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Transitions Online
www.transitions-online.org
In focus this month: "Politicking on Hallowed Ground." TOL's
correspondents across the region look at how religion has proven to be
a powerful tool to mobilize the public for ends that are occasionally
far from divine.
*********************************************
So Much for Brotherly Love
by Veseljko Koprivica
http://www.tol.cz/nov99/somuch.html
Montenegrins of all religious persuasion are rallying behind the
Montenegrin Orthodox Church (CPC), annexed to the Serbian Orthodox
Church (SPC) in 1920. At issue is the CPC's legitimacy as well as some
600 monasteries and churches it claims as rightfully its own. But
though Montenegrins worldwide are championing the CPC as a symbol of
national pride, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic is pointedly
steering clear of the fray.
The Lure of Fundamentalism
by Birgit Brauer
http://www.tol.cz/nov99/funda.html
Kyrgyzstan was shaken by the taking of hostages in August by a group
of self-proclaimed "fundamentalists." But fundamentalism has become a
catch-all term, exploited by both governments and rebels to inspire
fear among the masses. Plagued by economic hardship and fearing an
uncertain future, Central Asians are turning to Islam - some as an
attempt to return to their roots, but many more as a way of filling a
spiritual vacuum.
When Church and State Collide
by Felix Corley
http://www.tol.cz/nov99/whench.html
The same day of the shootings in the Armenian parliament, holy myrrh
was being poured over the head of the new Catholicos - the religious
head of Armenians worldwide. The run-up to Karekin II's election had
been fraught with accusations of government meddling and pressure.
Bishops who claimed that politicians rigged the election had
threatened to boycott the ceremony. Though the assassinations
overshadowed the controversy, relations between church and state will
never be the same.
Let My People Go
by Felix Corley
http://www.tol.cz/nov99/funda.html
Uzbekistan has come under fire in the past decade for its cruel
treatment of religious minorities. But the Uzbek government was
awfully eager to broadcast the release of five religious prisoners -
all Christians - to
the West. While international humanitarian organizations were busy
clapping themselves on the back, thousands of Muslims still languish
in Uzbek prisons.
The Hit Parade
by Agnes Csonka
http://www.tol.cz/nov99/hitparade.html
What do hellfire, speaking in tongues, eternal salvation, and the
Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ), an opposition liberal party in
Hungary, have in common? The dynamic Christian movement Hit, which has
provoked controversy since its founding in the 80s. Some claim that -
in addition to brainwashing members and extorting money - Hit leaders
are way too close for comfort to the SZDSZ.
And check out our new Week in Review section
(http://www.tol.cz/week.html), where TOL correspondents throughout the
region give a run-down of the week's top stories. From the Ukrainian
presidential election results to Belarusians grudgingly celebrating
the Bolshevik revolution to Bulgaria's alarmingly shrinking
population.
Opinion pieces on how a change in political power in Moldova only
means new ways to steal, plus why the killings in the Armenian
parliament could unify the country... "In Their Own Words" excerpts
include an interview with former Slovak Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar
where he proclaims his government delivered "absolute freedom," and a
plea from Belarusian workers to beatify President Alyaksandar
Lukashenka... and media stories on Estonia's booming IT industry and
Bulgaria's secret taping scandal.
Using a network of local correspondents in Central and Eastern Europe,
the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union, Transitions Online publishes
a monthly selection of articles focusing on a particular theme with a
broad regional impact. We also regularly post opinion pieces, media
articles, book reviews, and other feature stories.
So please visit our site, subscribe, and become part of a dynamic new
media project dedicated to building independent journalism in Central
and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, and the former Soviet Union. And be
sure to also visit our partner sides:
Central Europe Review (http://www.ce-review.org), the weekly Internet
journal of Central and East European politics, society, and culture
and
Index on Censorship, the international journal for free expression.
It's ten years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and the world is a
very different place. On a journey through Germany, Russia,
Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, the Middle East, India, Africa, China and the
U.S., Index asks: "What price democracy?" Find the answers at Index's
web site: (http://www.indexoncensorship.org).
_________________________________________________________________
Lars Nicolaisen Tel. (4202) 2278 0805
Marketing Assistant Fax. (4202) 2278 0804
Transitions Online
Chlumova 22 email: [email protected]
130 00 Prague 3 http://www.transitions-online.org
Czech Republic
_________________________________________________________________
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