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MARCH 2016
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India Infiltrated ICC Explores India’s Bastar District where Christianity is Banned
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INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
Testimonies
Father Sankar
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n December 2, 2014, St. Sebastian’s Church in East Delhi was consumed by flames. Soon after, Christians around the city marched in protest at the lack of investigation by the government and the rising tide of Christian persecution throughout India. Father Sankar, the lead spokesperson for the Diocese of Delhi, told ICC that police have been stationed at churches around Delhi ever since. “I don’t know what will happen if the police leave,” said Father Sankar. On top of the St. Sebastian Church burning, Catholic nuns have been attacked and raped, two other Christians have been murdered and more than a half-dozen churches were attacked in 2015. Father Sankar says that even the Church is afraid to speak up, fearing that the Indian government might cut off all funding from outside of the country.
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Pastor Singh
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lmost 20 years ago, Pastor Singh* felt the call of God leading him to begin a church in the sprawling metropolis of Delhi. Through hard work and patience, Pastor Singh’s congregation gradually grew to a group of 250, nearly all converts from Hinduism. His church also began a missions outreach to nearby areas and had great success leading people to Christ. In the summer of 2015, Pastor Singh was pulled out of a prayer service to confront an angry mob of Hindu radicals. He was accused of insulting Hindu gods and told that his church would have to shut down immediately. When he refused, the mob began beating him, injuring one of his eyes. Police intervened, but only to detain Pastor Singh. Finally, Pastor Singh was allowed to return home, and the Hindu radicals were warned by police not to create more trouble. ICC was able to visit Pastor Singh, pray with him and cover the cost of eye surgery so that he can continue his ministry in Delhi. *name changed for security
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Rosa & Saanvi
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n September 5, 2015, Rosa and Saanvi* were helping their pastor clean out their small church in Chhattisgarh, India, before Sunday morning services. Suddenly, with almost no warning, a mob of angry young men poured into the church, screaming at Rosa and Saanvi. They were from the Bajrang Dal, a feared radical youth wing of a militant Hindu movement. When the pastor of the church tried to step in, he was attacked with a shovel before managing to flee outside. Rosa and Saanvi, however, were trapped. The men began beating them, mercilessly, until they blacked out. Rosa woke up two days later, and Saanvi awoke three days later in a local hospital. Both had sustained major injuries, including broken vertebrae, which they were still suffering from when ICC’s team visited them. When asked what they planned to do in the future, Rosa and Saanvi both responded, “We will follow Jesus, even if we die.” *name changed for security MARCH 2016
Testimonies
Ishaan
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hen Ishaan’s* wife fell deathly ill after the birth of their son, Ishaan didn’t know what to do. A Hindu, Ishaan tried paying the local witch doctors to treat her, but she only got worse. Feeling hopeless, Ishaan called a Christian pastor for help. By the time the pastor arrived, Ishaan thought his wife had died, noting that she wasn’t moving or breathing. The pastor laid hands on Ishaan’s wife, prayed for her and told her to “rise up.” Instantly, Ishaan says, his wife took a deep breath, opened her eyes and sat up. Ishaan and his wife gave their lives to Christ that night. Years later, they now face regular persecution from radicals in their village trying to convince them to leave their faith. They even had to go eight days without fresh drinking water after locals blocked access to the only nearby water well. Even so, Ishaan’s faith remains strong, and he says he is committed to serving Jesus no matter what. *name changed for security
Aaron
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ix years ago, Aaron* was a committed Hindu when his father was paralyzed by a stroke. A Christian aunt recommended that they call a pastor and pray for him. Slowly but surely, Aaron’s father began to recover, leading Aaron to put his trust in Jesus. Today, Aaron and his small community of Christian brothers and sisters face intense pressure to leave their faith behind. Leaders in his village, inspired by Hindu radicals, have cut off water to their Christian neighbors time and time again. Local farm owners refuse to let the Christians work in their fields, leaving them with very few ways to earn a living. At one village gathering, Aaron and his fellow Christians were told, “Next Sunday, we will have a big conversion ceremony. You must come and convert to Hinduism.” Aaron says they refused and told the leaders bluntly, “We will continue to follow Jesus.” *name changed for security
Sirciguda Church
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n a hot summer day in central India, dozens of Christians gathered in the village center to meet with a local official about the persecution they were facing at the hands of Hindu radicals. The official never showed, but a mob of roughly 400 Hindu radicals did, attacking the assembled Christians with large sticks and poles. Twelve were badly beaten. Talking to ICC several months after the attack, the Christians of this village expressed their uncertainty about the future. “Last time we survived; next time they may kill us,” the believers acknowledged, but added that, astonishingly, the church is actually growing in the area. “Many people witnessed the attack and how we responded. They came to talk to us afterward, and we shared the Gospel with them. Now they are coming to our church!” Pictured above are the men asked to stand during a small service with ICC if they had been beaten for their faith. Two women (not pictured) also stood during the call.
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A Persecution Overview 2008-08 Orissa Anti-Christian Riots
2014-15 Delhi Church Attacks Seven churches between December 2014 and January 2015 were vandalized in New Delhi amid claims of growing religious intolerance. Christians in New Delhi attempted to stage a march on the home minister’s residence to demand greater protection for churches, but hundreds are arrested by police.
The anti-Christian riots that swept across the Kandhamal District in Orissa state are still widely considered the worst instance of Christian persecution in India’s history. The riots were sparked when the murder of a Hindu spiritual leader was blamed on local Christians, despite Maoist rebels publicly taking responsibility. Mobs of enraged Hindus swept across the Kandhamal district for months, cleansing villages of any Christians.
• Seven churches damaged or vandalized. • Hundreds of Christians arrested for protesting the church attacks.
New Delhi
• An estimated 120 Christians were brutally murdered, and dozens of others went missing and were never heard from again. • 315 villages were “cleansed” of Christians. • 350 churches were either burned or vandalized. • 6,500 homes were destroyed. • Over 56,000 people were displaced, many of whom still have not been able to return to their home villages.
Gujarat Orissa
Chhattisgarh Bastar District
1998 Gujarat Christmas Attacks Anti-Christian violence swept across Gujarat’s Dang district for 10 days after a Hindu extremist group held a rally and provoked people into attacking Christians. Local Christians were shocked to have such violence unleashed upon them during one of their most important religious holidays.
Karnataka
• 20 churches were damaged or destroyed. • Dozens of Christians were injured. • Several Christian homes were vandalized or damaged.
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2008 Karnataka Anti-Christian Attacks India’s Karnataka state saw unprecedented attacks on the local Christian population in which Christians living in 14 of Karnataka’s 29 Districts faced intense violence. Hindu radical groups encouraged and participated in the attack on Christians after the Christian population of Karnataka spoke out against the anti-Christian riots in Orissa. When Christians protested the attacks in Karnataka, police brutally beat them. • 39 churches were damaged. • Two Christian education centers were vandalized. • 53 Christians were severely injured.
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MARCH 2016
In June 2014, village councils in the Bastar District of India’s Chhattisgarh state began passing resolutions under Section 129 (G) of the Chhattisgarh Panchayat Raj Act banning all non-Hindu religious propaganda, prayers and speeches. These resolutions have effectively made the practice of Christianity illegal for over 300 Christian families in more than 50 villages in the Bastar district. Since the passing of these bans on Christianity, Christians living in the Bastar district have suffered physical assaults, social boycotts, threats and intense discrimination.
Bastar District June 2015 A Christian community was assaulted after their village council also passed a resolution banning Christianity.
July 2015 One Christian was prevented from burying his father’s body in the village graveyard.
Karmari
Jamguda
Madota October 2014 Christians were severely beaten by a mob of Hindu radicals who cited the passage of a resolution banning Christianity as justification for the attack.
April 2014 Christians in Sirciguda were suddenly denied their regular food ration by their local village leaders.
Sirciguda
Jagdalpur
June 16, 2014 On the day of a village meeting, the Christians who went to attend were confronted by a mob of Hindu radicals who arrived at the meeting with the village leaders.
“We were attacked by more than 400 people. They did this when we refused to deny our faith in Jesus and convert to Hinduism.”
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MARCH 2016
Hebrews 11:38 — “....the world was not worthy of them.” During a small service in the persecuted village of Sirciguda, ICC asked those who had been beaten for their faith in Christ to stand. These men and two women (not pictured) answered that call. PERSECU ION.org
INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN
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