Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kathmandu (Agenzia Fides) – The message has become loud and clear. Following the bombing of the Kathmandu Cathedral (see Fides 25/05/2009), the extremist Hindu Nepal Defense Army (NDA), which has been carrying out acts of violence and aggression on religious minorities for some time, launched an ultimatum in which they acknowledge their responsibility for the bombing and ask that Christians leave Nepal: “We want all the 1 million Christians out of the country, if not we will plant 1 million bombs in all the houses where Christians live and detonate them,” a statement released by the group in the country said.
The statement carrying the threat was distributed during the public demonstration organized by the Church in Nepal on May 31, to create awareness among the people on the issue of religious freesom and the rights of every citizen to profess their own faith. A large part of Nepal's civil society, groups of every race and ethnic background, human rights activists, various religious communities, have all publicly expressed their solidarity with the Christians and disapproval of the fundamentalist groups, revealing a Nepalese society united in the values of respect, pluralism, and religious freedom.
In Nepal, Christians are 2.4% of the population. The community is rather concerned about the NDA's threat. According to analysts, the groups is formed by former soldiers and members of the police force who created the paramilitary formation following the resignation of King Gyandera, which was the dawning of a new era in the country's history: the change from a Hindu monarch to a democratic secular system and the rise to power ex-Maoist groups. This sudden change has not been well met by several Hindu groups, who have begun organizing terrorist attacks.
The Nepal Defense Army has, from the beginning, been a group fighting for the return of the Hindu monarchy. In the past, the fundamentalist group has carried out acts of violence on Muslims and Christians. Just a year ago, the Catholic community suffered the murder of Salesian Father Johnson Moyalan, killed on July 1, 2008.
The Christian community, for now, with the support of local authorities, has taken security measures and organized vigilance of churches, issuing an alert to all the communities in the country. “Our mission in Nepal will not change,” local Christians said, mentioning their call to preach the Gospel and to bear witness to the faith even in times of difficulty.
There are nearly 7,000 Catholics in Nepal and the number grows at a rate of about 300 newly baptized every year. The Church in Nepal is also working in social services, for the poor, the sick, the marginalized, and thus, it is positively viewed by many in Nepal. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 2/6/2009)
