies.
The CFM, representing a majority of Christians in Malaysia, released a statement on March 10 asserting, "All attempts to import the Bible in Bahasa Malaysia [Malay], i.e. the Alkitab, whether through Port Klang or the Port of Kuching, have been thwarted" since March 2009.
Prior to March 2009, there had been several such incidents, and "each time, tedious steps had to be taken to secure their release," according to the CFM.
A significant 64 percent of Malaysian Christians are indigenous people from Sabah and Sarawak states who use the Malay language in their daily life. Christian leaders say having Bibles in the Malay language is crucial to the practice of their Christian faith.
Christians make up more than 9 percent of Malaysia's nearly 28 million people, according to Operation World.
This latest Bible book seizure has irked Christians and drawn criticisms from politicians spanning both sides of the political divide.
The Sarawak Ministers Fellowship issued a statement registering its "strong protest," describing the detention of the books as "unconstitutional" and in violation of the 18-point agreement for Sarawak in the formation of Malaysia.
Representing the opposition political party, People's Justice Party (Sarawak Parti Keadilan Rakyat) Chief Baru Bian described the withholding as "religious harassment" and "a blatant disregard of our constitutional right as Christians in Malaysia."
Chua Soi Lek, president of the Malaysian Chinese Association, a political party within the ruling coalition National Front, proposed that Malay Bibles be allowed to be printed locally. The deputy chief minister of Sarawak, Dr. George Chan, expressed the state government's willingness to publish the Malay Bible locally.
Home Minister Hishammuddin Hussein was quoted in The Star newspaper today as saying, "The issue … is being resolved amicably with the parties concerned," though how this was taking place was not apparent. The home minister has reportedly said the books had been withheld pending an appeal over the use of the word "Allah" in The Herald catholic newspaper.
Secretary-General of Malaysian Muslim Youth Movement Mohamad Raimi Abdul Rahim has called for the government to enforce the ban on use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims nationwide, including in Sabah and Sarawak.
In a controversial court ruling on Dec. 31, 2009, Judge Lau Bee Lan had allowed The Herald to use the word "Allah" for God in the Malay section of its multilingual newspaper. The Home Ministry filed an appeal against the decision on Jan. 4, 2010, but to date there is no indication as to when the case will be heard.
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Family Refutes Police Claims in Death of Christian in India
Bible teacher in Rajasthan state, 20, faced opposition from Hindu nationalists.
NEW DELHI, August 25 (CDN) — The family of a 20-year-old Christian found dead last week in the northern state of Rajasthan suspects he was killed by Hindu nationalists, though police claim he died of cardiac arrest.
Narayan Lal, a farmer from Hameerpura Patar village in Arnod sub-district of Rajasthan's Pratapgarh district, was found dead the evening of Aug. 17 near a forest where he had gone to tend his goats.
Lal was a volunteer teacher in a 10-day Vacation Bible School organized by indigenous Christian organization Light of the World Service Society (Jagat Jyoti Seva Sansthan) in his village area in May, and a relative who requested anonymity told Compass that some villagers did not approve of the young man "spreading Christianity."
"It seems his throat was strangulated," the relative said. "I do not know who did it, but I am sure he was murdered. His family was facing opposition for their Christian work, particularly by some residents of Nadikhera village [near Hameerpura Patar]."
A post-mortem report suggested otherwise, police said.
"The body of Narayan Lal, son of Tola Ram Meena, was found under a tree," Superintendent of Police of Pratapgarh district Prem Prakash Tak told Compass. "There was some froth formation in his mouth, but no injuries or bruises. The post-mortem was conducted by three doctors, and they suggest that he died of cardio-respiratory failure."
He added that police had not heard that the family suspected murder. The relative said, however, that Lal's father told police that his son was seemingly killed by some people from Nadikhera village who had been opposing him and his family. Salamgarh Police Inspector Govardhan Ram Chowdhary was unavailable for comment.
Lal's relative contested the police version, saying Lal was "absolutely healthy" with "no sign of any ailment."
"I cannot believe that he died of heart failure – he was very young," he said. "His shoes were lying near his body, and a piece of cloth was kept on his hands. It seemed that the cloth was used to tie his hands."
The relative asked why police did not inform the family of their autopsy report's indication of cardiac arrest.
"We would have taken the body to a private hospital for confirmation," he said.
The death was reported to Salamgarh police at 10 p.m. on Aug. 17 under Section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code for "death under suspicious circumstances." The autopsy was performed on Aug. 18, after which the body was handed over to the family for cremation.
Police Superintendent Tak acknowledged that Lal's father, an elder in the village church, had been arrested in July 2008 on charges of desecrating an idol of a Hindu deity in the village. He was released after police failed to find evidence against him.
"He [Lal's father] was falsely accused by those who did not like his missionary work," the deceased's relative said. "It was a plot to oppose his work."
Christian persecution is not new to Rajasthan state, where Christian conversion is a sensitive issue.
The Rajasthan government passed an anti-conversion law in the state assembly in April 2006, when the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power. The bill is still awaiting the governor's assent.
The BJP led the government of Rajasthan from March 1990 to November 1998, and again from December 2003 to December 2008, when the Left-of-Center Congress Party won the election.
The incidence of Christian persecution is said to have decreased since the BJP's defeat in the 2008 state election, with the exception of sporadic incidents.
About 30 suspected Hindu extremists assaulted two Christian workers from Gospel for Asia and chased them into the jungle near Rajasthan's Banswara city on Sept. 4, 2009. (See "Recent Incidents of Persecution," Sept. 29, 2009.)
On March 21, 2009, Hindu nationalists from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) attacked Bible students and staff members of the Believers Church and demanded 10,000 rupees (US$193) from them in Udaipur city. (See "Recent Incidents of Persecution," March 31, 2009.)
On April 29, 2007, at least 14 Hindu extremists in Jaipur, Rajasthan attacked Pastor Walter Masih with sticks and rods as television cameras recorded the scene, leaving him bleeding profusely. The then-Hindu nationalist government in the state declined to prosecute the more serious charges against the assailants.
BJP leaders harassed leaders of the Emmanuel Mission International (EMI), based in Kota city, in 2006, leading to the arrest of the Christians and the freezing of EMI bank accounts.
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New Dimension in India's Anti-Christian Violence Feared
Concern grows that Hindu terrorists could become more apt to target Christians.
PUNE, India, November 5 (CDN) — After the recent arrests of numerous Hindu terrorists for exploding bombs, authorities increasingly view Hindu rightwing extremists as a threat not only to Muslim and Christian minorities but also to national security.
Historically Hindu terrorist groups have traded blows with India's Muslim extremists, but because of a perceived threat from Christianity – as one Hindu extremist leader expressed to Compass – many analysts believe Hindu terrorists increasingly pose dangers to Christians as well.
Police in Goa state arrested two members of Hindu terrorist group Sanatan Sanstha (Eternal Organization) on Saturday (Oct. 31) for their alleged role in an explosion that took place near a church in Margao on Oct 16. Christians, which make up more than 25 percent of the 1.3 million people in Goa, were apparently not the target of the explosion, which occurred accidently when two members of the Sanatan Sanstha were trying to transport explosives to a nearby location on the eve of the Diwali Hindu festival, according to DNA newspaper.
Nevertheless, the incident served as a wake-up call to Christian leaders and others who fear Hindu terrorists could take greater aim at the Christian community. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council (AICC), said that while terrorism was not new for rightwing groups, some of the extremist groups had "metamorphosed into fully fledged terrorism squads on classical lines – cells with local leaders, supply lines, bomb-making experts, and clear linkage with the intellectuals and motivators in the RSS [Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh] hierarchy."
Suresh Khairnar, a civil rights activist who has conducted nearly 100 fact-finding trips on communal incidents, told Compass that Muslims may be the main target of Hindu terrorist outfits, but "there is no doubt that they pose a threat to the Christians also." He added that these Hindu groups also launch attacks on Hindus from time to time – masquerading as Islamist groups to create communal unrest, as well as to confuse investigating agencies.
Asghar Ali Engineer, chairman of the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism in Mumbai, concurred that Christians have increasingly become a secondary target for rightwing Hindu terrorists behind Muslims, who form 13.4 percent of the population.
"Christians, on the other hand, are only 2.3 percent," said Engineer. "And because of their engagement with education, medicine and social work, it is difficult to promote anti-Christian sentiments."
A former inspector general of police of Maharashtra, S.M. Mushrif, also said that while Muslims are the prime target of Hindu terrorists, attacking Christians also helps the Hindu assailants to portray themselves as "working for a Hindu cause."
Members of suspected terror groups are known to have attacked Christians. On June 27, Shailendra Chauhan, alias Uday Singh – suspected to be a close aide of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, the prime suspect in a September 2008 blast in Malegaon, Maharashtra – was arrested for allegedly killing a Christian priest in Noida, a satellite town of Delhi. The 25-year-old Chauhan was also accused of vandalizing a church building in Sangam Vihar in Delhi in October 2008, according to The Times of India.
The AICC's Dayal added that Islamic groups are the immediate target of Hindu terrorist groups, "but once the terror gangs of Hindutva [Hindu nationalist ideology] taste blood, it is easy to predict that they will swing into action against any perceived enemy target."
How Alleged Terrorist Group Views Christians
The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Mumbai is investigating powerful bomb blasts in Malegaon town, Maharashtra, allegedly carried out by members of the Hindu nationalist Abhinav Bharat (Pride of India) in September 2008. Compass spoke with the president of Abhinav Bharat about the alleged terrorist group's attitude toward Christians.
The Malegaon blasts near a mosque killed six people and injured more than 100. The ATS arrested 11 people, including a serving officer of the Indian Army, from the Abhinav Bharat and other rightwing outfits.
The president of the Abhinav Bharat, Himani Savarkar, told Compass that members of her organization had been falsely accused, saying "The government is lying about their involvement. There is collusion between Muslims and the government."
Asked if only Muslims were a threat to Hindus, she said, "There is danger from both Muslims and Christians, because of conversions and terrorism."
Conversion represents a threat in that people converting to Islam change their loyalties from India to Mecca, while the loyalties of converts to Christianity shift from India to the Pope, Savarkar said. She also spoke of a more direct threat in Christianity – "Muslims want to kill the kafirs [unbelievers], and even Jesus asks in the Bible to kill all those who do not believe in Him" – and it is not known how many other Hindu extremists share this fallacy.
The number of Hindus, she added, "is slowly reducing, and one day we will become a minority in our own nation. We do not have any other nation."
Savarkar, niece of Nathuram Godse, a Hindu nationalist who killed Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi in January 1948, said that in her view the main reasons people convert away from Hinduism are poverty and illiteracy.
"They do not know what they are doing," she said. "We have to awaken Hindus. Hindus need to be made aware of the threats."
Violent Despair
The use of bombs is a sign of frustration among extremists, said civil rights activist Khairnar, referring to the two successive defeats of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), political wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), India's chief Hindu nationalist conglomerate. The BJP, which ruled the federal government from 1998 to 2004, has lost both the 2004 and 2009 general elections.
"They are now exploding bombs because they know they cannot succeed democratically," he said, though he added that bomb-making per se was not a new development. "Even Nathuram Godse, the killer of Mahatma Gandhi, launched several bomb attacks before finally succeeding in assassinating him."
In the case of the Malegaon blasts, Dayal said that the involvement of Hindu religious leaders and former army personnel indicated that terror attacks by rightwing Hindu groups were well planned. Security analysts warn that the extremist groups must be prevented from graduating to bigger terror groups.
On Oct. 21, the Mumbai Mirror daily quoted an ATS officer as saying Hindu extremist groups "are putting up a mild face as an organization while their members are detonating bombs. It's only a matter of time before they begin to acquire better technology and more lethal bombs. Their influence is growing; there are several politicians and even ex-policemen who owe allegiance to them. They can be dangerous if not stopped now."
O.P. Bali, former director general of police of Maharashtra, told Compass that until 2003, the year he retired, extreme Hindu nationalist groups like the Bajrang Dal mainly used weapons like sticks, tridents and knives.
"Bomb-making is a newer development, and they are still learning," Bali said. "Considering the way some local Islamist groups have graduated from making and detonating of small bombs to bigger ones, the efforts of rightwing groups must be nipped in the bud."
Hindu/Muslim violence has a long history. In 1947, when India became politically independent, British colonial India was divided into "Hindu-majority" India and "Muslim-majority" Pakistan. The partition resulted in the killing of around 1 million people – Hindu, Sikh and Muslim – in violent clashes mainly during the mass migration of around 14.5 million people from India to Pakistan and vice versa.
Engineer said the common notion that increasing modernization in India would put a halt to the growth of extremist groups was mistaken.
"Extremism is a reaction to modernization, and therefore such groups will grow even bigger in the future."
Dayal seconded Engineer, saying the rightwing extremist groups were trying to keep pace with Islamist groups.
"Fortunately, in most areas, government vigilance, civil society and good relations between communities have kept these terror groups at the margins," Dayal said. "But with the growth of parties that use identity-based divisive issues such as the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena party, with the apathy of government in BJP-ruled states, and with the middle-class support base for them, I fear such Hindutva terror groups may grow. That has been the historical experience in Western Europe and elsewhere."
When suspects in the Malegaon blast were formally charged in January 2009, ATS officials told the court that the alleged terrorists' goal was formation of a Hindu nation – and that the suspects planned to approach Israeli intelligence for help in combating Muslim extremists if the need arose, according to a Jan. 21 article in The Hindu.
Following numerous arrests, The Times of India daily on Oct. 21 quoted senior police officials as saying that Maharashtra was fast becoming a "hub of rightwing organizations' terror activities."
"The youth are being indoctrinated by fundamentalist organizations," an officer told the daily. "The state should act quickly to control rightwing terror."
Posted in Christianity, Hinduism, India, Islam, Israel, Pakistan, United Kingdom, War on Terror	| Tagged 1947, 1998, 2004, 2006, Abhinav Bharat, accidently, activist, activities, agencies, AICC, aide, aim, alias, All India Christian Council, alleged, allegience, analysts, anti-Christian, Anti-Terrorism Squad, apathy, approach, apt, army, arrested, arrests, Asghar Ali Engineer, assassinating, ATS, attacked, attacks, attitude, authorities, awaken, aware, base, becoming, believe, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bible, bigger, BJP, blast, blood, blows, bomb-making, bombs, British, building, cause, cells, Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, chairman, change, chief, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, civil, civil rights, clashes, classical, clear, close, collusion, colonial, combatting, common, communal, communities, community, concern, confuse, conglomerate, control, conversions, converting, create, daily, danger, dangerous, dangers, defeats, Delhi, democratically, despair, detonating, development, difficult, dimension, direct, director general, divided, divisive, Diwali, DNA, doubt, easy, education, elections, enemy, engagement, Eternal Organization, Europe, Eve, ex-policemen, experience, exploding, explosion, explosives, expressed, extremists, face, fact-finding, fallacy, fast, fear, feared, federal, festival, fledged, formally, formation, former, frustration, fully, fundamentalist, future, general, Goa, goal, good, government, graduating, greater, groups, growing, grows, growth, halt, help, hierarchy, Himani Savarkar, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindus, historical, History, hub, identity-based, ideology, illiteracy, immediate, incident, increasingly, Independence, India, Indian, indoctrinated, influence, intellectuals, Intelligence, investigating, involvement, Islam, Islamic, Israeli, issues, Jesus, John Dayal, kafirs, kill, killer, killing, knives, launch, leader, learning, lethal, lines, linkage, local, location, long, lost, loyalties, lying, Maharashtra, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, Mahatma Gandhi, main, majority, Margao, margins, masquerading, mass, Mecca, medicene, members, metamorphosed, middle class, migration, mild, minorities, minority, mistaken, modernization, mosque, motivators, Mumbai, Mumbai Mirror, Muslim, muslims, Nathuram Godse, nation, national, new, newer, newspaper, niece, nipped, Noida, notion, O.P. Bali, occured, officer, outfits, pace, Pakistan, parties, partition, party, people, perceived, Persecution, personnel, planned, police, political, politicians, Pope, portray, pose, poverty, powerful, predict, President, prevented, Pride of India, priest, prime, promote, Pune, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, reaction, reasons, recent, reducing, relations, religious, represents, resulted, retired, rightwing, role, RSS, ruled, S. M. Mushrif, Sadhvi Pragya, Sanatan Sanstha, Sangam Vihar, satallite, secondary, Secretary General, security, senior, sentiments, serving, Shailendra Chauhan, shift, sign, Sikh, Singh Thakur, slowly, social, Society, squads, state, sticks, stopped, succeed, successive, supply lines, support, Suresh Khairnar, suspected, swing, target, taste, technology, terror, terrorism, terrorists, The Hindu, The Times of India, threat, town, traded, transport, tridents, trips, trying, Uday Singh, unbelievers, unrest, use, vandalizing, view, views, vigilance, violence, violent, weapons, western, wing, work, working, youth | Leave a comment
INDONESIA: CHRISTIANS CALL FOR REJECTION OF SHARIA-INSPIRED BILLS
Church leaders fear legislation will lead to religious intolerance; church, orphanage opposed.
JAKARTA, August 19 (Compass Direct News) – The Indonesian Council of Churches (PGI) has called for the rejection of two bills inspired by sharia (Islamic law).
The Halal Product Guarantee Bill and the Zakat Obligatory Alms Management Bill, both under consideration in the Indonesian parliament, cater to the needs of one religious group at the expense of others, violating Indonesia's policy of pancasila or religious tolerance, said the Rev. Dr. A.A. Yewangoe, director of the PGI.
"National laws must be impartial and inclusive," Yewangoe told Compass. "Since all laws are binding on all of the Indonesian people, they must be objective. Otherwise discrimination will result … The state has a duty to guard the rights of all its citizens, including freedom of religion."
Dr. Lodewijk Gultom, head of PGI's Law and Human Rights Department, pointed out that according to regulations on the formation of proposed laws, a bill cannot discriminate against any group of citizens. But the Halal product bill several times mentions sharia, as if Indonesia were an exclusively Muslim state, he said.
"If this bill is enforced, it will cause other religions to demand specific rights, and our sense of unity and common destiny will be lost," Gultom said.
Gultom also said the bills were an attempt to resurrect the Jakarta Charter, a statement incorporated into Indonesia's constitution in 1945 before it was quickly withdrawn. It declared that the newly-created state would be based on a belief in the one supreme God "with the obligation to live according to Islamic law for Muslims."
Public opinion on the Jakarta Charter remains sharply divided, with some insisting that Islamic law is warranted because of the country's Muslim majority, while others believe its implementation would disturb national unity.
Two members of Parliament, Constant Pongawa and Tiurlan Hutagaol, both from the Prosperous Peace Party, have requested the withdrawal of the Halal and Zakat bills to avoid creating conflict between Muslims and other religious groups.
"These bills are a step backward and will lead to the isolation of different religions," agreed Ronald Naibaho, head of the North Sumatran chapter of the Indonesian Christian Youth Movement.
National church leaders have requested a meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to discuss the impact of these bills and a number of other discriminatory laws being applied at provincial levels across the country.
Church, Orphanage Closed
Muslim groups, meantime, recently moved to close more Christian institutions.
On July 21, following complaints from community groups, police forcibly dismantled a church in West Java on grounds that it did not have a building permit, while similar groups in East Java successfully lobbied for the closure of a Catholic orphanage claiming that it planned to "Christianize" local children.
Police in Bogor district, West Java, dismantled the temporary bamboo structure erected by the Huria Kristen Batak Protestan church in Parung Panjang on July 21. Church leaders insist that the church had long ago applied for a building permit that was not granted even though they had met all requirements, including obtaining permission from the Bogor Interfaith Harmony Forum.
"There are 234 buildings in Parung Panjang that lack building permits, including a mosque," church elder Walman Nainggolan told Compass. "Why was our house of worship singled out?"
The church has filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission of Indonesia. Commissioner Johny Nelson Simanjuntak agreed to clarify the status of the church building permit with local officials and asked local police to permit peaceful worship as guaranteed by the constitution.
Separately, a group of Muslims lobbied for the closure of a Catholic orphanage for crippled children in Batu, in the Malang district of East Java, stating concern that the facility would become a covert vehicle for "Christianization." In response to demonstrations in front of the mayor's office in October 2008 and June 2009 and complaints from 10 different Muslim religious and community organizations, Batu Mayor Eddy Rumpoko on June 19 rescinded a building permit issued to the Catholic Bhakti Luhur Foundation and ordered that construction cease immediately.
The foundation operates 41 orphanages serving approximately 700 children with special needs.
"We are greatly saddened by this action," the Rev. Laurentius Heru Susanto, a local vicar, told Compass. "The home was meant to serve the people. There was no other purpose."
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INDIA: OFFICIALS ON DEFENSIVE AT 'WATCH LIST' DESIGNATION
U.S. religious rights panel cites culture of impunity at authorities allowing atrocities.
NEW DELHI, August 18 (Compass Direct News) – Ahead of one-year remembrances of massive anti-Christian violence in the eastern state of Orissa, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has put India on its "Watch List" for the country's violations of religious freedom, evoking strong reactions from the Indian government.
USCIRF Chairman Leonard Leo said in a statement on Wednesday (Aug. 12) that it was "extremely disappointing" that India "has done so little to protect and bring justice to its religious minorities under siege."
The U.S. panel's decision was "regrettable," a spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, Vishnu Prakash, said in a statement on Thursday (Aug. 13), after the USCIRF put India on the list due to a "disturbing increase" in violence on minorities and a growing culture of impunity in the country.
Violence erupted in Kandhamal district of the eastern state of Orissa in August-September 2008, killing more than 100 people and burning 4,640 houses, 252 churches and 13 educational institutions, according to rights groups such as the All India Christian Council (AICC), the Global Council of India Christians (GCIC) and the Christian Legal Association (CLA).
"India's democratic institutions charged with upholding the rule of law, most notably state and central judiciaries and police, have emerged as unwilling or unable to seek redress for victims of the violence," Leo said. "More must be done to ensure future violence does not occur and that perpetrators are held accountable."
Disagreeing with the USCIRF report, the foreign ministry's Prakash said India is a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. "The Constitution of India guarantees freedom of religion and equality of opportunity to all its citizens, who live and work together in peace and harmony," he said.
Christians were shocked by the foreign ministry spokesman's claim that "aberrations, if any, are dealt with promptly within our legal framework, under the watchful eye of an independent judiciary and a vigilant media."
Attorney Robin Ratnakar David, president of the CLA, told Compass that one year after the violence only six people have been convicted in just two cases of rioting, while several suspects have been acquitted in four such cases despite the formation of fast-track courts.
Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the AICC, pointed out that the more than 50,000 people who fled to forests or took shelter in refugee camps have not returned home out of fear of Hindu nationalist extremists who demand they either convert to Hinduism or leave their villages.
He said there also had been several "pogroms against Muslims, often sponsored or condoned by the state."
In 2002, India's worst-ever anti-Muslim violence occurred in the western state of Gujarat. A compartment of a train, the Sabarmati Express, caught fire – or was set on fire (as claimed by Hindu extremists) – near the Godhra city railway station on Feb. 27. In the fire, 58 Hindu passengers, mainly supporters of the Hindu extremist Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council or VHP), were killed. The VHP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) claimed it was an attack by Islamic terrorists; the ensuing violence killed more than 2,000 people, mostly Muslims.
Following the anti-Muslim violence, the USCIRF recommended that India be designated a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC), its list of the world's worst violators of religious freedom. India was removed from the CPC list in 2005.
Designation on the Watch List means a country requires "close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the government," according to USCIRF. The other countries on USCIRF's Watch List are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.
CLA attorney David said the August-September 2008 violence in Kandhamal could have been prevented had the administration brought to justice those responsible for previous mayhem in December 2007. The December 2007 violence in Kandhamal killed at least four Christians, burned as many as 730 houses and 95 churches and rendered thousands homeless.
The attacks were launched under the pretext of avenging an alleged attack on a VHP leader, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. It was the assassination of Saraswati by Maoists (extreme Marxists) on Aug. 23, 2008 that sparked the second spate of violence in Kandhamal, as Hindu nationalists blamed non-Marxist, local Christians for it.
Dayal said the USCIRF's latest conclusions could have been avoided if more action had been taken against the perpetrators of last year's violence.
"The USCRIF action would not have been possible, and India would have been able to rebuff the U.S. scrutiny more effectively, if several thousand Christians were still not in refugee camps, if the killers were still not roaming scot-free and if witnesses, including widows, were not being coerced," he said.
'Indifferent'
Shashi Tharoor, India's Minister of State for External Affairs, told a private news channel that India did not need approbation from outside its borders.
"As far as we are concerned, we are essentially indifferent to how others view the situation," he said. "In democracy, what matters to us is how we deal with our own internal issues. I don't think we need any certificates from outside."
He dismissed the report as meddling in internal affairs even though between June 2002 and February 2007 Tharoor served as under-secretary general for communications and public information for the United Nations, a body representative of international accountability in human rights.
In its annual report, India's home (interior) ministry had acknowledged that the incidence of communal violence was high. It noted that in 2008, as many as 943 communal incidents (mainly against Muslims and Christians) took place in which 167 persons were killed and 2,354 persons were injured. The figures were up from those of 2007, when there were 761 incidents in which 99 persons were killed and 2,227 persons were injured.
Justifying its decision, the USCIRF report stated that several incidents of communal violence have occurred in various parts of the country resulting in many deaths and mass displacements, particularly of members of the Christian and Muslim minorities, "including major incidents against Christian communities within the 2008-2009 reporting period."
"Because the government's response at the state and local levels has been found to be largely inadequate and the national government has failed to take effective measures to ensure the rights of religious minorities in several states, the Commission decided to place India on its Watch List."
The USCIRF had released its 2009 annual report on religious freedom across the globe on May 1 but put the India report on hold, planning to prepare it after a visit to the country in June. A USCIRF team planned to visit India to speak to the government and others concerning the situation in Kandhamal and Gujarat on June 12, but the Indian embassy in Washington, D.C. did not provide visas in time.
"USCIRF's India chapter was released this week to mark the one-year anniversary of the start of the anti-Christian violence in Orissa," Leo pointed out in last week's statement.
'Teflon-Coated State'
The AICC's Dayal seemed pessimistic about a change in the government's attitude.
"Unfortunately, nothing really impacts the government of India or the government of Indian states," he said. "The state, and our social conscience, seems Teflon-coated. The patriotic media and political sector dismiss international scrutiny as interference in the internal affairs of India, and a beaten-into-submission section of the leadership of religious minorities assumes silence to be the best form of security and safety."
Dr. Sajan George, the national convenor of the GCIC, said the report showed that India had become a "super violator" of human rights. The Rev. Dr. Babu Joseph, spokesman for the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, said the U.S. panel's report did not augur well with India's claim to find a respectable place within the community of nations.
"India as an emerging economic power in the world should also endeavor to better its records of protecting human rights, particularly when it comes to religious freedom of its citizens," Joseph said.
Joseph told Compass the USCIRF report was "a clear indication of the growing concern of the international community with India's repeated failure to take decisive and corrective measures to contain religious intolerance."
Christian leaders generally lauded the report, with Dayal saying, "India's record on the persecution of minorities and the violation of religious freedom has been a matter of international shame for the nation."
Posted in Afghanistan, Belarus, Christianity, Cuba, Egypt, Hinduism, India, Indonesia, Islam, Laos, Roman Catholicism, Russia, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, USA, Venezuela	| Tagged accountability, accountable, acquitted, action, administration, affairs, Afghanistan, AICC, All India Christian Council, alleged, allowing, anniversary, annual, anti-Christian, anti-Muslim, approbation, assassination, atrocities, attack, attitude, attorney, authorities, avenging, Babu Joseph, beaten, Belarus, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, blamed, borders, burning, cases, Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, caught, central, certificates, chairman, channel, charges, Christian, Christian Legal Association, Christianity, Christians, churches, cites, citizens, city, CLA, close, coerced, communal, communications, community, compartment, condoned, constitution, convert, convicted, country, Country of Particular Concern, Courts, CPC, Cuba, culture, deaths, decision, defensive, democracy, Democratic, designation, dismiss, displacements, disturbing, Dr, eastern, educational, effective, Egypt, embassy, emerged, emerging, engaged, equality, evoking, extent, extreme, extremists, fast-track, fear, fire, fled, forests, formation, freedom, GCIC, Global Council of India Christians, globe, Godhra, government, growing, guarantees, Gujarat, harmony, high, Hindu, Hinduism, Hindus, home, homeless, houses, human rights, impunity, inadequate, incidence, increase, India, Indian, indifferent, Indonesia, institutions, interference, internal, international, intolerance, Islam, issues, John Dayal, judiciaries, justice, justifying, Kandhamal, killed, killers, killing, Laos, lauded, launched, leader, leadership, leave, Leonard Leo, list, Maoists, mass, massive, measures, meddling, media, Minister of State for External Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, minorities, monitoring, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, Muslim, muslims, national convenor, nationalist, nations, nature, New Delhi, news, officials, opportunity, Orissa, outside, panel, passengers, patriotic, peace, people, perpetrators, Persecution, pessimistic, pogroms, police, political, power, President, pretext, private, protect, protection, railway, reactions, rebuff, records, redress, refugee camps, regrettable, religion, religious, religious freedom, remembrances, report, respectable, resulting, returned, Rev, rights, rioting, roaming, Robin Ratnakar David, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, rule of law, Russia, Russian Federation, Sabarmati Express, safety, Sajan George, scot-free, scrutiny, Secretary General, section, sector, security, seige, shame, Shashi Tharoor, shelter, Society, Somalia, sparked, spate, sponsored, state, station, strong, submission, super, supporters, suspects, Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, Tajikistan, terrorists, tolerated, train, Turkey, U. S. Commission on international Religious Freedom, UCCIRF, under-secretary general, unwilling, USA, Venezuela, VHP, victims, villages, violations, violator, violators, violence, visas, Vishnu Prakash, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, visit, Washington D. C., Watch List, western, widows, witnesses, world, World Hindu Council, worst | 1 Comment
Anglicans who say church is ignoring Scriptures rally in London
A group of Anglicans, who are oppose the Church of England's stand on matters such as homosexual clergy, have said the formation of their group does not mean it intends to cut its ties with the 77-million strong Anglican Communion, reports Ecumenical News International.
"We are a movement for the renewal and reformation and renewed mission focus of our church. We love our church," said Bishop Wallace Benn of the southern England diocese of Lewes at the launch of the Fellowship of Confession Anglicans UK on 6 July. "We're not going anywhere," he said. "We believe that we stand for the historic Christian faith."
Posted in Anglicans, Christianity, England, Homosexuality, United Kingdom	| Tagged Anglicans, believe, bishop, Christian, Christianity, church, Church of England, clergy, communion, diocese, England, faith, Fellowship of Confession Anglicans UK, focus, formation, group, historic, homosexual, ignoring, intends, launch, Lewes, London, matters, mission, movement, oppose, rally, reformation, renewal, renewed, Scriptures, southern, stand, Wallace Benn | Leave a comment
Conservative Anglicans officially form new church group
Leaders who defected from the Episcopal Church completed the formation of a conservative branch of Anglicanism in North America Monday by ratifying the constitution of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), reports Charisma News Online.
The document was signed during ACNA's Inaugural Provincial Assembly, which drew some 800 participants to Bedford, Texas, this week. Pittsburg Bishop Robert Duncan, who on Wednesday will be installed as the group's first archbishop, said the formation of ACNA reflects a return to orthodox Christianity that is happening both within the 77 million-member Anglican Communion and beyond.
"Our God is up to something very big, both with us and with others," Duncan said Monday. "The Father truly is drawing His children together again in a surprising and sovereign move of the Holy Spirit. He is again re-forming His church."
On Tuesday, Saddleback pastor Rick Warren addressed the assembly, encouraging them to love one another but not the world's values, the Associated Press reported. Other non-Anglican participants include Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church, the Rev. Samuel Nafzger of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, and Bishop Kevin Vann of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas. The assembly ends on Thursday.
The formation of ACNA, said to represent some 100,000 Anglicans in 700 parishes, is the latest response to liberal moves within the Episcopal Church that culminated with the ordination of an openly gay bishop in 2003. Since then, roughly 200 congregations have left what had been the only U.S. branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, ACNA leaders report.
Most of the defectors, including several charismatic parishes, have aligned with conservative dioceses in Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America, where Anglicanism is experiencing the most growth.
To read the full story, click here.
Posted in Africa, Anglicans, Asia, Charismatic, Christianity, Church Growth Movement, Episcopal Church of the U. S., Lutheran, Roman Catholicism, Texas, USA	| Tagged ACNA, addressed, Africa, aligned, America, Anglican, Anglican Church in North America, Anglicanism, Anglicans, Archbishop, Asia, assembly, Bedford, beyond, big, bishop, branch, Charismatic, children, Christianity, church, communion, completed, congregations, conservative, constitution, culminated, defected, defectors, dioceses, document, drawing, drew, encouraging, Episcopal Church, experiencing, Father, first, form, formation, Fort Worth, gay, God, group, growth, happening, Holy Spirit, Inaugural Provincial Assembly, include, installed, Jonah, Kevin Vann, latest, latin, leaders, left, Liberal, love, Lutheran Church, member, metropolitan, Missouri Synod, move, moves, new, non-Anglican, North America, officially, openly, ordination, Orthodox, Orthodox church, parishes, participants, Pastor, Pittsburg, ratifying, re-forming, reflects, represent, response, return, Rev, Rick Warren, Robert Duncan, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, Saddleback, Samuel Nafzger, signed, southeast, sovereign, surprising, Texas, truly, values, world, worldwide | Leave a comment
EVANGELICALS IN SPAIN SUPPORT SOCIALIST PLAN TO DISSOLVE CATHOLICISM
The executive secretary of the Federation of the Evangelical Entities of Spain, Mariano Blazquez Burgo, has asked the Socialist government to pass a law on the "neutrality" and "laicity" of the State, in order to establish a common equality among all the churches that exist in the country, reports Catholic News Agency.
"We are asking for two laws: one on religious entities and the other on neutrality, laicity, a word which does not frighten me," Blazquez told reporters during the celebration of the 130th anniversary of the evangelical church of the city of Gijon.
According to the daily "La Nueva España," evangelicals want the State "to be neutral with regards to all religious beliefs, by advancing laicity, and also with a statute of equality shared by all the churches established in Spain."
"Not privileges for the churches, but a common statute for all religious entities that is clear and just in rights and obligations," Blazquez stated, adding that during the Spanish Civil War, evangelicals showed "sympathy for the Republic, saying they were spiritual liberating our nation."
Since taking power, the government of President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has made it a priority to remove any religious expression from public life and to impose its own moral formation on students through the Education for Citizens course, which thousands of parents have rejected because of its secular and ideological nature.
Posted in Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Spain	| Tagged according, advancing, anniversary, asked, beliefs, celebration, Christian, Christianity, Christians, church, churches, city, clear, common, course, daily, dissolve, Education for Citizens, entities, equality, establish, established, Evangelical, Evangelicals, executive secretary, exist, expression, Federation of the Evangelical Entities of Spain, formation, frighten, Gijon, government, ideological, impose, Jose Rodriguez Zapatero, just, La Nueva Espana, laicity, law, laws, liberating, life, Mariano Blazquez Burgo, moral, nation, nature, neutrality, obligations, order, parents, pass, plan, power, President, priority, privileges, publi, regards, rejected, religious, remove, reporters, Republic, rights, Roman Catholic, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholics, secular, shared, socialist, Spain, Spanish Civil War, spiritual, state, statute, students, support, sympathy, Word | 1 Comment
VIETNAM: AUTHORITIES BULLDOZE HISTORIC BUILDING IN LAND DISPUTE
Promise of negotiated settlement fades; Catholic leaders threatened with legal action.
HANOI, September 26 (Compass Direct News) – Authorities in Hanoi have responded to months of Catholic prayer vigils and demonstrations over disputed land by destroying the one-time residence of the papal nuncio in central Hanoi.
In suddenly bulldozing the land that once served as the Vatican embassy and residence near St. Joseph's Cathedral last Friday (Sept. 19), the government broke its promise to Catholic leaders in February to negotiate a settlement concerning the property.
The destruction of the building held sacred by Catholics is the latest blow to Christians' long struggle to get the government to return confiscated church properties. Catholic, Protestant and other religious leaders deemed the government response to peaceful Catholic pressure a serious setback for religious freedom.
Authorities cite Vietnamese law stipulating that lands subject to "land management and socialist land reform policies in place before 1991" cannot be considered.
On Monday (Sept. 22) the Vietnam News Agency reported that the Catholic Church ceded the Nha Chung Vatican Embassy property to the state in 1961 and that it would be turned into a library and park.
"Bookworms will soon be able to enjoy the facilities offered by a brand-new library, located at 42 Nha Chung Street, in Hoan Kiem District," the state reported. "In addition to all of the services usually offered by a library, situated on the premises of an existing three-story, French-designed building surrounded by greenery and including a childrens' playground, the renovation, which began last Friday, aims to better meet Hanoians' demands for relaxation."
Sources said Vietnam's frequent pronouncements of new openness to religion, and the formation of a joint Catholic/government working committee regarding relationships with the Vatican and other outstanding matters, may have led Catholics to test the waters. Late last year Catholics began to hold prayer vigils outside the fence of the long-vacant Vatican Embassy seized by the government in the mid-1950s.
The historic building property on Nha Chung Street is adjacent to the Hanoi archbishop and cardinal's residence and only a half block away from St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi's Old Quarter.
The daily morning and evening prayer vigils began to draw large crowds, especially on Saturdays and Sundays, when thousands came to Masses at the cathedral. Authorities in a country where demonstrations are not allowed became seriously worried when warnings to stop went unheeded.
In discussion with Catholic leaders in late February, the government agreed to negotiate a settlement in good faith on the condition that Catholic leaders would call a halt to the prayer vigils. Archbishop of Hanoi Ngo Quang Kiet told Compass in April that after agreeing to a joint working committee, the government showed no sincerity in building relationships or in settling grievances.
In late August an aide to the archbishop told Compass in Hanoi that the twice daily prayer vigils had resumed. At that time about 100 people participated each time, but the number and intensity was growing. Catholic leaders made no secret of their appeal to prayer and assembled people as their only tools in their struggle with the government for redress on confiscated properties.
In recent weeks the Redemptorists at Thai Ha, also in Hanoi, also began prayer vigils to recover some of their large property. Over the years their part of an original plot of 60,000 square meters had been reduced by government confiscation to less than 2,000 square meters.
According to observers, the Catholics conducted themselves during their vigils with decorum and order as they reverently marched, prayed and sang. The government's response however, quickly escalated from accusing the Catholics of interfering with traffic to accusing them of all night public disturbances – and then accusing Catholic leaders of inciting riots and breaking religion laws.
Catholic Leaders Warned
Authorities this week delivered a written warning to Archbishop Kiet warning him of "extreme action" if he did not stop the daily prayer vigils. They also issued a warning to four priests at a Hanoi church locked in the land dispute. The archbishop and priests are accused of "stirring the population" and encouraging illegal religious activity.
State and Hanoi city media releases and radio and TV coverage during September painted the Catholics in the worst possible light; sources said the media fabricated stories and paid people to speak against the Catholics. With no opportunity to make their side of the story known through Vietnam's state-controlled media, Catholics are reporting events through VietCatholic News, Zenit and other overseas news sites.
Catholic calls for media to retract specific, demonstrably false stories and appeals to press laws have gone entirely unheeded. Rather, sources said, improbable accusations and vicious slander against Catholics sharply escalated.
Vietnam Cardinal Jean Baptiste Pham Minh Man, archbishop of Saigon, wrote a letter to all priests, religious and faithful on Monday (Sept. 22) denouncing the state's media lies. Unrest is spreading throughout Vietnam's Catholic community, believed to number more than 7 million, as the letter by the cardinal and others by bishops are read in the churches.
Thugs Bussed In
Demonstrations escalated this week with estimates of 7,000 to 10,000 people, including students gathered at Thai Ha on Wednesday night (Sept. 24). It was said to be the largest public demonstration since the Communist unification of Vietnam 33 years ago.
Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 24), hundreds of police and plainclothes officers tried to control an upset crowd of Catholics as a statue of the Virgin Mary was removed from the Vatican Embassy area under police protection and taken to an unknown location. The next day, sources said, authorities recruited gangs that included uniformed Communist youth league members and others and bussed them to the site, where they attacked Catholic protestors outside the archbishop's residence.
Similar gangs destroyed property, including sacred items at Thai Ha, the same day.
The state media also announced that the 17,000-square meter Thai Ha Redemptorist property in Hanoi is also to be turned into a public park.
The reversion to old-style, default Communist repression involving violence cloaked in lies is also worrying to Vietnam's Protestants, some of whom have joined Catholics in the prayer vigils.
Protestant leaders contacted by Compass were united in their disappointment in and condemnation of the government's belligerent response to peaceful prayer vigils.
"Sadly, the government has again shown its true attitude toward religions," said one Protestant leader. "We have doubted the sincerity of recent improvements, and now they have clearly shown everyone what is still in their hearts."
Some Vietnam observers fear the government's belligerence may be evidence of hard-liners' ascendance in an ongoing struggle with more moderate reformers. The timing of this property destruction, some Vietnamese church leaders said, is calculated to take advantage of uncertainty in the United States, especially as elections draw near.
Posted in Christianity, Cults, Roman Catholicism, Vietnam	| Tagged 1961, 1991, accusing, action, activity, addition, adjacent, advantage, agreed, announced, appeal, appeals, Archbishop, ascendance, assembled, attacked, attitude, authorities, believed, belligerance, belligerant, bishops, blow, bookworms, breaking, broke, building, bulldoze, bussed, calculated, calls, cardinal, Catholic/government, ceded, central, children, Christian, Christianity, Christians, Chung, church, churches, city, cloaked, committee, communist, community, concerning, condemnation, condition, conducted, confiscated, considered, control, country, coverage, crowds, daily, decorum, deemed, default, delivered, demands, demonstrations, denouncing, designed, destroying, destruction, disappointment, discussion, dispute, district, disturbances, elections, embassy, encouraging, enjoy, escalated, evening, evidence, existing, extreme, fabricated, facilities, fades, faith, faithful, false, fear, fence, formation, French, frequent, gangs, gathered, good, government, greenery, grievances, Hanoi, Hanoians, hardliners, hearts, historic, Hoan Kiem, illegal, improbable, improvements, inciting, intensity, interfering, Jean Baptists Pham Minh Man, joined, joint, land, large, latest, law, laws, leaders, league, led, legal, letter, library, lies, light, location, locked, management, marched, Mary, Masses, matters, media, members, moderate, morning, negotiated, new, news, Ngo Quang Kiet, Nha Chung Vatican Embassy, nuncio, observers, offered, officers, old, openness, opportunity, order, original, outstanding, overseas, paid, painted, papal, park, participated, peaceful, people, Persecution, plainclothes, playground, plot, police, policies, population, possible, prayed, prayer, premises, press, pressure, priests, promise, pronouncements, properties, property, protection, Protestant, Protestants, protestors, public, Quarter, radio, read, recover, recruited, Redemptorists, redress, reform, Reformers, regarding, relationships, relaxation, releases, religion, religions, religious, religious freedom, removed, renovation, reported, repression, residence, responded, resumed, retract, return, reverently, reversion, riots, Roman Catholic, sacred, Saigon, sang, secret, seized, serious, served, services, setback, settlement, settling, sharply, sincerity, site, sites, situated, slander, socialist, sources, speak, specific, spreading, St. Joseph's Cathedral, state, statue, stipulating, stirring, stories, story, street, struggle, students, subject, suddenly, surrounded, test, Thai Ha, Thai Ha Redemptorist, threatened, tools, traffic, true, TV, uncertainty, unheeded, unification, uniformed, United, United States, unknown, unrest, upset, USA, vacant, Vatican, vicious, VietCatholic News, Vietnam News Agency, Vietnamese, vigils, Virgin, warnings, waters, working, worrying, worst, written, youth | 1 Comment
ACADEMIC: 'FAITH-BASED' PARTIES HAVE LITTLE CHANCE IN NEW ZEALAND
After New Zealand's prime minister, Helen Clark announced a general election for 8 November, several "faith-based" political parties have said they will contest the poll, reports Ecumenical News International.
Still, one political observer has suggested the increased number of Christian parties will splinter the faith-based vote, and limit any chance of parliamentary success for them.
Raymond Miller, political studies professor at Auckland University, told a New Zealand church magazine earlier this year that the ambition of a host of Christian-based political parties "did not match reality".
Miller said the formation of three Christian parties – the United Future Party, the Family Party and the Kiwi Party – would split the conservative Christian vote.
Posted in Christianity, New Zealand, Politics	| Tagged Academic, ambition, announced, Auckland, chance, Christian, church, conservative, contest, Ecumenical News International, election, faith, faith-based, Family Party, formation, general, Helen Clark, host, increased, Kiwi Party, limit, magazine, match, New Zealand, observer, parliamentary, parties, political, poll, Prime Minister, professor, Raymond Miller, reality, reports, splinter, split, studies, success, suggested, United Future Party, University, vote | Leave a comment


The chemicals legislation is based on various acts and ordinances. It is largely harmonised with the regulations of the European Union, but is developed and implemented in an autonomous manner.
Additional specific provisions are specified in the ordinances of the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA) and the Federal Department of the Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications (DETEC).


text: Anthony Damelio of Hackettstown, NJ and formerly of Netcong and Stanhope passed away peacefully on Friday, December 31, 2021 at Hackettstown Medical Center surrounded by his loving family. He was 80 years old. Anthony was born on March 26, 1941 in Dover, NJ to the late Alphonse and the late Jenny (Ross) Damelio. Anthony was a heavy equipment operator employed by Saxton Falls Sand and Gravel for many years before retiring. Mr. Damelio proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps. Anthony was a longtime member of the Assumption Society and he enjoyed golfing, fishing, boating and casino trips to Mt. Airy. Anthony also was an avid sports fan who never missed a New York Yankee game and he was an excellent carpenter. Anthony is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Joann (Rampone), his sons, Michael and wife, Laura and Anthony and wife, Amy. Additional survivors include his cherished grandchildren; Alexis, Justine, AJ, Anthony, Olivia and Michael, his sister, Rose Marie McConnell, his special niece, Darlene Tedesco and too many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends to mention. Anthony's Life Celebration will include a memorial gathering to be announced in March 2022. All funeral arrangements are under the direction of and entrusted to the Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home. For further information and to share a fond memory of Anthony, please visit www.leberlakeside.com

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
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Du er her: Institut for Statskundskab » Caroline Howard Grøn » Publikationer » The Nordic countries and the European Commission
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The Nordic countries and the European Commission
Publikation: Bidrag til bog/antologi/rapport/proceeding › Bidrag til bog/antologi › Forskning › peer review
The Nordic countries and the European Commission. / Grøn, Caroline Howard.
The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc., 2015. s. 68-83.
Grøn, CH 2015, The Nordic countries and the European Commission. i The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc., s. 68-83. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726335
Grøn, C. H. (2015). The Nordic countries and the European Commission. I The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community? (s. 68-83). Taylor and Francis Inc.. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726335
Grøn CH. 2015. The Nordic countries and the European Commission. I The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc. s. 68-83. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726335
Grøn, Caroline Howard "The Nordic countries and the European Commission". The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc. 2015, 68-83. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726335
Grøn CH. The Nordic countries and the European Commission. I The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc. 2015. s. 68-83 https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315726335
Grøn, Caroline Howard. / The Nordic countries and the European Commission. The Nordic Countries and the European Union: Still the Other European Community?. Taylor and Francis Inc., 2015. s. 68-83
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Research Innovation & Outreach
VC's address to first year students 2021
REPORTING DATES FOR FACE TO FACE LEARNING - JANUARY 2021 SEMESTER
16th graduation ceremony notice
January, May and September 2021 intake
DOME TENT GROUND BREAKING & DEDICATION CEREMONY
Kabarak University dedication and ground breaking ceremony for the setting up of a newly acquired mega dome tent
Kabarak tops in state-sponsored students admission
Kabarak University Institutional Ethics Review Committee & a team from NACOSTI
Deans and Directors pay Courtesy call to VC
NTC Library Groundbreaking
The Vice Chancellor today led members of the University in a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a 2 storey new Library at the Nakuru Town Campus.
BSc. Nursing
Kabarak University invites application for courses on offer in January 2020
Kabarak scoops Huawei ICT award
KCB Group partners with Kabarak University
A team from Safaricom PLC pay courtesy call to our VC to discuss avenues of partnership
COURTESY CALL TO VC
COURTESY CALL
Vice Chancellor receives Needy students grant award from Rattansi Educational Trust
NEEDY STUDENT GRANT AWARD
Daystar VC Pays Courtesy Call
Daystar Vice Chancellor- Prof Laban Ayiro pays courtesy call to our VC
Pitson, Dr. Ofweneke & Bire Grace Conference
Dr.Ofweneke, Pitson and @Bire the vocalist grace our 9th International Research Conference on Refocusing Music & other Performing Arts for Sustainable Development Indigenous Performing Arts for National Integration & Cohesion
A Visiting team from Trinity International University pay a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor
VC's ADDRESS
The University Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplangat makes his remarks during the annual Vice Chancellor's address to first years
KABARAK MARATHON 2019 EDITION
In the early morning of Saturday 21st September, 2019, Kabarak University was a hive of activities
Hon. Justice Smokin Wanjala, Judge Supreme Court of Kenya and other Law experts gather together during the International Conference on Corruption
The Deputy Governor of Nakuru county Dr. Erick Korir delivers his keynote speech at the International Conference on the Environment and Energy 2019
The Deputy Governor of Nakuru county Dr. Erick Korir and the Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplangat follow keenly the proceedings during the International Conference on the Environment & Energy 2019
Vc receives new buses
NEW BUSES
The Pro-Chancellor Hon. Senator Gideon Moi hands over to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplangat two new buses.
A group photo of Medsend team from the United States of America. The Team is in Kabarak University to celebrate the pioneer graduation class of Masters in Family Medicine
Half Marathon 2019 Edition
The Kabarak University Half Marathon 2019 edition is scheduled for 21st September, 2019. Join us in running for a needy student by either participating or sponsoring.
Anglican Conference 2019
Kabarak University, wish to call for research papers documenting novel and empirical works for presentation at Kabarak University International Research Conference
Kabarak University shares Hope with Nakuru Women Prison.
CSR: Nakuru Women Prison
Songs of praise and gratitude engulfed the Nakuru Women's Prison following a visit by Kabarak University staff and students. For a minute, all the inmates were drowned in celebration mood forgetting the reality of being behind bars and away from freedom.
Kabarak University athletics team participated in this year's Beyond Zero Marathon.
A group photo of the technical committee for the preparations of the 2019 National Kenya Music Festival.This year's National Music festival will be held at Kabarak University.
Welcome to Kabarak University
WE ARE DISTINCT
Kabarak University is not just any other University; it is distinctive in its academic
excellence coupled with spiritual vitality.
Intake ongoing
WELCOMES YOU
Kabarak University is located 20kms north of Nakuru town, along the Nakuru-
Eldama Ravine highway. It is in a serene environment that makes it an ideal place
for learning. Students pursue various academic courses in Science, Engineering, Technology, Business,Theology and Education.
Former Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya Dr. Willy Mutunga signing the Kabarak University's Visitors book before delivering a public lecture on Reflections on the constitution of Kenya 2010.
Sunrise Children's Home in Kabarnet.
Kabarak University Staff and Students visit Sunrise Children's Home in Kabarnet.
President Uhuru Kenyatta awards our Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplagat during the taxpayers awards at KICC on 31/10/2018 where the University was recognised as one of the compliant institutions in the Medium Taxpayer Category.
Hon. Prof. Githu Muigai pays a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor Prof. Prof. Henry Kiplangat before proceeding to give his Keynote speech at the Kabarak Law School International Conference
The Director of Communication Services - National Police Service Mr. Charles Owino pays a courtesy call to the VC before delivering a public lecture on Interface between Law & Policing
KNDI CERTIFICATE
The V.C Prof. Henry Kiplangat receives the KNDI certificate. Kabarak becomes one of the few institutions in Kenya to be fully accredited by the Kenya Nutritionists and Dieticians Institute (KNDI) to train Nutritionists and dieticians
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Henry Kiplangat addresses the Solar Energy Partners
Speaker of the Senate Rt. Hon. Kenneth Lusaka & Makueni Senator -Hon. Sen. Mutula Kilonzo Jr. pays a courtesy call to the Vice Chancellor
At Kabarak University we offer Bachelors degree in Mass Communication as well as Diploma in Mass Communication
At Kabarak University we nature our students talents, skills and abilities. We understand that we are all born with the propensity to achieve, succeed, and thrive in our endeavors.
We are focused on producing professional who are trained in all aspects of human endeavour.
ULTRA-MODERN LIBRARY
Kabarak University is a private Chartered institution of higher learning that provides
holistic christian-based quality education, training research and outreach activities
for the service of God and humanity.
HOLISTIC CHRISTIAN-BASED EDUCATION
Eldama Ravine highway
THE IDEAL PLACE
It is in a serene environment that makes it an ideal place for learning.
The School of Music and Performing Arts at Kabarak University has one of the most robust array of music programs to be found anywhere in the Eastern Africa Region Employment opportunities for the graduates of our music programs abound in the market.
Access The School of Music & Performing Arts!
Kabarak University Law School is a centre of excellence in legal pedagogy, legal research and legal publications in Kenya and the Eastern Africa region.
Access The School of Law!
SCHOOL OF SCIENCE ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
The School of Science Engineering and Technology offers interdisciplinary undergraduate programs in Computer Science, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Biology, and Technology related courses.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCES
The School of Health Sciences has competent, supportive and friendly and qualified faculty who are highly-skilled to teach and offer practical/clinical practice.
The School endeavors to maintain high quality in teaching through engaging committed and diligent clinical, education and research track faculty and use of modern facilities and tools for teaching and learning.
OUR VISION IS TO become a Center of Academic Excellence founded on Christian values.
The facility stands on a 600 acre farm and is one of the highly equipped institution
of higher learning in Kenya.
Serene Environment
We have an ultra-modern library(with seating capacity of (1,000 users) that is well equipped with up-to-date books,other scholarly materials and easy access to online journals.
WELCOMES YOU!
ADMISSION TO KABARAK UNIVERSITY
Kabarak University is a private Chartered institution of higher learning that provides holistic christian-based quality education, training research and outreach activities
To download our application form and get more information about admission, click on the following link.......
Why Choose Kabarak?
for learning. Students pursue various academic courses in Business, Theology, Science, Engineering, Technology and Education. The facility stands on a 600 acre farm and ..........
EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY LAW JOURNAL
VICE CHANCELLOR'S PRESENTATION DURING GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING WORKSHOP
Kabarak University Featured Courses
Kabarak University is not just any other University, it is distinctive in its academic excellence coupled with spiritual vitality.
The general purpose of the program is to train and equip journalists, editors, reporters, news anchors, communications relation managers, communication managers..etc
Bachelor of Science, Nursing
he nursing program challenges its students to become exceptionally compassionate, caring and competent nurse leaders who impact and transform their world and health care in general through uniqueness of Christ inspired nursing practice.
Bachelor of Laws
Kabarak University Law School is a centre of excellence in legal pedagogy, legal research and legal publications in Kenya and the Eastern Africa region. The Kabarak University Law School is founded on the broader Kabarak University moral philosophy of education in a biblical perspective.
Bachelor of Business Information Technology
The purpose of the program is to train and equip learners with knowledge & skills in Business IT to enable them provide expertise in the public or private sector organizations.
This program prepares students to become successful pharmacy professionals in a wealth of careers in a variety of areas including, but not limited to, healthcare management, public health, clinical settings etc
YOUR FIRST POINT OF CONTACT
Detailed information, brochures and forms can be mailed to you upon request.
excellence coupled with spiritual vitality. We are focused on producing professionals trained in all aspects of human endeavour.


text:
Teens participate in safe driving program, learning how to drive under different circumstances
By: Josh Bazan
CINCINNATI — Efforts to help teens tackle difficult driving scenarios ramped up Sunday, ahead of the start of National Teen Driver Safety Week.
National organization B.R.A.K.E.S stopped in to Cincinnati to train dozens of Tri-State teens about safe driving habits.
According to the Center for Disease Control, vehicle crashes are currently the leading cause of death among teenagers in the United States, making this program all the more crucial as cold weather and snowy roads approach the Tri-State.
Teen drivers participated in the hands-on driving instruction classes before putting their skills to the test on specialized courses designed to help teens learn how to react in adverse conditions.
"I think it's actually very interesting," said Lily Mull, who participated in Sunday's class. "I recently spun out the other day, so I'm very happy to be here now."
The teens learned how to handle spin-outs, wet and icy road conditions, distractions and safely avoiding collisions, all in the safe and controlled environment of the course.
"I just got my license a week ago, so it's kind of great," said Ben Kruse, a teen who took the course. "The winter's coming and the snow, the cold temperatures, the ice. So it's kind of nice to be prepared for all of that."
The organization was founded by former drag racing champion Doug Herbert, after his two sons died in a vehicle crash in 208. Now Herbert travels the country working to teach teenagers how to drive more safely.
"Look ahead of you," Kruse recited lessons learned from the course. "Don't be distracted by your phone and everything. Make sure your hands are at the right part of the wheel and just be ready for everything."
So far, Herbert and B.R.A.K.E.S have worked with more than 40,000 teen drivers across the country.


Tools designers, Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbæk, have created a kitchen tool set for Eva Solo for minimalist, stylish kitchens. The stainless steel holder keeps four essential tools at the ready, displayed as a bit of sculpture on your countertop. The spatula, slotted spoon, and two different-sized serving spoons sit securely on the holder. The holder has a rubber coated base, which prevents scratching and holds the piece firmly in place. The tools are made of plastic with fibreglass – they are heat resistant and can be used on all pots and pans, even those with a non-stick coating.


EditorInterface gives you control over Godot editor's window. It allows customizing the window, saving and (re-)loading scenes, rendering mesh previews, inspecting and editing resources and objects, and provides access to EditorSettings, EditorFileSystem, EditorResourcePreview, ScriptEditor, the editor viewport, and information about scenes.
Returns the main container of Godot editor's window. You can use it, for example, to retrieve the size of the container and place your controls accordingly.
Returns the edited (current) scene's root Node.
Returns an Array with the file paths of the currently opened scenes.
Shows the given property on the given object in the Editor's Inspector dock.
Returns the enabled status of a plugin. The plugin name is the same as its directory name.
Returns mesh previews rendered at the given size as an Array of Textures.
Opens the scene at the given path.
Reloads the scene at the given path.
Saves the scene. Returns either OK or ERR_CANT_CREATE. See @GlobalScope constants.
Saves the scene as a file at path.
Sets the enabled status of a plugin. The plugin name is the same as its directory name.


Without question, the most famous spirit from Canada is whiskey. Canadian whiskies, often made from rye, are elegant and lightly spicy, and although they may not rank as highly as single malt scotch, there are some examples that are of exceptional quality. Vodkas are becoming more of a factor in Canada, which should come as no surprise, given the quality of the river and lake water used in production. Yet there are many other notable spirits produced in Canada, ranging from bitters to orange liqueur to aged brandies. The spirits industry in Canada is relatively small, but the products are well worth the search.


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Law.gov: Massachusetts
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Harvard Law School, Pound Hall Room 107 (Map)
Organized and co-hosted by the Harvard Law School Library
Do we have access to all primary legal materials in Massachusetts? What are the best practices for making information accessible? What obstacles face institutions trying to make it available? Our hope is to create a document outlining the most salient issues in accessibility to Massachusetts legal information with suggestions of things that could be done to effect the most accessible system possible in Massachusetts.
Please note that video will be captured for the workshop and posted on the Internet. This is the first day of a two-day workshop focused on Law.gov. To register for Law.gov: Putting It All Together, taking place on Friday 6/18, please visit this page. You are welcome to attend one or both days of the event.
10-10:30 AM - Welcome and Overview of Law.Gov
John Palfrey, Harvard Law Library
Lawrence Lessig, Harvard Law School
Carl Malamud, Public.Resource.Org
10:30-11 - Who Owns the Law?
11-12 - Massachusetts Inventory of Legal Materials
Michelle Pearse, Harvard Law Library
Joan Shear, Boston College Law Library
12-1 - Lunch
1-1:45 - Equal Access to Justice in Massachusetts
Honorable Dina E. Fein
First Justice, Housing Court Department, Western Division and Special Advisor to the Trial Court for Access to Justice Initiatives
Marnie Warner, Law Library Coordinator, Administrative Office of the Trial Court
1:45 - 2:30 - The Technical Challenges of Distributing Legal Information
Linda Hamel, General Counsel, Commonwealth of Massachusetst Information Technology Division
Meg Hayden, Electronic Resources Librarian, Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries
2:30-3:00 - The State of Massachusetts
About Law.gov
Law.Gov is an effort to create a report documenting exactly what it would take to create a distributed registry and repository of all primary legal materials in the United States. Continued...
Law.gov
Radio Berkman: This Law is My Law (with Carl Malamud and David Weinberger)
Download media from this event here.
Jun 18, 2010 @ 10:00 AM
Law.gov: Putting It All Together
The Harvard Law School Law.Gov workshop on June 18 is the last in a 6-month series of such workshops that have taken place throughout the country. In this final workshop,… More
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text:
Raleigh (North Carolina)
Here is general information about Raleigh in North Carolina
View all Raleigh maps
Raleigh statistic
Coordinates 35°46′N 78°38′W
Counties Wake, Durham
Chartered December 31, 1794
Named for Sir Walter Raleigh
Elevation 315 ft (96 m)
Demonym(s) Raleighite
Time zone UTC−05:00 (EST)
ZIP Codes 27601, 27603, 27604, 27605, 27606, 27607, 27608, 27609, 27610, 27612, 27613, 27614, 27615, 27616, 27617
Area code(s) 919, 984
FIPS code 37-55000
GNIS feature ID 1024242
International airport Raleigh–Durham International Airport
Interstate Highways I-40, I-87, I-440, I-540
Other major highways US 1, US 64, US 70, US 401, NC 50, NC 540
Public Transit GoRaleigh GoTriangle
Website raleighnc.gov
Government (Type) Council–Manager
Government (Body) Raleigh City Council
Government (Mayor) Mary-Ann Baldwin (D)
Government (Council) Members Jonathan Melton At-Large (D)Nicole Stewart At-Large (D)Patrick Buffkin (A) (D)David Cox (B) (D)Corey Branch (C) (D)Stormie Forte (D) (D)David Knight (E) (U)
Government (State capital city) 147.64 sq mi (382.38 km2)
Government (Land) 146.54 sq mi (379.55 km2)
Government (Water) 1.09 sq mi (2.83 km2)
Area (State capital city) 147.64 sq mi (382.38 km2)
Area (Land) 146.54 sq mi (379.55 km2)
Area (Water) 1.09 sq mi (2.83 km2)
Population (2020) (State capital city) 467,665
Population (2020) (Rank) 41st in the United States 2nd in North Carolina
Population (2020) (Density) 3,191.38/sq mi (1,232.16/km2)
Population (2020) (Metro) 1,413,982 (42nd)
Time difference between Raleigh and other cities
All time differences
Other cities info:
Raleigh (/ˈrɑːli/; RAH-lee) is the capital of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, tenth-most populous city in the Southeast, 41st-most populous city in the U.S., and the largest city of the Research Triangle metro area. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees, which line the streets in the heart of the city. The city covers a land area of 147.6 square miles (382 km2). The U.S. Census Bureau counted the city's population as 474,069 in 2020. It is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. The city of Raleigh is named after Walter Raleigh, who established the lost Roanoke Colony in present-day Dare County.
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Raleigh Charter Vs Research Triangle Academy - North Carolina High School Girls Basketball
2019 Ford Edge Raleigh, NC #N303547A
RALEIGH STEREOTYPES EXPLAINED || LIVING IN RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
Research Triangle Academy vs. Raleigh Charter | North Carolina HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL
Raleigh Charter vs. Research Triangle Academy | North Carolina Varsity Boys Basketball
Raleigh Charter Vs Research Triangle Academy - North Carolina High School Boys Basketball
Raleigh Charter Vs Research Triangle - North Carolina High School Girls Basketball
[LIVE] Willow Spring Vs Southeast Raleigh - North Carolina High School B.Basketball
Willow Spring Vs Southeast Raleigh - North Carolina High School Boys Basketball
What 1 MILLION can get you in RALEIGH NC vs LOS ANGELES CA | Living in Raleigh NC
Mount Zion Christian Academy vs. Raleigh HomeSchool | North Carolina Higg School Boys Basketball
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CDL-A Team Driver - Earn Up to $100,000/Yr Up to $30k Split Sign-On Logistics & Warehouse
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Lead React Fullstack Developer IT
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Other cities: Lakewood, OH info Long Beach, CA info Lexington, KY info Maplewood, MN info St George, UT info Mentor, OH info All cities


text:
The Public Affairs Firm of the Future
Anyone can strategize. Omni Public helps disruptive new brands team-up with government entities not just for profit, but for the greater good.
by Victoria Kertz, Staff Writer, California Business Journal
Cesar Hernandez, founder of public affairs firm Omni Public, knows what emerging tech companies need to succeed. No, not the obvious things that all startups need, like funding and a clear mission. Disruptive brands, companies with products so new and unusual that people don't know how to categorize them, need a partner in their state's capital.
Hernandez says the path to market acceptance goes through an unlikely ally: state and local government. Young startups and career politicians may seem like the oddest of couples, but the pairing benefits all parties when done right.
"If you start with the community in mind," he says, "and you're sensitive to the laws, that will allow you to properly engage."
It was this inspiration, that disruptive tech, when brought in at the community level as lifeline or societal betterment, that persuaded Hernandez to quit his comfy government agency job and found what would later become Omni Public three years ago. Startups typically need some help with elected officials and those with undefined sectors essentially need to create an industry.
"I'm an expert in government procurement and how private companies can interact legally with the government." — Cesar Hernandez, founder of public affairs firm Omni Public
When startups want to roll out their tech, one of the best ways is to introduce it at the community level, with local leaders already on board.
"That's very important because if you are brand new and there is not a regulatory framework, if you do it wrong, you could be banned or have to dig yourself out of a hole."
That's where Omni comes in, whether to make introductions at city hall or strategize behind the scenes.
The Omni Public BrainTrust
"We work to make sure that as new tech becomes more accessible, the government creates the proper framework. We help you bring your tech to fruition and be respectful of the laws and the community receiving the tech."
As for the governments themselves? They're already playing catch-up with incoming technology, so a partnership that solves a community problem or makes life better for their constituents is something they want to be a part of.
The first time Hernandez did this was with none other than Tesla, who was producing a rideshare program exclusively for Tesla owners. He connected Tesla with Tampa, Florida public officials. "The project produced the world's first public private transportation network rideshare program dubbed Hyperlink. The program increased ridership over 400% in the area it was implemented. It was since moved to downtown Tampa and was selected as one of the Urban Planners Choice Award."
"I got the bug for disruption theory and had a hunch that if companies that were so large, like Tesla, were working on their novel initiatives, then the world was not void of good ideas and good people to bring these ideas to market." — Cesar Hernandez
The Tesla project snowballed for Hernandez, who now serves as a public affairs and government relations consultant to Hyperloop Transit Technologies group, creators of futuristic transit tubes connecting cities via pressurized capsules designed to move over 100,000 commuters each day. Hyperloop was popularized by Elon Musk who made his Hyperloop white paper public back in 2013.
He also consults with 2019 Startup of the Year, Bird Rides, providers of rentable electric scooters based in Santa Monica. Hernandez helped the upstart bring its scooters to the American southeast.
"We work with emerging startups all over the world, the UK, South Africa, and Latin America," he says. "We have superior expertise in disruptive technology and new, innovative ideas and concepts, then help bring them to market and engage the media and government"
In fact, if government relations are well-established, Hernandez and his team offer other services, like public relations, helping clients establish notoriety, credibility, and placement in large publications, all excellent bullet points to showcase to investors and government agencies.
But Hernandez's true motivation in his work is helping new companies promote products that help make the world a better place. Omni Public — a reference to how many of their packages offer public outreach and public involvement strategies — has a powerhouse team of experts, associates, lobbyists, and operations personnel to serve clients large and small.
As for what's on the horizon, Hernandez says, "We're ready. We are not laggards. I am inclined to be receptive to projects that move society forward. We are progressive strategically and politically, with projects that focus on transportation, mobility, and tech, plus social equity issues."
Omni's 2020 lobbying efforts in Florida have centered on social justice and affordable housing legislation. After a day of work, Hernandez says he wants to be able to sleep at night with the decisions he's helped solidify. It's also why he wanted to launch his own firm and never have to sacrifice his ideals.
But why do business with him? "I am the best in the business when it comes to emerging technologies. Nobody else has an advantage when it comes to undefined sectors however, I am also an expert in disruption theory and how markets move."
And after the kind of year that 2020 has been, with a global pandemic, social justice movement, and chaotic American election, Hernandez's most valuable asset is his comfort in uncertainty.
He was raised in Brooklyn before it became the gentrified hotspot that it is today.
"By the age of 22, I was arrested six times, shot at twice, survived homelessness in Brooklyn, and have had friends murdered. Being a position where you can bootstrap your life and face that adversity and uncertainty, I think I can handle PR." — Cesar Hernandez
"In the realm of consulting, everything is going to go wrong. Navigating uncertainty is the norm. I can be absolutely confident, because it was those very same instincts, that I had to rely on to survive on the streets."
It's no longer life or death, but he works to ensure a client is successful or legislation is passed.
"My clients respect that I'm calm," he says. His confidence and demeanor helped Omni when coronavirus first struck in the US in early 2020. The firm's pipeline of potential clients dried up, but they did not lose a single existing customer.
When he moved to Tampa, he says the city opened him with open arms and he's motivated to stay there and help it grow. Tampa, he says, is an emerging market and city on its own. Omni also maintains a New York City office and has a presence in Los Angeles.
"My biggest clients have come out of California organically; our partner is there to help those clients. There is so much disruption there, it's overflowing. We help them grow in a really smart way."
(Editor's Note: Here is more on public affairs (1) and (2) as well as PR.)
Tags: affordable housingAmericaAmericanCaliforniaConsultingCoronavirusElectionfocusfundingGroupinitiativesinvestorslocalLos AngelesNew Yorkpipelineplannerspublic affairsregulatorystartupstechnologyTesla
Business Profile: San Diego-based ASL Project Management Consultants
Investor Jonha Richman's Inspiring Journey From Homelessness
Victoria Kertz, Staff Writer, California Business Journal
Emerging eCommerce Consultant Companies to Watch in 2021
Investor Jonha Richman's Inspiring Journey From Homelessness


Data Breach Coverage - VENZA® - Better Visibility. Better Defense.
Administered by RGS (Royal Group Services, LLC), this $100,000 data breach policy covers your merchants for the costs of forensic audits, fees and fines from Visa/MC, equipment replacement in lieu of fines ($15,000 sublimit), cost of required consumer notifications ($10,000 sublimit), and more… All with a $0 deductible. Managed by the North American Data Security Risk Purchase Group (NADS RPG).
North American Data Security Risk Purchase Group (NADS RPG) is the most comprehensive and cost effective breach protection program in the payments industry. This program provides up to $100,000 in protection against normal losses associated with a data breach that involves cardholder data.
Includes all PCI DSS Level 2, 3 and 4 merchant accounts, regardless of whether the merchant is PCI DSS compliant or not at the time of the breach.
What if there is a suspected breach?
If there is a breach or suspected breach, call our QSA team to connect with you and your merchant and to assist in explaining the process and recommending to-do's and connecting with appropriate PFI companies.
The following portal can be accessed by the merchant and the Client/ISO/Bank to provide the information on the program and to discuss claims process, etc.
VENZA offers data breach protection to organizations that maintain an active license of our Everest™ package.
Have questions? Call 770-685-6500 or email sales@venzagroup.com.


Within the framework of its 2016 - 2019 Strategic Plan, for the coming academic year "la Caixa" Foundation is to start up a new international doctoral grant programme with the support of the European Commission.
Through the COFUND action by the Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie programme, the European Commission supports the best European mobility grant programmes with the aim of giving training an international, cross-sector dimension and promoting professional development in the research field.
The INPhINIT programme of grants by "la Caixa" plans to award 42 three-year grants a year per round of applications, representing an investment of nearly 6.5 million euros in each round.
For Isidre Fainé, President of "la Caixa" Banking Foundation, "Support for training through grants has always been a priority for our organisation. The assistance of the European Commission in this programme is, as well as a responsibility, a stimulus of the first order to continue on this path."
INPhINIT grants are open to the best international researchers to pursue doctoral projects at research centres of excellence around Spain.
The new project will invite applications for 57 annual grants in the academic years 2017 and 2018, and "la Caixa" will be adding its own investment of 6.5 million euros per round of applications to this scheme.
For the first time, the European Commission is to cofinance a project organised by "la Caixa" Foundation. Its contribution of 4.7 million to the new programme recognises over three decades in which "la Caixa" has awarded grants.
Introduce the data needed to send the link of the news item, ""la Caixa" receives 4.7 million euros from the European Commission for a new INPhINIT Grant programme, aimed at attracting the best international scientific talent"