Author Archives: Jillian O'Connor

Do ‘rapidly breeding’ Rohingya Muslims really threaten Myanmar’s Buddhist identity?

Posted on October 14, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

Amid pogroms, Harvard researchers say the ‘Rohingya menace’ is Myanmar’s version of Reagan’s ‘welfare queen’ folk tale. Patrick Winn reports on the politics behind the ongoing religious tension between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar for GlobalPost.

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Push for national census reveals scars of Bosnia’s painful past

Posted on October 11, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

The last official census in Bosnia was in 1991, when 4.4 million people lived there. But then a brutal war broke out, killing 100,000 people and driving away 2 million. Special correspondent Kira Kay reports on the need for and … Continue reading →

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Myanmar: Will anyone speak up for the world’s most persecuted minority?

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

CHICAGO — Myanmar may be the newest poster-child for democracy, but the country continues its campaign of ethnic cleansing against Rohingya Muslims in Arakan State. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has dubbed the violence by Myanmar, otherwise known as Burma, “crimes against humanity.” … Continue reading →

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Mormon Women Knock at the Door, Are Turned Away

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

“On October 5, 2013, almost 200 Mormon women gathered in downtown Salt Lake City on a sunny but crisp Saturday afternoon in order to seek admission to the priesthood session of the semi-annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. … Continue reading →

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God and Government

Posted on October 7, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

Every government on earth has its own approach to religion. Some see it as a partner, others see it as a threat. Some declare official faiths, others scorn that idea. We’ll go to 14 nations around the world, meeting real … Continue reading →

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WP: Religion is missing element in Kenya coverage

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

In its coverage of Somalis in Nairobi facing a backlash in the wake of the Westgate Mall attack that left 67 dead and more than 200 wounded last month, the Washington Post inexplicably leaves out the potent subject of religion from … Continue reading →

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Poll: Catholics agree with Pope Francis that church is ‘obsessed’ with moral issues

Posted on October 4, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

“Pope Francis rocked the Catholic world last month when he gave a wide-ranging interview in which he declared that the church had become “obsessed” with a few moral issues and needed to find a ‘new balance.’ “Now a new poll indicates that … Continue reading →

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Panama: The Priest in the Protest

Posted on October 2, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

“In February 2012, the Panamanian police used a military-style crackdown on a road blockade organized by Ngäbe-Buglé activists who opposed mining and hydroelectric projects. According to American missionary priest Joe Fitzgerald, police used tear gas, pellets and live rounds on … Continue reading →

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Kurds and women top Turkish PM reform plans

Posted on September 30, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

“Turkish Prime Minister has announced a package of proposals that include lifting of some restrictions on the use of the Kurdish language, as well as further steps to liberalise the wearing of Islamic headscarves. “Recep Tayyip Erdogan said rules preventing … Continue reading →

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WP’s Fisher looks at Rouhani’s difficult path ahead

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Jillian O'Connor

While many are hailing today’s phone call between President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani as a significant move toward a diplomatic resolution to disputes between the US and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Washington Post’s Max Fisher … Continue reading →

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