|
PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS
IN
BHUTAN
Contents
-
Persecution
-
Christians tortured in Tsirang District
-
Bhutan is Talibanizing its Christian Population
-
Strange method of identification of Christians
for persecution
-
NOC/SCC
-
Why Bhutan is persecuting/harassing
Christians? Why it dislikes Christian?
-
Vatican says
Asian Kingdom of Bhutan persecuting
Christians
-
Christians told to leave
faith or leave Bhutan
-
Buddhist Kingdom of
Bhutan Forbids Public Christian Prayer:
Government Fears
Conversions, Says Bishop January 28, 2004- New
1.
PERSECUTION
The practice
of Christianity was banned by the Royal Government of Bhutan in 1969. The
30th session the National Assembly ( Parliament of Bhutan) in 1969,
banned the practice of Christianity in Bhutan.
The
Christians of Bhutan are a
microscopic miniscule
minority community.
Most of the Bhutan's
Christians live in southern Bhutan and hence, persecution currently is
focused mostly on
the
southern
Bhutanese believers. Southern Bhutan is bordered by India,
and obviously most
preachers come to southern Bhutan from India.
It is very difficult
situation for the Christians in Bhutan. Bhutan tops the list on persecution
of Christians in the world. In July 2002,
the Open Doors International published a World Watch List (WWL).
The World Watch List (WWL) is a list of countries
ranked according to the degree of freedom of religion granted to Christians
and where Christians are persecuted the most. It has compiled a list
of top 50 countries where Christians are
persecuted the most.
Bhutan ranks 7 out of top 10 countries where Christians are persecuted the
most.
Please click on
Persecution-WWL to read the
report posted on October 11, 2003.
New
Very harsh persecution has
started in Bhutan. The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGOB) has been
systematically persecuting the Christian population. Persecution against
Christians started in 1999, is now widespread and systematic, village by
village. Churches are not allowed inside Bhutan. Christians in Bhutan have
been denied the right to freedom of religion, worship, and practise their
religion in community, in public, or even in private by the government. On
Palm Sunday, April 8, 2001 Bhutanese authorities and police went to churches
to register the names of believers. Many pastors were detained for
interrogation and threatened with imprisonment.
The campaign against Bhutanese Christian
community started in 1999 when the government began sending official forms
to government employees and private businesses demanding the Christians to
sign agreements to comply with "rules and regulations governing the practice
of religion." The rules and regulations in question in fact, refer to the
1969 ban on Christianity. Penalties for practicing the Christian faith
include denial of admission of children to schools, scholarship abroad,
acquiring travel document, bank loans, trade and business license, promotion
in the civil services, recruitment and getting jobs and other restrictions.
Christians are asked either to leave their religion or leave the country.
The Royal Government of Bhutan had been
planning to crackdown on Christians in Bhutan since 1999. Before the
crackdown on the Christians in Bhutan, Mr. Tshering Wangda, ( married to
King’s sister princess Ashi Dechhen Wangmo Wangchuck) the Joint Secretary of
the Ministry of Home Affairs visited the four southern districts in the
second week of December 2000. He visited Samtse district on December 18-19,
.2000 and held meeting with the district administrator, village headmen and
Census officials and formally instructed them to terrorize and harass the
Christian believers during census, which started in Samtse district from the
first week of January 2001. After his return to Thimphu, the capital, the
Ministry of Home issued a secret circular in January 2001 to the district
authorities to contain all Christian activity. They have been categorically
directed to prevent any evangelical activity including speeches. It is
reported that the authorities have coerced many Christian missionaries to
give written undertakings in this regard.
Armed with the order and encouraged by the
support of the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Headman
of Samtse, a convicted criminal, Mr. Dorji Wangdi started beating the
Christian believers of Mandreni, Budhuney, Gairigaon and Saureni villages.
He took undertaking from them not to preach the gospel and not even to
assemble for worship. Similarly, the Headman of Gomtu village Mr. Lokmani
Gurung tied the believers around the electrical pole and tortured them in
front of all the people who had come to attend the census. One believer from
Khanabhurty village got admitted in the Gomtu hospital. When the victims
reported the matter to the Dzongda or Chief District Officer of Samtse in
writing, their applications were simply turned down.
The Sub-District Officer of Phuntsholing Mr. Sherab Dorji called the
believers from Dhamdara, Pasakha and Bhalujhora villages of Chhukha district
to his office and asked whether they knew the fate of Christians in Orissa,
India. In Orissa, India, an Australian and some other Christians were burnt
to death. Then he took undertaking from them not to assemble for worship nor
preach the gospel, threatening them of dire consequence for failing to
comply. Later he has been heard saying that he had been acting solely on the
directions from the government, and he personally repented for what he had
done.
Christians are subject to various form of persecution,
physical torture and mental harassment. They cannot even assemble for
worship. Even the chapels in private homes are subjected to the Government
scrutiny. They are beaten, tortured, denied the job and economic
opportunities and being constantly told to leave the faith or the country.
The government officials in fact, set a deadline till 2nd July 2001 to
give up faith or face another round of torture.
However, due to exposure of this government deadline in international
media, the government postponed the mass exodus of Christians, but it has
not given up.
The government is not
issuing nationality/citizenship certificates to Christians and Christians
are excluded in the census. Citizenship certificates are required for
admission of children to school, seeking job, applying for business and it
is required for virtually everything.
The BCSC has
been disseminating information about the situation of Bhutanese Christians
to Bhutanese Christians inside Bhutan and the international community. We
have received numerous message on persecution from Bhutanese Christian
believers from Bhutan – fax and emails. They hope that ‘God will do
something to the in such circumstances and looking forward to see better in
coming days’
Weeks after Bhutan made international headlines for its persecution of the
minority Christian population and the following international pressure, the
government has again directed its focus on the persecution of Christians
especially in southern Bhutan. The fresh persecution of Christians has been
started in southern Bhutan. The government implements its coercive policies
from the southern Bhutan to showcase for other districts in the north and
east to follow. We have compiled latest national and international
information on persecution of Christians in Bhutan as follows:
2.
Christians tortured in Tsirang District
The persecution of Christians in Bhutan has spread to Tsirang district in
the southern Bhutan after similar cases were recently reported in some
international newspapers abroad. On 20th June 2001, in the absence of the
Dzongda (Chief District Officer), Mr. Dawala, who had gone to Thimphu to
attend the meeting of the National Assembly, the District Administrative
Officer, Mr. Kuenzang Dorji, based on the identity furnished by village
headmen, asked all the villagers practising Christian faith to report to the
District Administrative Office. Thirty-four Christian villagers from Pataley,
Tueray, Burichu, Salami, Gairigaon, Khorsaney, Gopini, Malabasey and other
villages reported to the office at about 2.0 pm on the same day.
All these villagers were severely beaten by Mr. Kinzang Dorji and two other
men. As a result, the victims suffer from bruised backs, broken ribs,
vomiting of blood, damaged eardrum and other internal injuries. Most of
these victims are past 40 years old. One fifty-year old victim said, "I was
asked to stoop and I remember Mr. Kinzang hitting me with a heavy stick four
times after, which I fell unconscious. When I regained consciousness, I was
asked to make a choice between my faith or my country". Those who decided to
continue practising the faith were imprisoned and beaten for several days,
the worst being the case of four people namely, Lakshuman Rai of Pataley
Block, Purna Bahadur Rai and Rajan Tamang of Phuntencho Block and one Mr.
Tirpasey Subba.
The eyewitnesses, who were victims themselves
said that these four people were in "critical condition" when they were last
seen. They suffer broken ribs, vomiting of blood, broken arms and other
internal injuries. On top of it, the village headman of Pataley, Mr. Nim
Tshering forced them to carry sand bags on their bruised backs from Larey
River to Damphu as punishment from his part. When the victims went to the
Damphu hospital for treatment, they were given massage cream without issuing
any prescriptions. They had to flee to other districts for treatment.
Those who said that they would give up faith
were forced to write a statement stating that they would brew liquor and
perform necessary ( un-Christian) rituals to prove that they were "de-christianized".
These rituals would be inspected by the Village headmen and other district
officials. The administrator also said that those leaving the faith would be
given free cows so that they can perform Hindu rituals. This has been going
on in Tsirang for a long time.
Despite the fact that the villagers have written statement from the
government, which states that that the Christian community is free to
practise their faith, the administrator told the villagers that the
statement is no longer valid. Instead, he set a deadline till 2nd July 2001
to give up faith or face another round of torture. All the victims were
ordered to report to the office of Dzongda on 2nd July. The Christian civil
servants hailing from this district too were asked to report to the said
office on the same date, failing which they were warned of dire
consequences. They were asked to contact Mr. Kinzang Dorji on telephone
before meeting him.
The Christian minority in Tsirang is denied
water supplies, electricity and firewood permits. Firewood permits are
regulated by the District Administration Office. People are not given timber
permits to construct houses. One victim said "when I approached the office
of Dzongda for fire wood permit, Mr. Kinzang Dorji told me to ask Jesus for
firewood. He also added insult saying that I should go to that country where
Christianity is practised. The authorities also instigate the local
non-Christian villagers to harass and beat the Christian minorities".
The authorities are very inquisitive if any
Christians buy a tape recorder or a television set. They suspect that the
Christians are getting support and possessions from the "White World" and
threaten them of confiscation. The Tsirang villagers are not allowed to
travel from one district to another without prior permission of the Village
Headman or other government authorities. The villagers are required to
furnish details of the trip prior to making the journey, failing which they
are liable to strange punishments from the authorities. The Census Officers
often mark the names of Christians in the register and warn them of
scrapping off their names if they don’t give up their faith. There is a very
strong possibility of the eviction of Christian minorities from Bhutan in
the near future.
Source: Alert issued by the Bhutanese Christians Service Centre (BCSC).
3. Bhutan is Talibanizing its Christian Population
20 June , 2001: Place: Samtse district in southern Bhutan on the Indo-Bhutan
border. Weeks after Bhutan made international headlines for its persecution
of the minority Christian population and the following international
pressure, the regime has again directed its focus on the persecution of
Christians especially in southern Bhutan. The fresh persecution of
Christians has been started in southern Bhutan. One Bhutanese Christians
said that the government is out there to take revenge against the
Christians, as a backlash on exposure of the persecution of Bhutanese
Christians on Palm Sunday 08 April, 2001 in international media and
international pressure/criticism of the government on account of the
persecution of Christians. The government implements its coercive policies
from the southern Bhutan to showcase for other districts in the north and
east to follow.
Since early June 2001, the government has started identifying the local
Christians with the help of village headmen in two ways. First they observe
whether a particular married woman puts the Sindoor (vermilion mark) on her
forehead according to Hindu tradition and wears the Potey on her neck or
not. All Hindu married women put vermilion mark on her forehead. A potey is
a colourful necklace of fine glass beads worn by a Hindu married woman whose
husband is living. Any southern Bhutanese woman visiting/attending
government offices without Sindoor (vermilion mark) on her forehead is
humiliated and harassed to the point of embarrassment in public by the
government authorities. This mandatory wearing of potey by women in southern
Bhutan is to distinguish a Hindu from Christian. Which will make it easier
for the police and authorities to persecute Christians. This mandatory ( but
not officially declared as many of the government restriction is hardly
published) requirement of wearing of potey is no different from the
etiquette imposed by Taliban militia on Hindus in Afghanistan, where Hindus
have to put yellow cloth to distinguish them from Muslims.
Second, they observe whether people would be willing to donate money, often
collected forcibly for the construction of "GUMBA" or Buddhist monastery in
the villages. A local Christian, who refused to donate for construction of
Gumba at Sibsoo was immediately arrested and imprisoned by the Sub-district
Officer of Sibsoo, initially for three years but later released on the
request his relatives, on condition that he would not practice the Christian
religion in Bhutan. Most of the Bhutanese Christians live in southern Bhutan
and hence, persecution currently is focused mostly on the southern Bhutanese
believers. Nepali-speaking citizens of Bhutan, living in Southern foothills
are officially called as Lhotshampas. Many Sharchhokpa speaking Nyingmapa
Buddhist people of eastern Bhutan have also been converted into
Christianity. They have made Jesus Film and International Audio/Radio
Version in Sharchhokpa language.
The
local government authorities forcefully ask the Christian believers to put
the Buddhist flag in front of their houses, and bow down before the idols.
All Bhutanese are required to be enlisted in the census records. If a
Bhutanese name is not mentioned in census records, he will become stateless.
The authorities threaten and terrorize Christian believers that their names
will be deleted from the census records. The Village Headman writes a
remark on the individual census slip saying so and so is a Christian. Thus,
the young Christian are not issued the Citizenship Identity cards. They have
been denied the right as a citizen of Bhutan. They have become refugee in
their own country.
4. STRANGE METHOD OF IDENTIFICATION OF
CHRISTIANS
How does the government authorities
distinguish a Christian from a Buddhist and Hindu – for persecution?
The
government has devised strange methodologies for identification of
Christians from non-Christian people for the purpose of persecution. Some of
which are described as below:
Method No.
1:
The government authorities went to the 300 public schools and offered
chocolates to the unsuspecting and innocent school children. They asked the
students to raise their hands. The innocent juveniles ( children) raised
their hands. Then the authorities obtained the names and addresses of the
children. With the addresses collected, the authorities raided the
Christian homes and forced them to flee the country. The terrified Bhutanese
Christians ran for their lives and took refuge in India and Nepal.
Method No.
2:
Since early June 2001, the government authorities has started identifying
the local Christians in Samtse ( Samchi) district ( in other districts
also), with the help of village headmen. All Hindu married women put
vermilion mark on her forehead and wear a Potey. A Potey is a
colourful necklace of fine glass beads worn by a Hindu married woman whose
husband is living. The government authorities observe whether a particular
married woman puts the Sindoor (vermilion mark) on her forehead
according to Hindu tradition and wears the Potey on her neck or not.
Any woman visiting/attending government offices in southern Bhutan without
Sindoor (vermilion mark) on her forehead is humiliated and harassed to the
point of embarrassment in public by the government authorities. This
mandatory wearing of Potey by women in southern Bhutan is to
distinguish a Hindu from Christian. Which will make it easier for the police
and authorities to persecute Christians. This mandatory ( but not officially
declared as many of the government restriction is hardly published)
requirement of wearing of Potey is no different from the etiquette
imposed by Taliban militia on Hindus in Afghanistan, where Hindus had to put
yellow cloth to distinguish them from Muslims.
Method No.
3:
The government authorities observe whether people would be willing to
donate money, often collected forcibly for the construction of Buddhist
monastery in the villages. A local Christian, who refused to donate for the
construction of monastery at Sibsoo was immediately arrested and imprisoned
by the Sub-district Officer of Sibsoo, initially for three years but later
released on the request his relatives, on condition that he would not
practice the Christian religion in Bhutan.
Christians in southern Bhutan are required to produce a "No Objection
Certificate" (NOC) or Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) from the police
authorities for admission of their children to schools, acquiring travel
document, bank loans, trade and business license, promotion in the civil
services, recruitment and getting jobs, stating that that a person of his
family is not involved in the activities not like by the government. The
authorities do not issue the NOC/PCC to the Christian believer’s family. The
government has used the NOC to effectively coerce the citizens to
submission. This requirement of NOC/PCC bars the Christian from acquiring
any facilities available through the State. This NOC/PCC are required for
admission of children to schools, acquiring travel document, scholarship,
medical treatment outside Bhutan, bank loans, trade and business license,
promotion in the civil services, recruitment in the government and other
jobs. Which means that the Christians are denied all of the above as
penalties for practicing the Christian faith. The Rural Credit Officer of
Samtse has been reportedly heard confessing that they are not entitled for
any rural credit facilities.
5. NOC/SCC: Christians in southern
Bhutan are required to produce a "No Objection Certificate" (NOC) or
Security Clearance Certificate (SCC) from the police authorities for
admission of their children to schools, acquiring travel document, bank
loans, trade and business license, promotion in the civil services,
recruitment and getting jobs, stating that that a person of his family is
not involved in the activities not like by the government. The authorities
do not issue the NOC/SCC to the Christian believer’s family. This
requirement of NOC/SCC bars the Christian from acquiring any facilities
available through the State. Christians are denied all of the above as
penalties for practicing the Christian faith. The Rural Credit Officer of
Samtse has been reportedly heard confessing that they are not entitled for
any rural credit facilities. .
The government has ordered all the private
firms, companies, corporations in Bhutan not to appoint any Christians. The
aim is to deprive them of economic opportunities leaving them with three
very hard choices, either give up their religion, become the regime’s slave
or leave the country to become refugees
Source: Alert issued by the Bhutanese Christians Service Centre (BCSC).
6. Why Bhutan is persecuting/harassing
Christians? Why it dislikes Christian?
Here are some of the reasons:
Christianity advocates for and promote human
rights and democracy. Christians are often outspoken for democracy and human
rights. Bhutan is ruled by a hereditary and autocratic monarchy. It wants a
status quo. Bhutanese government is trying to stall the import of human
rights and democracy in Bhutan at any cost. The government does not permit
free tourism – only organized tours. It is also costly US $ 300 per day of
one/two weeks. Most of the tourist are retired old and rich people. The
government views that free tourism will bring democracy in Bhutan.
Bhutan ridiculously perceives that growing
number of Christians will threaten the culture, national identity and
Buddhist religion. But this is a contrived perception, unrealistic and
untrue. Bhutan government views Christianity as a security concern.
Thus, Bhutan government is promoting some forms of religious
totalitarianism. Bhutan government wants to hold on power through the use of
religion. It wants to control Bhutanese psyche through Buddhist religion. It
is thus, promoting Buddhism country wide with state subsidy at other
religions' cost. So the state slogan of security threat from Christianity is
just a state propaganda to make Buddhism and the absolute monarchy as
a rallying point for the people.
Contrary to this Christians cannot be
spiritually controlled by the state. Moreover, Christians have international
solidarity and network, They have good contact and relations with other
Christians around the world. That will keep check and balance on state
abuses of power. As a result the government is making an all out propaganda
and misinformation against Christianity among Bhutanese people, saying that
it is an alien religion and culture and it threatens Bhutanese identity.
These days Christianity is practiced with in
the framework of local culture and traditions in the Indian
Sub-continent. They have adopted some important local cultural rituals.
Christianity thus, is no real threat to culture or security of
any
nation.
Bhutan government is already implementing
Driglam Namzha and one nation one people policy to make Bhutan a
homogenous country based on one religion and one culture. It has been
implementing a number of racial and discriminatory policies against other
culture and religions. Bhutan government also perceives that
Christians supposedly represent a western culture/influence, especially from
the United States. However, this is not true, as no religion can
thrive in an alien culture. Any religion must have its root in the local
culture. Contrary to government misconception, Christianity is an
Asian religion. Jesus Christ was born in Asia.
The government has been spreading
disinformation against Christianity, discriminating against Christians and
undertaking persecution against Christians in order to discourage
conversion. However, contrary to the government propaganda, Christian
population is growing inside Bhutan. It is noteworthy that Bhutanese
people are converting into Christianity without any expectation of
material services (like free
education, health or other services from Christian organization – since
missionary activities are not permitted inside Bhutan), against
government accusation.
7. Vatican says
Asian Kingdom of Bhutan persecuting
Christians:
Calgary Herald, Canada
VATICAN CITY
(AP) - A Vatican agency said Monday it is receiving reports that the Asian
kingdom of Bhutan is stepping up pressure on its tiny Christian community.
Fides, the news service of the Vatican's missionary arm, quoted Christian
Solidarity Worldwide as reporting that fear is growing among Christians, who
are less than one per cent of the population in the predominantly Buddhist
kingdom. "Bhutanese Christians are being told to either leave their religion
or leave the country," Fides quoted the British-based organization, which
monitors religious freedom for Christians, as saying. The Vatican
organization said it has received its own reports through the years of the
persecution of Christians in Bhutan. It said, citing Christian Solidarity,
that on Palm Sunday, April 8, Bhutanese authorities and police went to
churches to register the names of believers, and that many pastors were
detained for interrogation and threatened with imprisonment. © The Canadian
Press, 2001
SOURCE
8. CHRISTIANS
TOLD TO LEAVE FAITH OR LEAVE BHUTAN
ROME, Apr. 20,
01 (CWNews.com/Fides) - Christians in Bhutan, who make up only 0.33 percent
of the population, are facing some of the strongest opposition and
persecution they have ever experienced, Christian Solidarity Worldwide
reports. Fear is growing among believers. Bhutanese Christians are being
told to either leave their religion or leave the tiny Asian country, located
between India, Nepal, and China. Bhutan, the only Buddhist kingdom in the
world, has no written constitution or bill of rights. There is no legal
guarantee of freedom of religion. Buddhism is the state religion and
non-Buddhists suffer political and social discrimination. 70.1 percent of a
population of 1,800,000, are Lamaistic Buddhists, 24 percent are Hindu, 5
percent Muslims, 0.6 percent animist, and 0.33 percent Christians, (of whom
500 are Catholics). Persecution against Christians is now widespread and
systematic, village by village. On Palm Sunday, April 8, Bhutanese
authorities and police went to churches to register the names of believers.
Many pastors were detained for interrogation and threatened with
imprisonment. Other believers scattered for fear of being identified. The
campaign started last year when the government began sending official forms
to government employees and private businesses demanding the Christians to
sign agreements to comply with "rules and regulations governing the practice
of religion." Penalties for practicing the Christian faith include no free
education for children, no free medical facilities, no promotions, and no
visas for travelling abroad, and other restrictions. As one Bhutanese
Christian says, "Very harsh persecution has started in Bhutan. Christians
are asked either to leave their religion or leave the country. In some
places they are beaten very badly. They are not allowed to gather
anymore.... Freedom of religion has been taken away. Christians now face
termination of employment, expulsion from the country, cancellation of trade
licenses, and denial of all state benefits."
SOURCE
9. Buddhist Kingdom
of Bhutan Forbids Public Christian Prayer
Government Fears
Conversions, Says Bishop.
Zenit. org January 28, 2004
THIMPHU, Bhutan, JAN. 28, 2004 (Zenit.org).-
In the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, Christians are forbidden to celebrate or
pray in public and priests are denied visas to enter, says a bishop in
neighboring India. Bishop Stephen Lepcha, whose Diocese of Darjeeling
includes the kingdom, explained that Buddhism is the official religion of
Bhutan, and every other form of religion and mission is prohibited. Until a
few years ago, Christians who had emigrated there from India and Nepal were
free to celebrate Mass in public.
But since the start of the millennium the kingdom has outlawed public,
non-Buddhist religious services and imprisoned those who violate the law,
the bishop told AsiaNews. "Indian priests are denied entry visas," though
other citizens from the subcontinent can get visas, said Bishop Lepcha.
Inhabitants of Darjeeling have Far Eastern features, making them easily
mistaken for Mongols. This makes their entry into the country more
difficult. Priests with different physical characteristics, typical of other
regions of India, enter the country more easily, at least as tourists.
Bishop Lepcha explained that authorities are more reluctant in the cases of
priests with Mongol features, since their physical resemblance to Bhutan's
inhabitants allows them to integrate better into the community -- and
potentially win converts to Christianity. Fear of proselytism is a source of
government "paranoia," said Bishop Lepcha. Officially, Bhutan
authorities say that it is possible to celebrate Mass in private homes. But
"how can Christians celebrate Mass in private, if the authorities don't
permit priests to enter the country?" the bishop asked.
Strict measures against evangelization came when Protestant pastors began to
preach the Gospel to the people of Bhutan -- a kingdom about half the size
of Indiana, bordered by China and India -- and managed to gain a few
converts. The government sounded the alarm and clamped down on
evangelization. Bishop Lepcha stressed that his priests are not trying
to proselytize, but want at least to attend to the needs of Christians.
Source:
Zenit. org |
