Vatican Apologizes for the Church’s Historical Role in Justifying European Colonialism

 

ROME (March 30) — The Vatican apologized for the Catholic Church’s historical role in justifying colonialism by European powers in other parts of the world and criticized pronouncements by past popes that authorized the seizure of indigenous people’s lands.

The Vatican’s statement on colonialism was a response to demands from indigenous leaders in Canada and elsewhere for the papacy to renounce the so-called doctrine of discovery. That idea, which was used to justify European expansionism in the Americas and elsewhere, held that the Christian powers of Europe had the right to rule over lands that European explorers discovered.

The Vatican repudiated the doctrine of discovery, which it said was never a part of Catholic teaching but rather a construct of later jurists. It acknowledged that papal decrees in the 15th century, which permitted Portugal to subjugate Muslims and other non-Christians in Africa, and divided overseas territories between Portugal and Spain, “did not adequately reflect the equal dignity and rights of indigenous peoples.”

“These racist legal doctrines have allowed Canada to unilaterally claim sovereignty over our peoples and our lands, and further used it as an excuse to commit genocide. And today, the Vatican finally said what our peoples have always known,” said Bobby Cameron, chief of the Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations, in an emailed statement.

Anonymous 

PS. They used the same Doctrine of Christian Discovery to rob the lands of America, Canada, Africa, Australia, New Zealand etc etc. The Vatican is starting to own up to their crimes against humanity.

Degree not recognised in Singapore and Malaysia

 

M'sian man, 32, spent 5 years on degree only to learn it's not recognised when bank rescinded job offer
He had 10 other course mates.

He should get a degree from India. I have not heard of any Indian degree that is not recognised except for degree mills. Not sure where was this degree from. The name has been blanked off. Think not from India as all Indian degrees are recognised and even preferred by some organisations and govts.

It is safer to get a degree from India. That is where most of the foreign talents came from and all the foreign employment agencies would recommend Indian talents for top jobs, with great grades and experiences that outshone Singaporeans and better than Singaporean degrees.

PS. 

How easy is it to get a fake Singapore university degree certificate, and what are firms doing to detect this?

CNA speaks to HR experts and employers about the issue of local jobseekers using forged educational qualifications to secure employment – and attempts to buy a fraudulent degree certificate.  CNA

This is the right step and right direction to go. Only Singaporeans cheat. Foreigners don't. So no need to bother about checking foreign degrees. Also it is easier to verify local university certificates. Foreigner's certificates, don't bother. Very difficult, near impossible to find out. Just trust them, as long as they can do the job, no degree or fake degree also never mind. Just catch and shame the Singaporeans.

What do you think?

KMT's Ma Ying-Jeou Slams Japanese Invaders' 'Barbarous Acts' in Nanjing

KMT's Ma Ying-Jeou Slams Japanese Invaders' 'Barbarous Acts' in Nanjing; Students Angry DPP Curbs WII Info

"History must never be forgotten… all of us Chinese should stand on our own two feet so that we will not be bullied or trampled on," former chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) party Ma Ying-jeou said on Wednesday at the Memorial Hall of the Victims of the Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders in Nanjing.

Ma said that he was unprecedentedly shocked in emotion after closely seeing massacre-related artifacts, historical materials, photos and other materials.

On December 13, 1937, Japanese troops seized Nanjing and committed horrible atrocities, including rape, arson, looting, mass executions and torture. The striking sign that reads "300,000 victims" on the memorial wall engraved a collective and painful memory for all the Chinese people.

Ma entered the exhibition hall to learn about the atrocities committed by the Japanese army, humanitarian aid, Nanjing after the massacre, and post-war investigation and trial. Ma looked sorrowful and even choked up during the interview, according to Taiwan-based media.

"I have read some books and photos about the history of the Nanjing Massacre, but I have never been so shocked as today. This is a rarely barbarous act in human history, and the Chinese people are the biggest victims," Ma said.

A large number of precious cultural relics and historical materials in the museum tell the world the history with irrefutable facts. The three basic exhibitions display nearly 4,000 photos, nearly 10,000 cultural relics and more than 260 video materials, according to Xinhua.

Ma told media that Chinese people, no matter on which side of the Taiwan Straits, "should be self-reliant and resist bravely in facing of outside bullying."

Students among Ma's delegation said that textbooks in Taiwan under DPP authorities have little detail about the Nanjing Massacre, without mentioning actual number of victims. After this visit, they felt very sorrowful and also angry for the past foreign bullying against the Chinese nation.

Anonymous 

Peace Also Coming Between China and Bhutan; India Shocked as Bhutan Revolt

Bhutan's Prime Minister Lotay Tshering said China has an equal say in resolving the Doklam plateau dispute, marking a significant shift in the ongoing dispute over the strategically important area. The plateau lies at the tri-junction of India, China, and Bhutan and has been a source of tension between the three countries since the 2017 Doklam standoff.

In a recent interview with Belgian Daily La Libre, Tshering said, "It is not up to Bhutan alone to solve the problem. There are three of us. There is no big or small country, there are three equal countries, each counting for a third."

For many decades, India has been controlling Bhutan's foreign policy through various means. On the one hand, India limits Bhutan's establishment of diplomatic relations with other countries. Although India has repeatedly stated that Bhutan is an independent sovereign country, it remains very vigilant about Bhutan's development of foreign relations and even opposes Bhutan's contacts with other countries.

Tshering's statement indicates Thimphu's willingness to negotiate the tri-junction's status in Doklam between India, China, and Bhutan, which lies at the heart of the dispute.

Tshering said: 'We do not encounter major border problems with China, but certain territories are not yet demarcated. We still have to discuss it and draw a line. We have come to understand each other. Last month. a Bhutanese delegation visited China and we are now awaiting the arrival in Bhutan of a Chinese technical team. After one or two meetings, we will probable be able to draw a line. There is a lot of information circulating in the (Indian) media about Chinese installations in Bhutan. We don't make a deal of it because it's not in Bhutan. We said categorically, there is no intrusion as mentioned in the (Indian) media. This is an international border and we know exactly what belongs to us."

A Bhutan-China border agreement would make the entire Doklam plateau legally part of China, a move that India rejects. New Delhi often interferes in the China-Bhutan border negotiations. China has resolved most of its land border issues through negotiations since the 1950s, but does not complete its border talks with Bhutan because India insists on representing Bhutan in the negotiations, while China hopes to directly engage with Bhutan.

Anonymous 

China, Brazil strike deal to ditch U.S. dollar for trade

 

China and Brazil have reached a deal to trade in their own currencies, ditching the US dollar as an intermediary, the Brazilian government said on Wednesday, Beijing’s latest salvo against the almighty greenback.

The deal will enable China, the top rival to US economic hegemony, and Brazil, the biggest economy in Latin America, to conduct their massive trade and financial transactions directly, exchanging yuan for reais and vice versa instead of going through the dollar.

“The expectation is that this will reduce costs... promote even greater bilateral trade and facilitate investment,” the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) said in a statement.

China is Brazil’s biggest trading partner, with a record US$150.5 billion (S$200 billion) in bilateral trade last year.

The deal, which follows a preliminary agreement in January, was announced after a high-level China-Brazil business forum in Beijing.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was originally scheduled to attend the forum as part of a high-profile China visit, but had to postpone his trip indefinitely on Sunday after he came down with pneumonia.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Bank of Communications BBM will execute the transactions, officials said.

China has similar currency deals with Russia, Pakistan and several other countries.

Anonymous 

PS. The pace of dedollarisation is gaining speed and will turn into an avalanche soon.