India

“IF INIQUITY IS IN YOUR HAND, PUT IT FAR AWAY, AND LET NOT INJUSTICE DWELL IN YOUR TENTS.”

(JOB 11:14 ESV)

“‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,’ says the Lord.”
(Isaiah 54:17 NKJV)

Millions across India are feeling ashamed over a viral video that shows two women being paraded naked on a public road in the northeastern state of Manipur, while a mob molests and assaults them. According to a report filed by the survivors, who are both Christian, at least one of them, aged 21, was gang-raped.

Cardinal Oswald Gracias of the Roman Catholic Church has said that he “bows his head in shame” over the images, stating, “This is a blot on our country, a disgrace for India.”

Roman Catholic Archbishop Dominic Lumon of Imphal added that he was “appalled and grieved. … Fear is pervasive even now and peace remains a dream for us.”

The women were violated on 4 May but the 26-second-long footage has only emerged now because the government has been blocking Internet connections across Manipur, including mobile data and broadband services. The Internet remains shut down in large parts of Manipur.

It was on 3 May that systematic violence in Manipur erupted, after the Kuki tribe, most of whom are Christians, protested against a demand from ethnic Meitei, most of whom are Hindu, for the “Scheduled Tribe” status that would allow them to buy land in the hills populated by Kukis and to ensure a share of government jobs. The protest was turned into an excuse for violent mobs to destroy 1,700 houses and burn down more than 360 churches and buildings within 36 hours.

This was one of the worst targeted attacks on Christians in the state.  A Meitei Christian has observed that the large-scale attack on churches across communities reveals a religious angle behind the violence. So far, more than 160 people have been killed and 70,000 are displaced. All that remains of many churches are charred walls, collapsed tin roofs, and smashed windows.  Most churches are empty on Sundays and many worshippers fear there will be more violence.

The Manipur state government and police have been accused of refusing to assist the Kukis who have been attacked, including neglecting to investigate reports of rape and torture. The state government is dominated by the Meitei community and has even been accused of being complicit in the violence against the Kuki minority by allowing Meitei gangs to act with impunity.

Moreover, when violence escalated throughout May, the Central Government did not offer a response. Instead, it is the Supreme Court that has expressed concern over the situation in Manipur and has now asked the Central Government to inform the court about steps it has taken to apprehend those responsible. Chief Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud said, “It’s time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable.”

The 2023 Open Doors World Watch List ranks India as the 11th most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian, owing to the rise of Hindu extremism and the increase in the number of states implementing anti-conversion laws.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord, our Father and Protector,

We lift up the broken state of Manipur up to you, and our brothers and sisters there who have suffered unspeakable violence and loss. Please make your presence very real to them at this time. May they not feel that they are alone and deserted, but that your Holy Spirit is with them, and that you are fulfilling your promise to never leave them nor forsake them (Deut 31:6).

We especially lift up the women of Manipur who are tormented by fear and shame. We pray that through your spirit and power they will know that they are inviolate and whole. Please help them overcome the brokenness they have endured. Thank you for the brave people who are standing up to speak about the situation, and please keep them safe from attacks.

Lord, we lift up the Manipur state and central Indian governments to you, as well as the Manipur police. May they be prompted to take swift action and not stand idly by. May you raise up leaders with a heart for the people and may they inspire the miscreants to lay down arms and give up violence completely.  May your Spirit convict them of the wrongs they have perpetrated and permitted, and may they instead have a spirit of reconciliation. Please enable them to behave as humans should and not be biased due to political and religious affiliations.

At this time of crisis, we lift up the Christians in Manipur. May they claim victory in a manner befitting of your name and not be cowed down by the oppressors. Please raise up help from all and unexpected sources, and provide shelter and care for them.  May they be able to raise up the standard of your Spirit against those who stand against them. May they think and speak peace and blessing, and be nourished in their body and spirit by your nearness.

We lift up the whole country of India to you, especially with the coming elections in 2024. We pray that there might be peace instead of division, unity in place of segregation, and love instead of communal hatred. We know that you are at work and that thousands are coming to know you in spite of the strife.

Thank you that you are always there for your children and that we can look to you in these dark times. Thank you that we are victorious in your Son and his blood that was shed for us.

Amen!

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. …Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
(Matthew 5:6, 10)

Christians in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur are reeling from a new wave of persecution that swept the area last month. Violent mobs have destroyed 1,700 houses and burnt down 121 churches and buildings belonging to 15 denominations in one of the worst targeted attacks on Christians in the state.

The violence in Manipur, which began on 3 May, has led to thousands of people, mostly Christians, fleeing their homes and businesses. The violence has claimed more than 75 lives and wounded at least 200 people. Residents of Manipur said there was a breakdown of law and order as the mobs went on a rampage. They added that the attacks were systematic and well planned. The government has blocked all Internet connections across the state, including mobile data and broadband services, allegedly to stop the “spread of disinformation and false rumours.” Shops, schools, and offices are closed.

The head of the Catholic Church in Manipur, Archbishop Dominic Lumon, has appealed for aid for more than 45,000 people who are living in relief camps at Imphal Valley and the surrounding hills.

Christians in India have written an open letter to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India to express concern about the lukewarm response from the government to the attacks in Manipur: “At this crucial juncture, the Church cannot be silent or cannot appear to be supportive of the anti-people government; it has to play a prophetic role.” They ask church leaders to rise to the occasion and “prove themselves to be good shepherds who do not run away when the wolf comes to attack the sheep.”

According to the Census of India 2011, Christians form 41 percent of Manipur’s population of 3 million, while Hindus account for 41 percent, Muslims 8 percent, and other religions 9 percent. The violence began when a tribe that is 90 percent Christian was targeted by a politically dominant tribe that is mostly Hindu.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord and Father,

We lift up the believers in Manipur to you. Many have lost their homes and businesses, and are traumatized by the loss and violence they have lived through. Please give them a double portion of your Spirit, that they may be sustained in their faith, and in the tribulation that has been inflicted upon them for the sake of following you. We ask for provision of food and shelter for them, for comfort as their voices go unheard by the government, and for families to remain together. Lord, we ask that the government and other agencies be moved to take strong action on their behalf, and that we will continue to lift our brothers and sisters up in prayer. We pray that the displaced will find a sense of belonging, and not feel targeted and victimized, and that in their distress they will sense your nearness and your presence powerfully. You are close to the broken-hearted. May they sense your love especially at this time of terrible need, and know that they are not alone. May they know very clearly and practically that their help comes from you and that your promise never to leave or forsake them is their source of hope.

We lift our displaced brothers and sisters in Manipur to you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
(1 Timothy 2:1-2)

Violence against Christians in Punjab state has been on the rise. Akal Takht is the highest earthly authority for the Sikhs. Its Jathedar, or chief spokesperson of the Sikh community, is Giani Harpreet Singh. He has recently accused Christian groups in the state of conducting large-scale forced conversions and demanded a law against such conversions. Unlike several other states, Punjab does not have an anti-conversion law. Article 25 of India’s Constitution guarantees freedom of “profession, practice and propogation of religion” for all citizens. However,whether this freedom includes the right to convert has been debated.

Sikh and Christian leaders have been called upon to diffuse tensions following anti-Christian rhetoric. There have been a string of attacks including on 31 August, when four masked men vandalised a church in Tarn Taran district bordering Pakistan, and set the church car on fire. Local leaders say the incident was meticulously planned to create discord between Christians and Sikhs in Punjab.

In another incident, a group attacked a prayer meeting led by missionaries in Daduana village, Amritsar district on 28 August. Describing the attack on his church, Pastor Sukhvinder Raja said 500 Sikhs wielding sharp-edged weapons, sticks and firearms had attacked the assembly of 200 worshippers—mostly women and children. “The attackers did not spare anyone, and injured around 45 people in the presence of a strong police force which had reached there as the Nihangs [Sikh warriors] started gathering.”

Raja adds, “I was their target but they failed to spot me. Members of the congregation rescued me and locked me inside a room close to the spot. The police have charged more than 150 Sikhs for disrupting the meeting.” The Pentecostal church met every Sunday for prayer, preaching and healing until recently at a rented field in the village, and had been growing by about 100 people every week.

House churches in Punjab have grown over the years by the thousands. They draw Dalit Sikhs, who do not formally convert to Christianity though they regularly attend church services. According to some estimates, there has been a 5–10 percent increase in the number of such churches over the past few years.

As allegations of induced conversion grow, Albert Dua, a former member of Punjab’s Minority Commission and president of the Christian United Federation in Punjab, has rejected the allegations: At church, “only prayers are said for them without any fee. There’s no such thing as a religious conversion. It’s the change of heart.” Parminder Kaur, a Sikh by birth, became a Christian some 13 years ago. She denies that economic incentives were offered for her to convert: “No one paid us anything.”

Christians and Sikhs are both minority groups in India, but Sikhs form the majority in Punjab. According to a 2011 census, Christians make up 1.26% of Punjab’s population of close to 27.7 million, while Sikhs are close to 58%.

Home Group Prayer:

Dear God,

We lift up the nation of India to you, especially the state of Punjab. We thank you that so many are turning to you in spite of opposition and persecution. We lift up the leaders in the government and the police force who have the power to stop the attacks against Christians, and ask that you would intercede on behalf of your people. May the Holy Spirit’s power and presence rest on Christians, that they will know your comfort and the peace that passes all understanding in these hard times. We stand with our brothers and sisters who are suffering and paying a great price for their faith, and ask that you will continue drawing people to you.

We ask these in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen!

 

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.”
(Psalm 46: 1–3)

India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has suspended the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) licences of six non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The FCRA licence is required to receive donations from abroad. While an NGO’s funding is being investigated, it is not allowed to receive any foreign donations and its bank account is also frozen. This suspension of FCRA licences therefore effectively cuts off an NGO from any overseas-based financial sources for an indefinite time.

Four Christian charities have been affected: Ecreosoculis North Western Gossner Evangelical in Jharkhand, New Life Fellowship Association in Mumbai, Northern Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jharkhand, and the Evangelical Churches Association in Manipur. The reason for the suspension of their licenses has not been specified, but may be due to reports that the NGOs seek to proselytise locals.

This is not the first time that Christian charities have faced the cessation of funding from abroad. In 2017, the US-based donor Compassion International had to cease activities in India because it was deemed to fund NGOs encouraging religious conversions. It had been the biggest donor to India amongst charities. Since then, attacks on Christians and Muslims have increased and India is now tenth on the World Watch List of Open Doors, which assesses the most difficult places to be a Christian.

In the first six months of 2020, 135 cases of assaults against Christians were reported in India. The cases included physical violence, harassment and threats, as well as false accusations which have led directly to the arrests and imprisonment of Christians.

Most disturbingly, three Christians are reported to have died in India in the first half of 2020 because of their faith, according to a July 2020 report by the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

The Indian government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been criticised for using the cancellation of FCRA licenses as a means to silence Christian charities that speak out about the social costs of economic development in India.

Since Modi took the helm in 2014, a total of 15,000 foreign NGO licences have been revoked. In November 2016 alone, the Ministry of Home Affairs rejected the licence renewals of 25 charities, including those working on human rights, with the alleged cause being that these NGOs were deemed to be “anti-national”. In early September 2020, the Modi government tabled changes to the FCRA that would impose further restrictions to stifle foreign donations from critics of the government.

Home Group Prayer

Dear Lord and Heavenly Father,

We pray at this time for Christians in India who face persecution: for those who are attacked both physically and verbally, for those who are falsely accused and imprisoned, and for those who are forced to flee from their homes.

We also pray for those charities who are working in India, that they may be allowed to work peacefully and for the common good, to benefit the poorest and most socially disadvantaged in society. We pray for them to have the courage to speak out against social injustice even when pressure is put on them to stay silent.

Lord, we pray for those who are persecuting Christians in India, that you may soften their hearts and open their eyes to your redeeming love.

Through Christ our Lord, Amen.