Persecution Magazine, May 2013 3/4

PERSECUTION International Christian Concern | May 2013

Issue 1/4

INDIA A LEGACY OF

Christian Suffering ISSUE 3/4

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION SPREADS TO SOUTHERN INDIA Indian Pastors Share Their Testimony

Persecution in India is not unprecedented. Attacks on Christians are so common in some areas that many pastors go into ministry knowing one day they will be a victim of assault and arbitrary arrest as a result of their pastoral work.

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CENTRAL ASIA

Traditionally, incidents of persecution were concentrated in India’s northern regions. States located in what is called the “Hindu heartland,” like Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bengal, were where attacks against Christians happened with frequency. Over the past year, the number of attacks on Christians in India’s southern states has increased dramatically. States like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which have traditionally been home to large Christian populations, are experiencing higher levels of persecution than ever before.

To document this disturbing trend, I traveled to southern India and interviewed pastors who are among the first victims of this new wave of persecution. In a small hot hotel room in Tamil Nadu, I began my investigation.

BEATEN AND FALSELY ACCUSED IN KARNATAKA Pastor Monish was the first person I spoke to regarding this new trend.

Even though it had taken Monish over 13 hours on a bus to reach my hotel room from Karnataka, he was still eager to share his testimony.

In August 2012, Monish was leading Sunday worship when Hindu radicals broke into his meeting hall and attempted to end the worship service by force. Although cooler heads prevailed and no one was injured, the radicals did not suffer any legal consequnces and therefore were only emboldened to attack again. That next Sunday, they broke into the meeting place and beat Monish in front of his fellowship.

Police were called to the scene, but this made the situation for Monish worse. When the police arrived, radicals claimed Monish started the fight and that he was “forcefully converting people to Christianity.”

Accusing Christian pastors of “forceful conversion” is a classic maneuver used by radical Hindus to repress Christians across India. In 1968, India passed its first freedom of religion act which made conversion to any religion by force illegal. The law restricts conversions resulting from force, fraud or inducement. Police, in concert with radicals, often use this law as a means to arrest Christians without a real charge.

Monish was arrested and taken to jail based solely on the false accusa-

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tions of his attackers. At the police station, radicals gathered 150 people to bear false witness against Monish. Against this volume of false testimony, Monish stood little chance of proving his innocence.

In response, Monish filed a police report against his attackers for assault.

After the report was filed, radicals tried to strike a deal with Monish. They told him if he was willing to sign an agreement to not lead Christians worship anymore, they would drop all the charges against him. Visibly appalled, Monish told me he didn’t even consider signing the agreement an option.

As I concluded my interview with Monish, he told me he was still in court fighting for justice and that many of the 150 false witnesses have retracted their statements.

This has led his assailants to renew their efforts to settle the dispute outside of court. “I will not settle until justice is done in this case,” Monish said. “I will attempt to stop this violence before it happens again.”

PERSECUTED BY POLICE IN TAMIL NADU Monish and his fellowship A persecuted pastor begins each meetin Karnataka are not the only ing with a prayer, asking God to take his testimony and use it for His glory.

Christians affected by this new wave of persecution. Christians living in the southern state of Tamil Nadu are being attacked in a near identical fashion. To give me insight, Pastor Robinson from Marthandam, a town located on India’s most southern tip, traveled to my hotel to share his testimony.

As Robinson was leading his fellowship, Hindu radicals broke in and started to beat him with clubs. Tensions between Robinson and radicals in

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CENTRAL ASIA

I WILL NOT SETTLE UNTIL JUSTICE IS DONE IN THIS CASE. I WILL ATTEMPT TO STOP THE VIOLENCE BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. - PASTOR MONISH

the area had been on edge for several months prior to the attack due to the success of Robinson’s ministry. Usually, the radicals would just stand at the windows of the Robinson’s meeting hall and shout during the service, attempting to disrupt the proceedings.

As tensions escalated, Robinson contacted local police, who sent guards to ensure trouble didn’t break out during a worship service. Unfortunately, these guards proved useless when trouble did break out. As Robinson was beaten, the guards stood by and watched.

Robinson was beaten so badly he was hospitalized for ten days. Before he could fully recover, police arrested him in the hospital and held him for questioning at the local police station. As if reading from a script written

by Monish’s attackers, Robinson’s assailants had filed a complaint alleging Robinson of forcefully converting people to Christianity.

Released on bail, Robinson was approached by radicals and told that the charges against him would be dropped if he signed an agreement saying he would no longer lead Christian worship, eerily similar to the agreement presented to Monish. Pastor Robinson refused, telling me, “Even if I were threatened with death, I would not sign that note.”

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Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu

Instead of getting a fair trial, local police decided to punish Robinson outside of court. Robinson was ordered to report to the police station twice a day, once at 10 a.m. and then again at 7 p.m. Unfortunately for Robinson, the police station is located over 40 miles away.

Under threat of arrest, Robinson was forced to travel the 160 miles every day for 20 days. After twenty days, police allowed him to check in with local police once every Sunday. Robinson continues to sign in every Sunday and is usually detained by police who are attempting to stop him from leading his Sunday worship service.

As I concluded my interview with Robinson, he told me he doesn’t care what his ministry costs him personally. “Money, tears, blood; they are well spent in the Lord’s service,” Robinson said with a smile.

As I left southern India, I did find a silver lining in the sad result of my investigation. Even though persecution is likely to increase, Christians in southern India have strong leaders like Monish and Robinson to follow.

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TER H G U A D R SON O A R O S N SPO ION! T U C E S R E OF P NAZIR’S STORY Nazir’s father is in prison in Pakistan for “blaspheming” Muhammad. The charge was false but regardless, he was arrested and convicted, and now sits on Pakistan’s death row.

Nazir’s mother supports five children on less than $50/month. They live in one 15-square-foot room without heat, air conditioning, or beds. Because of their poverty, Nazir must go to a Muslim school where he is publicly humiliated and pressured by teachers to convert to the religion that is responsible for ruining the life of their family and will kill his father.

The above story is not fictional. Nazir is a real child whose family was in dire straits before ICC brought the love and care of free Christians to his family.

A SECOND CHANCE Because of ICC partners like you, we were able to provide Nazir with a

new warm home, beds for he and his siblings to sleep on, and most importantly, the funding to send him to a private Christian school where he will receive a superior education and the ability to break out of generations of poverty his Christian relatives have lived under.

Each day, Christian children in heavily persecuted areas suffer because of their faith. Many are forced to convert to Islam, held as slaves, or even forced into marriage at a very early age. The majority suffer from lack of education, creating a generational poverty that becomes hard to break.

Some will even be orphaned as their parents will be killed in attacks.

FROM VICTIM TO VICTOR ICC’s “Kids Care” fund specifically helps these kids by providing education, food, shelter, and a loving community to disciple and care for them.

Our kids grow up to be strong leaders in the Christian community—not victims!

We have 300 kids under our care around the world. We have internally funded their care for years but we have run out of funding. We are not able to help any more children and are struggling to provide for the kids under our care already.

WOULD YOU PRAYERFULLY CONSIDER SPONSORING A CHILD IN NEED? Now is your chance! For just $45 a month, you can forever change the destiny of one young boy or girl that has suffered because they love Jesus.

As always, know that your donation will be used ethically, effectively, and efficiently. I promise!

Jeff King, President, International Christian Concern

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

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GIVING TO ICC VIA YOUR WILL Provide now for a future gift to ICC by including a bequest provision in your will or revocable trust. If you would like more information on giving to ICC in this way, please give us a call at 1-800-ICC-5441.

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