Nepali Christians are facing new pressures
from their government after authorities
deported a Christian couple for evangelizing
Hindus.
Immigration officials said the two
foreigners had violated terms of their
business visa, but a Nepali religious
freedom advocate told CBN News the couple
had a right to practice their faith.
BP Khanal, General Secretary of the
Janjagaran Party said government officials
reached their decision based on media
reports, not facts when they sent Filipino De
Vera Richard and his Indonesian wife, Rita
Gonga packing.
Khanal said party workers investigated and
found government officials demonstrated
bias against the couple and violated their
human rights by denying them the right to
practice their faith as Christians.
In October 2017, the Nepal government
enacted legislation criminalizing religious
conversion which states that no one should
be involved in, or encourage "conversion of
religion." Those found guilty of violating the
law can be sent to prison for five years and
fined the equivalent of about $500.
At the time, Christians said the anti-
conversion law was designed to protect
Hinduism, the majority faith in Nepal, and
they feared it would unfairly be used
against Christians to prevent them from
sharing their faith.
Once considered the world's only Hindu
kingdom, the people of Nepal deposed their
monarch in May 2008 after Maoists
claimed victory in their ten-year insurgency
against the government. Years of debate
over a new constitution ensued and
lawmakers finally adopted one in September
2015.
Backers pledged the government would be
democratic and secular, but Khanal
suggests the anti-conversion law proves
otherwise.
"When we were trying to promote that
constitution, there were so many voices…
even unnecessary voices that the country
should go back and remain as a Hindu
nation," he explained. "So, now they are
even more focused to prohibit conversion
and that is penalized as a criminal
offense."
He said many Nepalis believe their country
is not a secular state. "This is still a Hindu
state," he insisted.
Christians estimate their numbers at
400,000 or roughly 1.4% of Nepal's 29-
million people.
International Christian groups were among
the first responders who brought help after
a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated the
country in April 2015. Many Nepalis came
to Christ as a result of that response.
But Khanal said since the earthquake, many
people have also embraced other religions.
"It is not just the church increasing. There
are Muslims – particularly the Nepalis who
are working in Gulf countries. There are
many converts (to Islam) also," he
explained.
Khanal says government efforts to prevent
the spread of Christianity may prove futile
because God and His church are still at
work, transforming Nepali lives.
"Many miracles and healings and so many
wonderful things are happening here…the
church is still active in evangelism. That's
the responsibility and everybody is involved
here."
from their government after authorities
deported a Christian couple for evangelizing
Hindus.
Immigration officials said the two
foreigners had violated terms of their
business visa, but a Nepali religious
freedom advocate told CBN News the couple
had a right to practice their faith.
BP Khanal, General Secretary of the
Janjagaran Party said government officials
reached their decision based on media
reports, not facts when they sent Filipino De
Vera Richard and his Indonesian wife, Rita
Gonga packing.
Khanal said party workers investigated and
found government officials demonstrated
bias against the couple and violated their
human rights by denying them the right to
practice their faith as Christians.
In October 2017, the Nepal government
enacted legislation criminalizing religious
conversion which states that no one should
be involved in, or encourage "conversion of
religion." Those found guilty of violating the
law can be sent to prison for five years and
fined the equivalent of about $500.
At the time, Christians said the anti-
conversion law was designed to protect
Hinduism, the majority faith in Nepal, and
they feared it would unfairly be used
against Christians to prevent them from
sharing their faith.
Once considered the world's only Hindu
kingdom, the people of Nepal deposed their
monarch in May 2008 after Maoists
claimed victory in their ten-year insurgency
against the government. Years of debate
over a new constitution ensued and
lawmakers finally adopted one in September
2015.
Backers pledged the government would be
democratic and secular, but Khanal
suggests the anti-conversion law proves
otherwise.
"When we were trying to promote that
constitution, there were so many voices…
even unnecessary voices that the country
should go back and remain as a Hindu
nation," he explained. "So, now they are
even more focused to prohibit conversion
and that is penalized as a criminal
offense."
He said many Nepalis believe their country
is not a secular state. "This is still a Hindu
state," he insisted.
Christians estimate their numbers at
400,000 or roughly 1.4% of Nepal's 29-
million people.
International Christian groups were among
the first responders who brought help after
a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated the
country in April 2015. Many Nepalis came
to Christ as a result of that response.
But Khanal said since the earthquake, many
people have also embraced other religions.
"It is not just the church increasing. There
are Muslims – particularly the Nepalis who
are working in Gulf countries. There are
many converts (to Islam) also," he
explained.
Khanal says government efforts to prevent
the spread of Christianity may prove futile
because God and His church are still at
work, transforming Nepali lives.
"Many miracles and healings and so many
wonderful things are happening here…the
church is still active in evangelism. That's
the responsibility and everybody is involved
here."
Comments