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REPORTS ON SITUATION OF CHRISTIANS IN BHUTAN
The report on the situation of Christians in
Bhutan collected from other sources
Christian Solidarity
International (CSI) 11 July 2001
Bhutan
“Severe Persecution”
Buddhism is the state religion of Bhutan, a
kingdom bordering India and China. Ever more Christians fall victim to state
repression, are discriminated against and expelled from the country. On Palm
Sunday 2001, Christians enter the only church in Bhutan, situated in the
south of the country. Police and government officials, stationed at the
church’s entrance, take note of the name of each churchgoer who does not
manage to escape in time. The pastors are arrested immediately and, upon
arrival at the police station, threatened with imprisonment should they
continue with their mission work.
Discriminated against
Seventy
percent of Bhutan’s over 1.8 million inhabitants are Buddhists. The 65,000
Christians have only one church at their disposal. Christians in the state
administration or in private companies must sign so-called “Norms and Rules
for Religious Practice”. The document places restrictions on a Christian’s
religious life and social position; Christians are not to receive medical
assistance from the state and are not eligible for job promotion. Their
children must pay high tuition fees, whereas Buddhist and Hindu children
enjoy free education. Mission work and travel abroad are strictly forbidden
to all Christians. Whoever refuses to sign this restrictive document is
forced to leave Bhutan. In addition to all this discrimination, many
Christians have been forcefully driven from their villages by their own
Buddhist neighbors.
Buddhists and Hindus privileged
In order to remain active within the country,
Christians may become socially involved in relief work in hospitals, but
must abstain from giving any Christian testimony. Importing Christian
literature is strictly forbidden. Buddhists and Hindus alike receive social
assistance. Buddhist monks obtain financial support for the building and
maintenance of monasteries and shrines. Only twenty-four percent of the
population are Hindus. Nevertheless, the main Hindu religious holidays have
been declared national holidays. Even the royal family takes these days off
to celebrate. The state also fully supports courses of study involving Hindu
religion and culture.
A Christian reports
A Christian from Bhutan, who prefers to remain
anonymous, says the following: “Great persecution is taking place in my
country at the moment. Christians have to deny Christianity or leave Bhutan,
and religious freedom has come to an end. In many cities, Christians are not
able to gather together anymore because of their faith. They are not
promoted in their work, often lose their jobs for no given reason and are
forcefully expelled from our country. Christians’ trade licenses are
withdrawn and their welfare payments denied.”
Please write to Om Pradhan. Please protest
against the discrimination of Christians by sending the following letter:
His Excellency
Om Pradhan
UN Reps of Bhutan
2 United Nations Plaza, 27 Floor
New York, NY 10017
USA
Your Excellency,
We are very concerned to hear about the
increasing discrimination and expulsion of Christians in your country.
We urgently ask you to use your influence in
ensuring the respect of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights of the United Nations, which stipulates that “everyone has the right
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion”.
Yours sincerely and respectfully,
Place, date,
Signature
SOURCE
PASTOR ARRESTED :
Christian News 12 June 1998
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (USA) --
Christian Aid Mission, which supports indigenous mission agencies around the
world, issued an appeal on June 5 on behalf of Bhutanese Christians for
prayer for a pastor in that country. The pastor, Kulbahadur Rai, was
arrested in Wangdi on May 3 by military police while he was conducting a
worship service. The predominant religion of Bhutan is Buddhism, and
Christians there are subject to discrimination and persecution. Rai is an
ordained minister with a prominent ministry in Wangdi, which may have
contributed to the timing of his arrest. Rai's wife has been barred from
visiting him and few details of the charges are known. He apparently is
being held for murder, though no victim was identified. According to CAM, "Rai
may be presumed to be under torture and inhumane conditions."
Letters
of protest may be sent to: His Excellency Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of
Bhutan, Thimphu, Bhutan
UCAN Report:
BH0119.0977 Issued on: May 28, 1998
SOURCE
Bhutan Ucan Feature - Christianity
Banned In Bhutan But Christ 'Resides' There
By Ajit Paul
THIMPHU (UCAN) -- Christ stays at a hotel in
Thimphu, capital of Bhutan, although Christianity is forbidden in the
Himalayan kingdom where Buddhism is the state religion. Through Jesuit
Father Joseph Kinsley's royal connections, a Catholic chapel was built in
the defunct Hotel Dichen and opened in 1995, helping Bhutan's minuscule
Catholic community set down roots in the nation. Father Kinley, the first
native Bhutanese Catholic priest, is a cousin of King Jigme Singye Wangchuk,
and the queen mother has "great affection" for him despite his change of
religion, according to Chacko Aloysius, an Indian. "We can call it a royal
chapel, although it is Jesuit property," Aloysius, who works for the United
Nations in Thimphu, told UCA News in late April. "Hotel Dichen was once
famous in Thimphu. Now it has become Christ's residence," he remarked. For
three decades before 1995, the Blessed Sacrament could be found in Bhutan,
but only in the state-owned residence of Father William Mackey, a Canadian
Jesuit who worked in the government's education department. When Father
Mackey died in October 1995 and his home was returned to the government,
Christians wanted to keep the Blessed Sacrament. "That is why the Jesuits
bought the (old hotel) property and opened the small chapel," Father
Kinsley, who now lives in Darjeeling in northeastern India, told UCA News
May 19. Peter Lepcha, the chapel's caretaker, said that he is happy to see
"the house of God" the first thing in the morning. "My family is very
grateful to God, because we have a good opportunity to serve Jesus," he
said. Every morning, the Lepcha family goes to the chapel and waits for a
priest to come from India. "Sometimes it takes several months," Lepcha
rued. Last April, however, was a "golden month," according to the
caretaker, the month when Bishop Stephen Lepcha of Darjeeling, whose diocese
includes Bhutan, became the first Catholic bishop to visit Thimphu.
Bishop Lepcha, who had come with a priest on the Sunday after Easter,
celebrated Mass that day attended by some 50 Christians. He also
administered the Sacrament of Confirmation. "That was the most joyful day
we ever had in our Christian life. We never had such an experience in our
lives. We felt that Jesus himself had come to us!" Peter Lepcha recounted.
He related that Bishop Lepcha also promised to consult with the Bishop of
Jalpaiguri in eastern India, whose parishes are on the way to Thimphu, to
arrange for a priest to visit the Bhutanese capital regularly. Lepcha
pointed out that the lack of a Catholic priest has led many Catholics to
join Protestant Churches, whose pastors regularly visit the area, and that
there are now only six native Bhutanese Catholic families. He noted,
however, that although Christianity is banned in the Land of the Thunder
Dragon, which has a population of about 2 million, some 10,000 Christians,
mostly of Indian and Tibetan origin, work and live there. "We have no
problem. So far nobody has questioned us," said Lepcha, though admitting
that Christianity cannot be proclaimed openly. Southern Bhutan has a "good
number" of Christians who practiced their faith openly till some years back,
when officials noticed an elaborate Palm Sunday procession led by a
Protestant minister and banned such celebrations, he said. Still, "we are
very happy being Christians and being citizens of Bhutan," declared Simon,
who runs a shop in Thimphu, which is in the northwest. "We love Jesus and at
the same time we love our king too. Christians and Buddhists live together.
We do not define ourselves, because we are brothers and sisters. Religion
cannot divide us," Simon said.
SOURCE
Faith Presbyterian Church
Report - Persecuted Church - Bhutan
Bhutan, an underdeveloped country, is moving out of feudalism toward a
constitutional monarchy. Bhutan was isolated from the outside world until
the communist takeover of China in 1949 forced the country to stop doing
business exclusively with Tibet. Christian witness was tightly restricted
until 1965. The country stayed open for two decades, until it became obvious
that Christianity was making headway. Since a new restrictive atmosphere has
taken hold, missions have been allowed to operate only in humanitarian
projects on the condition that they not evangelize. Since Bhutan's greatest
health problem - leprosy - has been nearly eradicated, missions are
scrambling for other reasons to stay. Buddhism is the state religion of
Bhutan, with Hinduism as another recognized religion. The government, with a
powerful monarch, subsidizes monasteries and shrines, and supports many of
the kingdom's monks. The monks also have official positions on major
government bodies. All public worship and evangelism by Christians is
illegal. In fact, conversion to a non-approved religion is strictly
forbidden. Some Bhutanese are coming to Christ due to the witness of Indian
believers visiting Bhutan. In April 1997, a pastor who preached bravely and
openly among the mountain tribal people was arrested, thrown in prison and
tortured, causing severe head injuries. He died ten days after his release.
A prominent local politician lost his job because of his Christian
activities. One of Bhutan's greatest needs is a Bible in the Dzongkha
language. Pray for workers to translate the word of God for the Dzongkha
people.
SOURCE
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