Christian teacher in India arrested on false charges of trafficking, conversion of students
HYDERABAD, India — Police in central India on July 26 beat a Christian educator and filed baseless charges against him of human trafficking and fraudulent conversion of eight Christian students he was escorting to a Bible institute, sources said. After arresting Liju Kuriakose off of a bus in Manikpur, Chhattisgarh state, police officers told the students, including five minors, to give false statements that they were being trafficked, said one of the youths, a 17-year-old identified only as Govardhan. “We all had vehemently refused and told the police that we have been Christians for a while and are not new converts,” Govardhan told Morning Star News. “We cannot tell lies about the brother who came all the way from Kerala to help us. When their attempts failed, police sent us to the Child Welfare Committee’s home.” Kuriakose had come from Kerala state to ensure the safe travel of the students, ages 15 to 22, and all from tribal Christian families. They had boarded the bus in Manikpur bound for a railway station in Bilaspur, where they were to take a train to the Bible institute in Kochi, Kerala state, Govardhan said. “All eight of us had secured admission in a Bible institute in Kochi,
Hindu nationalists demand arrest of Catholic priest in India for saying king was not a god
A Catholic priest in the Indian state of Goa was granted “anticipatory bail” Aug. 8 after police registered a criminal case against him for allegedly “hurting Hindu sentiments” in remarks he made about a Hindu king during a Sunday Mass in July. Hindu groups had staged demonstrations in front of the police station calling for criminal charges to be brought against Father Bolmax Pereira, parish priest of St. Francis Xavier Church in Chicalim in the Archdiocese of Goa. Pereira was quoted in the Mass posted on YouTube saying that 17th-century Hindu king Chatrapati Shivaji “was a national hero but not a god.” “There are a few people for whom Shivaji has become a god … Yes, he is a national hero. We have to honor and respect him. What he has done, the battles he fought to protect his people … for all that he deserves respect. He is a hero, but not a god. … We have to have a dialogue with our Hindu brethren and ask them ‘Is Shivaji your God? Or a national hero?’ If he is a national hero, let it be at that. Don’t make him a god. We need to understand their perspective. If we live in
Manipur Mobs Destroyed Hundreds of Our Churches. Yet God Calls Us Christians to Repent.
Since the beginning of May, more than 180 people have lost their lives in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur. Most of these victims are Christians from the minority Kuki-Zo tribe and, in turn, thousands from these communities have fled from the violence for shelter in other parts of the state or country. Manipur is a hill-locked state with a fertile valley in the middle. The Meiteis occupy the valley districts, whereas the hill districts are the ancestral home of the various tribal communities, predating the British colonial administration. Both the hill districts and the tribal people are protected under a special act of the Indian Constitution that restricts land ownership in tribal areas. The current conflict began after the tribal community’s peaceful protest against the Meiteis’ efforts to become a “scheduled tribe” (which would also give them access to this hill land) was met with violent retaliation by a radical Meitei mob. The violence was further fueled by explosive lies spread purportedly by the Meitei community themselves, which quickly spread to the state capital, Imphal. Violent mobs started ransacking tribal houses, churches, educational institutions, and hospitals, and attacking people, including women and children. The article is published on christianitytoday.com
Catholic nuns risk their lives to serve violence-hit India’s Manipur state
Sr. Sanrupe Kharsyiumiong and her companion were busy recruiting candidates for her congregation in some parishes of Manipur, when ethnic violence targeting Christians erupted May 3 in the northeastern Indian state. After escaping, "our plan was to return in three days, but [we] got stranded in a village as mobs attacked houses and churches in several Christian villages," the 27-year-old member of the Clarist Franciscan Missionaries of the Most Blessed Sacrament told Global Sisters Report. The ongoing clash is between the majority Meitei community (who are mostly Hindu) and Kukis, one of the tribes in the state (most of them Christian). A tribal solidarity rally triggered the May 3 violence, as the Meiteis attacked the rallyists when they returned from the event. Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal, the capital of Manipur, in a report submitted to visiting bishops in mid-June, stated that more than 100 civilians — mostly Christians — were killed, and 249 churches belonging to various denominations were destroyed in the violence, most of which were Baptist and Presbyterian (the two major denominations in the state). But a July 10 report that the state government submitted to the Supreme Court indicated further destruction: 142 deaths, 5,053 registered cases of arson, and the
Christian, Dalit bodies hold protests in Punjab against Manipur violence
The impact of the Punjab bandh call was also visible in Ferozepur district where shops and markets at several places remained shut. In Moga, protesters said they will appeal to shopkeepers to keep their shops closed in protest against the violence in Manipur. Several Christian and Dalit bodies Wednesday held demonstrations at several places including Jalandhar, Ferozepur and Moga as part of their ‘Punjab bandh’ call against the Manipur violence. Shops remained shut in many areas of Jalandhar and Ferozepur districts as protesters shouted slogans against the central government for the violence in the northeastern state. Ahead of the bandh call given by different Dalit and Christian organisations, police were deployed at many places in the state. In Jalandhar, several markets remained shut with representatives of Dalit and Christian communities staging a ‘dharna’ in the city’ Kapurthala chowk. Police were deployed at Rama Mandi and Nakodar chowk, said officials. The impact of the Punjab bandh call was also visible in Ferozepur district where shops and markets at several places remained shut. In Moga, protesters said they will appeal to shopkeepers to keep their shops closed in protest against the violence in Manipur. A police officer in Moga said adequate security arrangements have been made
Indian Christians led by FIACONA hold prayer for end to violence in Manipur at the United Nations
The Indian Christian community in the Tri-state area held a prayer vigil in front of the United Nations to highlight the violence in Manipur, particularly the alleged attacks on the Kuki-Zo tribal people who are mostly Christian. The Prayer rally was attended by Christians from all denominations and regions in North America in cooperation with FIACONA (Federation of Indian American Christians of North America). A press release from organizers said the vigil was attended by more than seven hundred people, and clergy conducted the prayers to decry the loss of lives and destruction of homes and churches in Manipur. “This is not a protest rally. We aim not to examine why the riots happened, who is responsible, or politics,” President of FIACONA George Koshy is quoted saying in the press release. “We are here today to pray for the rule of law in Manipur, and obviously, there are limits as to what we can do to help. However, Prayer does not have any limitations”. He further clarified that we aim not to condemn or oppose anyone politically,” Koshy added. Dr. Anna George, the leader of this event, said the suffering on the ground in Manipur was “beyond our imagination. Other speakers at the event
Ahead of Biden’s visit, US again rakes up alleged religious persecution, human rights issues in India
The critical stance of the Pentagon came on Monday when a reporter asked whether Biden would raise the issue of alleged violations of human rights especially "Christian persecution" in India. Ahead of US President Joe Biden's visit to India, the Pentagon has again made a contentious statement against New Delhi on human rights issues despite being schooled by India on several occasions. While speaking at a regular press conference, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the Biden administration has been raising the issues of human rights violations in India in the past and will do the same in the future. "We regularly raise human rights concerns with countries with which we engage, have done that -- so in the past with India, and we'll do so in the future," he said. Biden to visit India next month Notably, President Biden is due to visit New Delhi next month for the G20 Summit where he will be holding a series of meetings with Indian officials including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, the critical stance of the Pentagon came on Monday when a reporter asked whether Biden would raise the issue of alleged violations of human rights especially "Christian persecution" in the country. "We have made
Indian pastor attacked for alleged religious conversion
Authorities in Bihar state have not filed a case against perpetrators who are believed to be Hindu hardliners A Protestant pastor in a northern Indian state has been attacked for allegedly conducting religious conversions. Pastor Shyju Joseph was conducting Sunday worship on Aug. 6 at his place in Bihar state's Nawada district. Members of the Bajrang Dal (brigade of Lord Hanuman), a Hindu nationalist organisation, disrupted the service after accusing him of converting people to Christianity. “They asked him to accompany them and made him sit on a motorcycle. Later, he was beaten up badly,” Christian activist Minakshi Singh told UCA News on Aug. 7. Singh, general secretary of Unity in Compassion, a charity based in neighboring Uttar Pradesh state, said, “As of now, no complaint has been filed.” We have contacted our people in Bihar to help the victim register a police complaint, Singh added. Police took him to Sharif Sadar Hospital in Nawada district where he was undergoing treatment for his injuries, she added. “Pastor Joseph’s condition is serious but he is stable now,” the Christian lay leader said. A member of Persecution Relief, an inter-denominational organization in India, criticized the state government for not filing a case against the pastor's attackers. “Are the attackers above the law of
Church bulletin article warns of Manipur-like situation in Goa
PANAJI: The state government’s talk of “destroying traces of Portuguese culture” is a warning that Goa could witness clashes similar to those in Manipur, says an article in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman’s pastoral bulletin, Renovacao. “Goa is expected to see the next holocaust after Manipur,” writes F E Noronha, a member of the editorial board of Renovacao. The bulletin is published by the Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media (DCSCM), from the Archbishop’s House in Altinho, Panaji. “The sporadic squeaks about destroying traces of Portuguese culture are announcements of the holocaust under preparation,” Noronha writes in the article. “Get ready to be paraded, you can save on your clothes. There are also sporadic announcements about places of worship.” The article adds, “People of Goa, enough of stupid Sao Joaos, dances, weddings, ‘Corridinhos’ and alcohol, get down on your knees and pray whatever prayer you know.” It goes on to say, “Your grandfathers rescued Goa in 1967. There is no Dr Jack Sequeira today, and Goans are not united. But situations throw up the requisite leadership and people rise to the occasion according to the crises.” The article says that Goa is staring at “crises” and that “churches may be demolished
Concern grows as Manipur violence set to expand
India (MNN) — Analysts say violence in India’s Manipur state could soon spread. The warring Meitei and Kuki people groups have ethnic ties to communities in neighboring states, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. At least 180 people have died in Manipur’s unrest, and over 60,000 are on the run. A3’s Pastor Mang* says the conflict, ongoing since May, is largely hidden from the outside world. “My younger brother works in the police department, and he says that the shooting stops around 3, 3:30 in the afternoon, but around 5, 5:30, or 6 [pm], the shooting continues,” Pastor Mang says. “The situation in Manipur is not getting better. It’s getting worse by the day.” In the latest attack on a Kuki community, “one of our village volunteers passed away, and three sustained injuries,” he adds. Political opponents criticize Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his inaction. Modi’s only remarks about Manipur came last month after a Meitei mob paraded two Kuki girls naked and then raped them. “For the Meitei, exposing themselves naked is to show their deepest anger and hatred,” Pastor Mang says, explaining why assailants may have chosen this attack style. Unfortunately, it was not an isolated incident. “Two of our (Kuki) young girls who work [at a] car
