ICC Note:
A Hindu radical group called Morcha Nepal has distributed leaflets in Nepal demanding that Christian missionaries leave the country. Recently, Nepal adopted a constitution that maintained the country’s secular character. In response, the Morcha Nepal bombed several churches. Despite the government keeping Nepal a secular state, the constitution the country adopted contains a clause that makes attempts to convert individuals from one religion to another illegal. Many Christians fear that this clause will be used to persecute Christian pastors and other religious minority leaders.
9/29/2015 Nepal (Christian Today) – Extremist groups in Nepal have warned Christian missionaries to leave the country, Fides reports.
Nepal is a secular state under the new constitution but an extremist Hindu group have distributed leaflets threatening Christians and warning them to leave.
“Christians have corrupted the country,” the leaflet distributed by the ‘Morcha Nepal’ group read.
“Foreign influence have manipulated government decisions.”
Despite this, Christian missionaries are continuing to work in Nepal, Fides sources said.
“Christians continue their mission of dialogue and proclamation of the Gospel of charity towards all,” the source said.
However Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has pointed out that the new constitution contains an anti-conversion clause that makes “any act to convert another person from one religion to another” illegal.
The new clause is a violation of international treaties, CSW said in a statement.
“This fails to allow for choosing and changing one’s faith to be seen as a positive individual choice or as a matter of individual rights, as required by international treaties which Nepal has signed and ratified,” the statement read.
As well as distributing leaflets, the radical Hindu group proposed an amendment to the Charter, calling for Nepal to proclaim a “Hindu state” again.
The amendment was rejected and Nepal remains a secular state.
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