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Episodes
of Christian Persecution in South Asia
Religions
of the world generally claim to be divine or
heavenly revealed codes of life, with their
foundation on eternally boundless goodness,
kindness, benevolence and compassion. Nevertheless,
interpretation, application and implementation of
the religious scriptures, rests entirely with the
earthly man, with reference to certain context on
earth. Hence, all religions, in practice appear to
reflect vast range of human behavior stretched from
extremities of good and evil, brotherhood and
barbarity, sacrifice and snatch, benevolence and
bloodshed, mercy and misery, development and
devastation, piety and plunder, truce and terror,
salvation and slavery as well as warmth and war.
Not
to speak of man's blood stained religious past, his
current history is also no less than an ongoing
bloodbath in the sacred name of religion. May it be
East, West, North or South, religious barbarianism
is evident from Ireland to Yugoslavia in Europe,
from Sudan to Nigeria in Africa and from Middle East
and Far East to South Asian region in Asia. Muslims,
Hindus, Christians, Jews and Buddhists are openly
involved in one context or another in Interfaith and
Intrafaith violence. They are disturbing peace of
the Earth, denying in practice the divine or
heavenly virtue of goodness underlying the world
religions, and making Earth a hell for fellow
humans.
This
paper tends to narrate briefly the story of
Christian suffering in the various states of the
South Asian region including Afghanistan,
Bangladesh, India, Iran, Pakistan and Sri Lanka,
during the second half of the 20th century and
continuing vigorously at the outset of the 21st
century in the Third Millennium. Christians in this
part of the world have experienced state oppression
as well as societal persecution immensely, amidst
the growing religious fundamentalism in the region
evident from the country reports below.
AFGHANISTAN
Afghanistan
had an Anglican Church Diocese managed from Peshawar
in Pakistan, till the period of King Zahir Shah, the
monarch deposed by Sardar Daud in 1973 who lives in
exile. A considerable number of Afghan Christians
lived in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan and some
other areas. The Christians worshipped in privacy,
mostly in secrecy due to combined oppression of
state and orthodox tribal society. In the last days
of Zahir Shah's rule a half constructed Church
building was attacked and demolished by the
intolerant local population with collaboration of
equally intolerant Afghan government. It is ironic
that Zahir Shah who could not tolerate presence of
single church in his capital, had to seek refuge in
Rome, the city of churches, after his dethronement.
Afghanistan
is an Islamic state with almost 100 percent Muslim
population, an essential outcome of extreme
intolerance for followers of other faiths.
Intolerance and ruthless killing by the Afghan
government reminds the modern world of savage
behavior of cannibal tribes of the dark ages. To
them, the West is the Christian West that must be
annihilated for glorification of their faith. Hence,
Afghan government has harbored countless notable
anti-West or anti-Christian holy warriors, to carry
out violence in the name of religion.
The
tiny local Christian population could not survive
and was totally exterminated, by killing and forced
abandonment of their homeland, leaving no trace
behind.
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh
was carved out of religiously fanatic Pakistan in
1971. Nevertheless, it is a secular state unlike
Pakistan and in some degree tolerant contrary to
Christian-cum-West hostile Afghanistan.
The
Christian community is more or less 3 percent of the
population. The state normally does not discriminate
against Christians. They are allowed to worship,
establish worship places, practice and preach
Christian faith and proselytize at par with
followers of other religions. However, Christians
are destined to face some degree of state-reared
discrimination in political offices and government
jobs. This indicates a low degree of state
oppression, with provision of some fundamental
rights attached to it.
Unlike
tolerant face of the state, Islamists of Bangladesh
including fundamentalist religio-political parties,
orthodox clergy and fanatic intelligentsia pose a
constant threat to Christians as well as Hindus and
Buddhists. There is immense pressure on the
government to do away with the secular character of
the state and implement Islamic laws in letter and
spirit. These elements disallow Christian preaching
and proselytizing with violent means. Though there
are not signs of organized religious violence on the
Christian community, but incidents of sporadic
violence continued in one way or the other during
the past half century targeting Christian clergy,
missionaries, Churches, institutions and
individuals. However, at the break of the new
century, it appears optimistic that the religionists
of Bangladesh are not in a position to exert enough
pressure to religionize the laws of the land. This
aspect is source of peace and security for the state
and cause for solace for Christians and other
religious minorities, otherwise religious terrorism
would have been only one step away from their
doorsteps.
INDIA
India,
the largest state of South Asia is secular by
constitution. Rule of the former ruling party Indian
National Congress maintained India's secular
identity for more or less 4 decades from its
independence in 1947. Nonetheless, pressure of the
militant Hindu fundamentalist organizations like RSS
(Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh) kept diverting its
direction time and again. The present ruling party
BJP is one of the offshoots of RSS. BJP tends to
appear Hindu religionist than secularist. Hence, BJP-led
rule signifies efforts to convert India into a Hindu
India. In the awake of these circumstances almost
all of religio-political as well as
politico-religious Hindu revivalist organizations
like RSS, Bahrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu
Jagran Manch and Hindu Dharma Raksha Samiti, overtly
or covertly look committed for revival of Hindu
glory and oreprimand of all non-Hindu Indian
communities including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs
etc.
It
is heart breaking to see that under the skies of
World's largest democracy, dreamworld of Mahatma
Gandhi and Mother Teresa non-Hindu religious
communities of India, sharing equal rights with
Hindus in the constitution, are cracking under
societal terrorism coupled with state oppression, at
the dawn of 21st century.
Christians
make less than 3 percent of the total Indian
population of about 1 billion. Hindu religionists
are angered with this small community over
"forced" conversions of Hindus to
Christian faith during the past two centuries. As a
matter of fact those "forced" converts
were not Hindus. They were "Shudras" or
Dalits and tribesmen declared outcaste and
untouchable by the Hindu society. A large number of
them, by their own choice, became Christian or
Muslim to regain human respect and dignity, lost
under social set-up of Hinduism.
Oppression
on Christians was sporadic for many years. However,
BJP led government and Hinduist activists geared it
up in 1997. Now it has assumed the form of savagery
and barbarity. States of Gujrat, Tamil Nadu, Kerala,
Orissa, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh saw the worst
episodes of oppression though Delhi and other parts
of India were not trouble free either.
Church
buildings, schools, hostels, hospitals, convents and
parish houses of Catholic, Anglican, Methodist,
Pentecostal, Indian, Seventh Day Adventist,
Evangelist and several other denominations were
attacked, looted, burned and demolished. Fathers,
pastors and missionaries were killed or burnt alive.
Nuns were insulted, manhandled and raped. Christian
Dalits and congregation members were attacked,
killed and wounded. Besides immeasurable losses of
life, honor, dignity and property, psychological
losses are even greater. Attacks are going on even
now in July 2000, in many parts of India.
BJP
led government and its religionist compatriots have
failed to realize that the small Christian community
is determined and destined to survive despite this
enormous oppression and persecution but this
oppression, persecution and violence would mar
India's democratic face so terribly that it would be
very hard to reform.
IRAN
Modern
Iran is fundamentalist in letter and spirit. The
present Islamist regime came in power in 1979 after
dethronement of King Raza Shah Pehlave, the last
Iranian monarch who died in exile in U. S. A. Iran
has 99 percent Muslim population of which 89 percent
belong to Shi'a sect and 10 percent to the Sunni.
The non-Muslim religious minorities including
Christians, Zoroastrians, Bahais and Jews are less
than 1 percent. Christian population was about
3,00,000 during the period of King Raza before 1979.
The figures have dropped down to 1,17,000 after 21
years of ruthless religious persecution. These might
be the number of survivors of the colossal
oppression.
After
the religionists took over, there was indiscriminate
bloodshed of Christian. Countless Christian
politicians, social leaders, businessmen, forces
men, civil services men, religious leaders,
preachers, teachers and people from all walks of
life were killed, disappeared and harassed to
abandon their homeland. Bishop Dehqani's son, a
professor at Tehran University was killed and the
Bishop and his remaining family members had to run
to Italy for refuge. Secretary of Iran Bible Society
Tatwoos Michaelian was killed and nothing is known
about his family members. Iranian Evangelical
pastors Mehdi Dibaj and Haik Hovsepian Mehr were
murdered and the fate of their families is unknown.
Number of murdered and disappeared Evangelical
pastors, preachers and workers is very high. All of
this oppression was carried out by the religionist
administration, fundamentalist youth, revolutionary
guards, policemen and secret services personnel.
It
is common to charge active Christians or converts
with crimes like "drug offences", "rebellian",
"apostasy" and "espionage" to
arrest, exterminate, imprison or exile them. State
oppression and high degree discrimination against
Christians and of course other religious minorities
is running in full gear in every walk of life
including state affairs, Polities, Education,
Judiciary, Services, Business etc. etc. Christian
institutions are monitored, Church activities are
watched and even Prayer meetings are spied. Iranian
Christian community is undergoing as ugly a slavery
as of Pharaos of the ancient Egypt. To tell the
truth, it is hard to differentiate between Iranian
religionist government or a fascist mafia rule under
cover of a religion. The message religionists of
Iran are transmitting very loudly, the world over,
at the rise of the 21st century, is that we are
fundamentalist, fanatics, prejudiced, bigoted,
intolerant, bloodthirsty and terrorist because we
are religionist. Alas! Iran, beautiful Iran is
experiencing such an ugly oppression of history.
PAKISTAN
Islamic
Republic of Pakistan created in 1947 is hung between
secularism and Islam on ideological frontiers as
well as between political government and army rule
on the administrative horizons. Pakistan's 95
percent population is Muslim while religious
minorities including Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis,
Sikhs, Buddhists and Scheduled Castes are 5 percent.
Christians are less than 3 percent. Pakistan came
into being as exclusive homeland for Muslims, though
Christians also opted for it. Hence, Islamic option
has always been very high. Eventually, with gradual
rise of religious fundamentalism, fanaticism and
terrorism religious and sectarian violence became
common feature of its national life. Religious
scholars and religio-political parties accelerated
the religious frenzy on pretext of annihilating
Christians, Hindus, Jews and the Western nations.
High illiteracy rate in the masses of the country,
proved to be a springboard for religious scholars to
gain mass popularity and momentum for their
annihilative mission. Hence, Pakistan became a
sanctuary to rear nursery of religious violence and
terrorism, to be exported across the borders. Rapid
growth of religious fanaticism in the country became
a hanging sword for Christian community besides
other smaller communities. It must be spelled out
that it is a double-edged sword, one edge being the
state and other the society.
State
oppression combined with societal violence became
the order of the day. Dozens of Christians were
persecuted under false charges of Blasphemy Laws.
Many persons, priests and nuns were murdered. Many
churches were burnt. Several Christian villages were
burnt and devastated. Christian educational
institutions were nationalized. Separate Electorate
was imposed to weaken, and marginalize the
Christians politically, socially and economically.
Legislative assemblies made anti-minority laws and
debarred Christians and other minorities from many
basic rights. State, legislative, judiciary, police,
religious clergy and fundalists worked hand and
glove to oppress and persecute the Christian
community, anywhere and in any way. Bishop John
Joseph Shaheed had to lay down his life to rescue
the Christian community, almost an endangered
community, here. Christians of Pakistan have a long
saga of suffering from 1947 to date. They have
suffered but survived. Nonetheless, religious
terrorism is flourishing with greater speed. If
Pakistan's secularist Muslims, Christians and other
communities do not turn this tide, every sign of
goodness and humanism may be swayed away.
SRI
LANKA
Sri
Lanka is Buddhist dominant state with Hindus,
Christians and Muslims s religious minorities. The
state and judicial system do not tend to
discriminate against its citizens on religious
grounds. Nevertheless, Buddhist society offers
strong resistance to religious rights of the
Christians and other religious communities. Open
Christian preaching and proselytizing is resisted by
the Buddhists. Evangelical clergy is met with
hostility and harassment. An Evangelical Church
leader was murdered in 1988, and a church hall was
bombed in 1999. These incidents are ugly but rare.
Sri Lanka secularists must devote themselves to
discourage religious discrimination and violence to
save democratic face of their nation.
BHUTAN,
MALDEEP & NEPAL
Hindu
dominant Bhutan and Nepal and Muslim dominant
Maldeep (Maldev) are also significant states of
South Asia. However unlike most other states these
tend to promote religious and social harmony for
their national stability, opposed to religious and
social intolerance which ultimately may destabilize
a state.
THE
LAST WORD
Religiously
intolerant states, nations, parties, organizations,
clergy, intelligentsia and individuals of South Asia
region must realize that their oppression on
Christians and other religious communities is not
adding to the beauty and goodness of their religion
but rather is marred its face for ages to me come.
Those responsible for restrictions, curbs,
subjugation and annihilation of Christians and other
religious minorities, must bear in mind that their
faith has responsibilities for mankind and not
selfish motives for their own religious kind . Those
angered on proselytization or conversions of their
co-religionists must know that exit from one faith
or ideology and entrance into another, is by all
means an individual's right to choose his favorite
belief for his inner joy, without even the slightest
societal compulsion. Religion is a code of morality
which must not be mixed up with a mafia where
entrants have only an entrance but not an exit.
Nonetheless Christian, Muslim and other
missionaries, preachers and proselytizers must
review and re-evaluate whether their proselytizing
is based on honest preaching or pressure, bribe and
tricks as charged by the antagonists.
It
is need of the hour that civilized nations,
democratic Muslims and Hindus and Human Rights
organizations must carefully study the ills of human
behavior in this part of the world and must come up
with remedial measures, before it is too late.
Source
:
https://www.angelfire.com/ab/fullgospel/articles.html
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