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PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS IN BHUTAN

 

Updated on January 29, 2004

 

PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS  IN BHUTAN

 

Contents

  1. Persecution

  2. Christians tortured in Tsirang District

  3. Bhutan is Talibanizing its Christian Population

  4. Strange method of identification of Christians for persecution

  5. NOC/SCC

  6. Why Bhutan is persecuting/harassing Christians? Why it dislikes Christian?

  7. Vatican says Asian Kingdom of Bhutan persecuting Christians

  8. Christians told to leave faith or leave Bhutan

  9. 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

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