SEPT 15 2008-"Urgent prayer request. Pls pray for  Paul Thangaia in Banglore. RSS planned to kill him. They burnt 20 churches last night & planned to destroy 200 churches in Orissa. BJP has planned to kill 200 pastors in next 24 hours. plz pray for at least two minutes and forward to all Christians'"
God Bless You
mathew
AUGUST 28TH 2008: 1) NUN BURNT ALIVE: A nun was burnt to death on 25th, Monday, after an orphanage was torched in at Phutpali in Bargarh district in Orissa during a bandh called by Hindu nationalist parties.Twenty children, who were at the orphanage, managed to escape but a priest suffered serious burn injuries in the attack.

2) RASANANDA PRADHAN TORCHED ALIVE: Another person, Rasananda Pradhan, was burnt to death when his house was set ablaze at Rupa village in Kandhamal district.

3) INFLAMMATORY SPEECHES TARGET CHRISTIANS: During the bandh inflammatory speeches spreading hatred against the Christian workers and the community were given by the VHP leaders. To gain the mass support,the activists have also carried the body of Swamiji throughout the town.

4) CHURCHES BURNT ALL ACROSS ORISSA STATE: Churches were attacked in Khurda, Bargarh, Sundergarh, Sambalpur, Koraput, Boudh, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur and Kandhamal districts as also in the state capital, police sources said, adding 40 houses were set ablaze in Phulbani town.

5) BUSES AND VEHICLES TORCHED: Mr. Mishra Digal was beaten up, while the motorcycles of Mr. R. K. Digal and Jitendra were burnt. Several buses at Gee Udaigiri in Baliguda were burnt.

6) PULBANI CHURCH RANSACKED: The Church at Phulbani,and several other churches at Phiringia were attacked and ransacked. Pastor D. Tatson's house was vandalized and his property burnt.

7) KAKRIGUMA CHURCHES VANDALISED: Churches in Kakriguma have been targeted by the mob that reportedly damaged the Assembly Of God Church and the Philadelphia Church.

8) WORLD VISION STAFF FLED FOR SAFETY: World Vision India office ransacked and the Staff has also fled to jungle for protection.

9) CHRISTIANS TAKE SHELTER IN FOREST FOR PROTECTION: A police camp at Barakhama was also attacked by the Hindu fundamentalists. With several houses being burnt down and people being made homeless, many Christians,particularly from Nua Sahi, Munda Sahi and Suna Tonga have fled into forests for their lives.

10) NUN RAPED: A young Catholic Nun of the Cuttack Bhubaneswar diocese working Jan Vikas Kendra, the Social Service Centre at Nuagaon in Kandhamal was reportedly gang raped on 24th August 2008 by groups of Hindutva extremists before the building itself was destroyed.

11) SENIOR PRIEST AND NUN INJURED: Fr Thomas, director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre in Kanjimendi, less than a kilometer away from the Social Service Centre, and another Nun were injured when the centre was attacked. They were taken to the police station in a disheveled state as the armed mob bayed for their blood. The Pastoral centre was then set afire.

12) BALLIGUDA CHURCH BUILDINGS DESTROYED AGAIN: On 24th August 2008 evening lynch mobs at the block headquarters of Balliguda, in the very heart of Kandhamal district, which had seen much violence between 24th and 26th December 2007, attacked and destroyed a Presbytery, convent and hostel damaging the properties.

13) CHRISTIAN BOYS HEADS TONSURED: The mobs in Balliguda caught hold of two boys of the Catholic hostel and tonsured their heads.

14) PHULBANI CHURCH DAMAGED: On 25th august 2008 morning followers of the late Lakshmanananda Saraswati damaged the Catholic Church in Phulbani, the district headquarter town.

15) MOTHER TERESA BROTHERS ASHRAM ATTACKED: Mobs attacked the Mother Teresa Brothers' residence and hospital in Srasanada, destroyed once before and rebuilt two months ago, and beat up the patients.

16) BHUBANESWAR BISHOP'S HOUSE ATTACKED: On the morning of 25th August 2008, violent mobs made several attempts to enter the compounds of Catholic Church and Archbishop's house in the heart of the Capital of the State of Orissa. They could not enter because of the police presence. They threw stones at the guesthouse of Archbishop's House, damaging windows.

17) DUBURI PARISH: Another group of fundamentalists entered presbytery in Duburi parish, managed by the SVDs and destroyed and damaged property. Two priests of the parish are missing.

18) Mr. Jamaj Pariccha, Director of Gramya Pragati, is attacked and his property damaged, vehicle looted and burnt.

19) A Baptist Church in Akamra Jila in Bhubaneswar is also damaged.

20) Christian institutions like St. Arnold's School (Kalinga Bihar) and NISWASS report some damage.

21) BOUDH DISTRICT [Adjoining Kandhamal]: Fundamentalists enter the Catholic parish church and destroy property. People are fleeing to safer places. But nothing seems safe.

22) MUNIGUDA: Muniguda Catholic Fathers and Nuns' residence have been damaged.

23) SAMBALPUR: HM Sister's residence (Ainthapalli) has suffered damage.

24) PADANPUR: One priest is attacked and admitted to a hospital. Hostel boys and the in charge have moved away from the place.

25) MADHUPUR: Madhupur Catholic Church currently under attack.

26) SMALL CHURCHES: Attempted violence on small churches in various districts, including Padampur, Sambalpur near GM College, Talsera, Dangsoroda, Narayanipatara, Muniguda, Tummiibandh, Tangrapada, Phulbani, Balliguda, Kalingia, Chakapad, Srasanranda.

27) VILLAGE CHRISTIAN HOUSES ATTACKED: Houses attacked on forest hamlets of Balliguda, Kanjamandi Nuaguam (K.Nuaguam), Tiangia (G.Udayagiri), Padangiri, Tikabali.

28) KALAHANDI DISTRICT: Houses burnt even though the district is more than 300 kilometers from the place where Swami Lakshmanananda was killed.

29) PASTORS' HOUSE BURNT: Pastor Sikandar Singh of the Pentecostal Mission beaten up and his house burnt in Bhawanipatna.

30) KHARIHAR: 3 Christian shops were looted and burnt. Pastor Alok Das and Pastor I M Senapati beaten up.

31) AAMPANI: Pastor David Diamond Pahar, Pastor Pravin Ship, Pastor Pradhan and Pastor Barik beaten up and chased away with their families.

32) NAKTIKANI: Mob surrounds village to attack Christians.


The government has sent forces, it is reported. A delegation of Christian leaders under the leadership of Archbishop Vincent Concessao, the President of National United Christian Forum of CBCI, NCCI and EFI, met the Home Minister Shri Shiv Raj Patil and submitted a memorandum. The Home Minister assured the delegation all necessary steps have been taken to maintain peace and harmony and protect the innocent. He also expressed his helplessness by stating that police protection cannot be given in all villages.

Church burnt to ashes in Andhra Pradesh

January 22, 2008: Nalagonda (Andhra Pradesh, India), SVM News, January 22, 2008: A group of Hindu radicals set fire and burned down a pentecostal Church on January 15 at Pochapalli village, near Bhudhan town of Nalagonda District, which is 35 km from Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh.
Pochappalli Hebron Church was burned by radicals in the early hours of Tuesday. Pastor K Samadhanam is the pastor of this church.
Police authorities visited the location on Wednesday 16th January morning and Sub Inspector Vijay Kumar stated that what occurred is "unfair to the community" and he will take "immediate action" on this case.

House Church of Salem Voice Ministries Demolished by Muslim Extremists

December 30, 2007:Malabar (India), SVM News, Underground house church of Salem Voice Ministries demolished by Muslim extremists at Sunnam Potty in Malabar on December 29.

A mob of 10 to 15 people came by cars and vans with spade, pick axe, iron bar and other tools and weapons and totally demolished the church on Saturday night. Suspecting the attackers were the activists of SIMI (Students Islamic Movement of India). Around 50 people were attending in that church every week for worshipping service since last few months. The majority were individual muslim youngsters from various families.
There was a baptism service held on Saturday early morning. Eight youngsters and three couples were baptised. Though it was a secret service, the news somehow leaked out. That might have provoked the extremists to demolish the church.
The church building was leased from a believers family without any rent. That family is living in a distant place. They were threatening by unknown people since last few days for giving this house for prayer and worship. Pastor Mildad and family are ministering in this area. They face death threat.
Pastor Paul Ciniraj, Director of the Salem Voice Ministries visited the demolished church. He condemned the incident and requesting prayers for the pastor and family, house owner and family and the believers.


Christians torturing in Orissa; State Minister resigns

December 28, 2007: Bhubaneswar (Orissa), SVM News, At least 55 Churches at G Udaygiri, Nuagaon, Brahmanigaon and Phulbani Sadar were attacked and a Congress MP Radha Kant Nayak's house was ransacked in Dasingbadi in violence on the fifth day in the rural tribal dominated areas of Orissa. Eight people killed in the communal violence was sparked off on Monday, the 24th of December when mobs led by Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists set ablaze Churches, Convents and some houses belonging to Christians. Hundreds of members of the community were hiding in forest to save their life from the attackers. Orissa Government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the violence in Kandhamal. Retired High Court judge Basudev Panigrahi will conduct the inquiry.

The All-India Christian Council criticised the government decision for a judicial inquiry into the violence in Kandhamal. John Dayal, the general secretary of the Christian Council demanded that a Central Bureau of Investigation probe be ordered into the attacks on the Christians. Raphael Cheenath, the Archbishop of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack said that the judicial inquiry will not lead to giving justice to the victims.
Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christiam Ministers of the Churches in India said, "All and real attackers can be held through the CBI inquiry". Meanwhile, the State Steel and Mines Minister Padmanabha Behera, a Dalit hailing from the violence-hit Kandhamal district, resigned from his post on moral grounds in the wake of the communal violence for the fifth day on Friday. Behera, a former member of the Lok Sabha told that he submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, as he was pained over the continuing violence in the area.

The Kui speaking tribal people who had been agitating in Kandhamal had demanded Behera's resignation. The tribals were opposing the demand of the Dalit Christians of the district for grant of Schedule Tribe status. The State government also transferred District Collector of Kandhamal Bhagirathi Mohapatra and appointed District Collector of Malkangiri Manish Kumar Verma in his place with immediate effect. Mohapatra was directed to join the General Administration Department in Bhubaneswar for further posting. The government appointed Nitin Bhanudas Jawle, Additional District Magistrate of Rourkela, as District Magistrate of Malkangiri on place of Verma.

The State government had come under severe criticism from various quarters for its failure to contain violence in Kandhamal where the agitation of the Kui tribals had been virtually hijacked by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad following an alleged attack on their leader Swami Lakshmanananda on December 24. As the tribals observed a 36-hour bandh starting from Christmas morning, taking benefit of the situation the VHP supporters burnt down a number of churches and lit up homes of the members of the Christian community in many areas. The administration had imposed curfew in four towns of the district on the evening of December 25. The curfew continues to remain in force.

Two Christians Killed And 12 Churches Burned in Orissa, India

December 26, 2007: Kandhamal (Orissa), SVM News, Two christians killed and at least 12 churches and several christian institutions, Christian houses and shops were burned by Hindu fundamentalists and hundreds injured on Christmas night in Kandhamal District of Orissa State in India.
Narsingh Bol, a police official told to Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service that the protesters backed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) set fire to eight churches and ransacked another four. Reports say one Christian was killed in Barakhamba village and others were fleeing from villages to the jungle. At least a dozen of vehicles including two police vehicles were also set on fire. Besides, the protestors attacked house of the elder brother of the state steel and mines minister Padmanav Behera and torched one of his vehicles Police imposed a curfew in four towns of tribal-dominated Kandhamal district, where most of the incidents were reported.
The violence began on December 24, when about 500 men attacked a tent displaying the nativity scene that Christians of various denominations jointly put up in a small town called Bamunigam. Nine Baptist and Pentecostal Churches and three Catholic Churches were attacked. In Balliguda block of Phulbani district, five churches were damaged including a Baptist church, Catholic church, Pentecostal church, and a Catholic sisters' convent. Church furniture, the sound systems, and the tents were burnt. An English medium school was attacked and the computer training center was vandalised. A Christmas celebration was stopped during the worship service of Baptist church. In Nuagam Block of the same district, a church in Kdupakia village, another church in Sirtiguda, Gosukia and Jangungia villages were assaulted and furniture and church properties were destroyed and a cross was broken down. In Chakapad Block, of Phulbani district, a church was torched while Christians were having a Christmas feast. The food was destroyed and several were almost killed. In Phringia Block, of Phulbani district, a Catholic church was destroyed by a bomb planted by fundamentalist. Pastor Junas Digal was tonsured and brought to temple and forced to bow down to the deity. In Raikia of Phulbani district, shops belonging to Christians were reportedly destroyed. The Hindutva fanatics were marching in a procession and holding weapons. The Christians were ordered to stay inside their homes.
In Phulbani headquarters, a Baptist church and a Catholic church were not allowed to conduct Christmas celebrations. An orphanage run by a Catholic priest was attacked and three vehicles were torched. Carmel Convent School in Phulbani town was attacked and the school buses and vehicles were broken and torched. A delegation of Christian leaders from Phulbani met the District Collector to insist on safety measures for the Christian minority.
Authorities say the church violence came after a Hindu leader called Swami Laxmananand Saraswati, who has campaigned against what he calls the "forced" conversion of low-caste Hindus to Christianity, was attacked on Christmas eve.
Christian missionaries have long found willing converts among India's neglected tribal communities or "untouchable" Hindus -- known as Dalits -- who still face massive discrimination. In Kandhamal, the majority of Christian converts are Dalits.
Over the past decade in Orissa, Christian houses and churches have been set on fire, tribal Christians have been harassed and boycotted, and pastors and other Christians have been killed. A Hindu man Dhara Singh is serving a life sentence for burning alive an Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons as well as a Catholic priest in Orissa in 1999. Graham Staines, who had worked for three decades with lepers, and sons aged eight and 10 died when a Hindu mob torched a jeep in which they were sleeping.
Sectarian clashes break out periodically in the billion-plus country of multiple faiths, where approximately 2.3 percent are practising Christians. As the communal fire in Orissa continues to spread, senior Christian leaders met the Prime Minister and requested him to intervene to curb the attacks on the minority community by mainly the fundamentalist Hindu groups in the state.
Pastor Paul Ciniraj, the president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries rged the central and state government authorities to protect the lives and properties of Christians, Dalits and other minority communities in Orissa

Give Thanks for sucessfull drilling of borewell in Nallampally

click to see report

Bomb Attack on Christian Educationist in Tamil Nadu

December 13, 2007 Tirunelveli (Tamil nadu, India), SVM News, A popular Christian educationist and philanthropist was injured in a bomb attack alongwith his wife and driver on December 12 at Vadakkangulam in Tamil Nadu, India.
Dr. S.A. Raja, chairman of the Selvam Educational Charitable Trust, and Rajas Educational Charitable Trust was attacked with country bombs on Wednesday morning by a gang of six in an Ambassador car and on a motorbike. Dr. Raja and his wife Sofia were returning back to home from Valliyoor Malaimatha Church after attending the Holy Mass. Raja’s car driver Amirthalingam (45) seriously injured in the attack and hospitalised. Raja and Sofia escaped with minor injuries.
Radhapuram police registered a case and started investigation. A police official said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service that the police recovered two live bombs from the spot. One of the accused is said to be around 25 years of age. He had enquired from Amirthalingam whether Raja would be attending the mass.
Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the bomb attack towards Dr. S.A. Raja and family. He asked the Central and State governments for immediate action to stop Christian persecution.

December 10, 2007 Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala, India), SVM News, : A parish priest of Church of South India and five others of his family members were killed when the car in which they were travelling collided with a transport bus near Chavara bridge in National Highway in Kollam District in Kerala, India on December 10.
Rev. Selestine Raj (40), the parish priest of Kattakkada Bethanipuram CSI Church in Thiruvananthapuram District and his wife Lena Selestine (35), daughters Reshma (12) and Roshna (7), relatives Lazur (66) and wife Lissy (60) of Lalbhavan at Mannarkonam were died by accident on Monday at about 4 in the evening.
Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that the pastor's car collided with a Transport bus while they were retuning back after attending a marriage function in Kochy. Bus belongs to Kerala State Road Transport Corporation was going towards Kochy from Thiruvananthapuram. Lazur and Lissy are the father and mother of Mrs. Lena Selestine. Church of South India follows the traditions of Anglican low Church.
Paul Ciniraj, President of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries offers condolences to the bereaved pastor and his family. CMCI prays that God May Grant peace and consolation to the parishoners and relatives of Rev. Selestine Raj.

Imam's daughter, a convert to christianity, face death threat in UK

December 06, 2007 Lancashire (UK), SVM News, : A 32-year-old woman, converted to Christianity from Islam about 15 years ago still facing death threats from family and relatives and British police compelled to give her protection.
Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that Hannah (using pseudonym to hide her identity), daughter of a Muslim Imam in Lancashire ran away from home in the year 1991 at the age of 16, when her parents arranged a marriage for her which she never liked.
Henceforth she studied christianity, accepted Jesus as her personal saviour, married with a spiritual partner and witnessed Christ to the churches and fellowships. But she was attacked with knives, axes and hammers in 1994 by a group of fundamentalists and was hiding from her home. She had been moved house 45 times to escape detection since she became a Christian.
The threats against her became more serious a month ago, prompting police to offer her protection in case of an attempt on her life. The latest threat was a text message from one of her brothers, warning that he could not be responsible for his actions if she did not return to Islam. "I know the Koran says that anyone who goes away from Islam should be killed as an apostate so in some ways my family are following the Koran. They are following Islam to the word. But I do not think every Muslim would actually act on that," Hannah said.
The Times reports that the Muslims in Britain who wish to convert to Christianity are living in fear of their lives because of Islamic apostasy laws, a senior Church of England bishop will warn at the invitaton-only charity event in West London.
Dr Michael Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, will claim that "freedom to believe" is under threat in Britain because of Islamic hostility to conversion. He will call on society to offer greater protection, by increasing understanding of what makes people vulnerable.
Earlier this year, a Policy Exchange study found that 36 per cent of British Muslims aged between 16 and 24 believed those who converted to another religion should be punished by death.

Gospel Campaigner severely beaten in Kerala

December 01. 2007 Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala, India), SVM News, : A mob of Hindu radicals attacked Gospel convention and beaten Gospel campaigner on December 1 at Koliyakkodu, near Pothencode in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala, India.
Pastor Lazarus, native of Vellarada was severely beaten on Saturday evening and admitted in Medical College hospital with serious injuries. Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that around 20 to 30 people shouted Hindu slogans and attacked the pastor while he was preaching the Gospel at Indian Pentacostal Church atKoliyakkodu. Venjaramoodu police investigating the issue.
Pastor Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the attack towards pastor Lazarus.

Pastor Jailed, Rector Arrested and 40 Detained in China

November 28, 2007 Gansu (China), SVM News, : In China, a christian pastor was sentenced 18 months imprisonment for distributing tracts in Gansu province and a rector of a Catholic seminary and one of his seminarians arrested and jailed in Yujiang. 40 house church leaders also were detained in Henan.
Pastor Liu Huiwen (38) was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by Gansu Dongxiang Nationality Autonomous County People's Court on October 25, 2007 for Distribution of Christian Literature Among Muslims. The document released by the court on November 27. Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that Pastor Liu Huiwen was detained on April 28, 2007 after distributing flyers at a funeral and was arrested on May 31. He was charged against discriminating work and insulting people of ethnic minorities when he published and distributed a flyer called "A Letter to Our Muslim Friends." Beijing Defence Attorney Li Dunyong, the defense counsel for Pastor Liu, argued that his public letter neither contain any discrimination or insults against people of ethnic minorities nor exceeded the boundary set for freedom of speech. But the court rejected his arguments and said Pastor Liu's public letter arised indignation from the Muslims and some of them used curse words and threatened to physically assaulted him, so he fled from the scene. After that, the police officers arrived on being informed of this incident and took Liu Huiwen to the public security bureau. In the meantime, the police officers confiscated 153 copies of the public letter that they collected from the people in the local area and confiscated 9,000 copies of the public letter, 523 copies of the Bible, 1,745 discs and some tapes and propaganda photos and other objects from the room Liu rents.
Cout said Liu's conduct has violated the provisions set in Article 250 of "The Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China" and constitutes the crime of publishing works that discriminate against and insult people of ethnic minorities. And the court has sentenced him 18 months imprisonment as per Article 210 and Article 64.

In the southern province of Guangdong in Central China, a Roman Catholic priest, Father Zeng Zhongliang, rector of the Yujiang diocese seminary in Jiangxi and one of his seminarians, Wang Bin were arrested by the police on November 25. Both are being held in a prison in Yujiang. Fathr Zeng had organised a meeting with the entire diocesan clergy at Fuzhou town, whose members are mostly affiliated with the underground Church. He acted on behalf of his local bishop Mgr Thomas Zeng Jingmu of 85-years of age who has been under house arrest. The diocese of Yujang has about 15,000 underground Catholic believers and priests; Catholics that is who are not registered with the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association and therefore not recognised by the government.

In another incident of christian persecution in China, a group of PSB officers raided China Gospel Fellowship (CGF) and detained 40 house church leaders while they were having a Bible class on November 18 at Peichang village of Fanhu town in Xiancheng county in Henan "CGF is one of the largest house churches in China. All the detainees were the senior leaders of CGF and among them Pastor Shen Yiping, it's founder also included," Bob Fu of China Aid Association said. Out of 40 detained leaders, 21 of them were released on November 24 and 19 are still being detained at the county detention center. The family members of the 19 detainees were notified by the Police Department to send blankets and 360 yuan ($50) for 15 days' living expenses.

Ten churches face crisis of eviction in Behrain

November 26, 2007 Manama (Behrain), SVM News, : At least ten churches including two episcopal churches and seven pentecostal churches in Behrain face severe crisis of eviction in Manama. Government authorities have given them two weeks to come up with documents that show they have been given permission to operate in Behrain.
The St Paul's Mar Thoma Church and the Church of South India (CSI, which follows Anglican hierarchy) are the two episcopal churches. Pentecostal churches are Sharon Fellowship Church, Church of Philadelphia, Immanuel IPC (Indian Pentacostal Church) church, Church of God, Assemblies of God (AG) church, The Pentecostal Mission (TPM) and The Word of Life Church. Church of Christ is the other one.
Abdulmajeed Al Sebea'a, municipal councillor of Manama claims some of the churches in Segaiya don't have a licence from the Manama Municipality, the Social Development Ministry or the Justice and Islamic Affairs Ministry. Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty has now called a meeting of the churches at his office to study the issue in detail. Representatives of the churches requested him in a letter to take up the issue on an urgent basis. Shetty wanted to know whether the main issue relates to parking problems that the churches are causing, or if it was simply that they are not registered. "I have to study the issue in detail before taking it up with the authorities concerned," Shetty said.
"Some of the churches have applied for registration that would legalise their existence, but are still waiting for a response," said Pastor P.C. Verghese, president of the Sharon Fellowship Church. "We appreciate the magnanimity of the landlords in this area who have been supporting us for conducting prayer meetings in their buildings," he continued. "We, Indian Christians have been worshipping in Behrain for a long time as different Christian groups," Alexander, one of the leaders of a church said the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. "We would like to confirm that we don't have any business other than worshipping God. We do not disturb the neighbours. We have also made necessary parking arrangements without causing any problem to neighbours or local friends in the area," they added.
Out of the 10 churches, half of them are understood to have registered with the Social Development Ministry. Municipal Councillor Al Sebea'a revealed that he had been contacted by a number of church heads - some saying they can prove their legal status and other asking him for help in getting registered within the next two weeks. He said he had also received letters from Christians in Bahrain.
Rev. Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries urging Manama Municipailty and Social Development Ministry through an advocate to find an immediate and amicable solution in favour of Christians rather than evict the churches. Otherwise, the fanatics may misuse the situations and persecute christians.

Iraqi couple beheaded for wearing western clothes

November 26, 2007 Bagdad (Iraq), SVM News, : Three suspected al-Qaida militants, including two sisters, beheaded their uncle and his wife, forcing the couple's children to watch, Iraqi police said Friday.
Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that Youssef al-Hayali and his wife Zeinab Kamel were executed at the All Boys School in Jalawlah in Diyala province of North-West of Bagdad by three cousins, who are Jihadists on November 23. Youssef al-Hayali was a school guard. Village police chief Ahmed Khalifa said that the police arrested the assialants from Divyala province, northwest of Bagdad. The militants considered Hayali was an infidel because he did not attend for namaz (worship) at the mosque. Also they found the couple wearing western-style trousers and clothes, they told police interrogators after being arrested.

Dozens killed in three serial blasts of UP in India

November 23, 2007 Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, India), SVM News, : At least two dozen people were killed in three bomb blasts that rocked in the populous cities of Uttar Pradesh state in India on November 23.
The explosions occurred in Lucknow civil court, Faizabad Collectorate and Varanasi civil court on Friday. The serial blasts were at a gap of five minutes from each other. A senior official said it were terrorist attacks. Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service reports that there have been some casualties and many injuries. More than ten advocates have been injured outside the Faziabad civil court and two advocates reportedly dead. As per sources from Lucknow, the bomb there was kept in a cycle following which the explosion took place. It seems that this time the legal system was the target of the militants. Home Minister of UP Sriprakash Jaiswal said, "I believe it is the handiwork of groups who are trying to spread terror in our country." Sources had earlier said that the state was sensitive to terror attacks. A few days back three militants were arrested from the state and a terror plot was unveiled.
Lucknow is the capital of Uttar Pradesh, and Varanasi is a popular Hindu pilgrimage centre. At least 15 people were killed and 60 wounded there in three explosions in 2006. Faizabad is a twin city of Ayodhya, a Hindu holy centre where hardline Hindu groups razed an ancient mosque in 1992, saying it was built on the birthplace of Lord Sri Ram.
Ayodhya has since been a flashpoint for Hindu-Muslim tensions across the country and the disputed site was also targeted by suspected Muslim militants in 2005. India has been hit by blasts frequently in recent years and most of them have been blamed on Pakistan-based Islamist militant groups fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir. Last month, a small bomb exploded just after evening prayers at Ajmer, an important and crowded Muslim shrine in northwestern India, killing at least two people.
Indian officials say that militant groups target religious centres in an attempt to divide majority Hindus and minority Muslims and spark clashes. Intelligence agencies are actively working towards finding out details.

Catholic Priest beaten by Police in Kerala, India

November 21, 2007: Alappuzha (Kerala, India), SVM News, Roman Catholic Priest was beaten by a Deputy Superintendant of Police (DySP) on November 21 in Alappuzha Town in Kerala, India.
Rev. Father Edward Puthanpurackal was beaten and pushing down by DySP A. Krishnam Kutty on Wednesday before noon. Father fell on the road. Five Kerala Catholic Youth Movement (KCYM) activists also were beaten by the police. Father Edward and KCYM activists was planning to have a new form of strike by rolling on the road from Shavakkotta bridge to Alappuzha Collectorate against not finishing the works of Chethi Bridge. "Police told them not to allow strike by rolling on the road, but procession. Father Edward and KCYM activists still tried to goahead with their decision." An official told to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service.
"KCYM organising another major rally towards Alappuzha North Police station against beating of priest by the police of the Marxist Communist government," a KCYM member told to SVM News
Paul Ciniraj, President of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the incident


Church demolished in Chattisgarh in India

November 21, 2007: Jagdalpur (Chatisgarh, India), SVM News, A church that involving with development activities of the tribals was demolished by the activists of Sangh Parivar and Bajrang Dal on November 19 at Manduwa village near Kondagaon of Bastar District in Chattisgarh State in India. A mob of Hindu radicals attacked Pastor Sudharu of Manduwa Church and burnt the newly constructed church on Monday about 10 at night alleging against converting people, specially tribals to Christianity. "The attackers surrounded pastors room first, tied the pastor and beaten him up till he became unconcious," Mahesh Minj, a member of the church said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. While this time some other assailants were burning the church. Their plan was to burn alive the pastor and the people who were inside of the church building. But those who were with the pastor from his church escaped somehow. And also the church building did not burn completely. So the attackers demolished the remained parts of the church.
Korla Police registered a case and started investigation. Rev. Rajan, the Missionary Chief of Jagdalpur area, said that the missionaries working with them do not involve any conversion activities, but working for the development of the tribals. "Yet, we face regular threat from Hindu fanatics." He said.
Paul Ciniraj, the president of the Christian Mibnisters of the Churches of India (CMCI) and Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned attack towards pastor Sudharu and demolishing the church.


Dalit man burnt alive in Madhya Pradesh in India

November 13, 2007 Dhar (Madhya Pradesh, India), SVM News, November 13, 2007: A Dalit villager burnt to death by upper-caste people in Dhar District of Madhya Pradesh in India on November 10. Kailash Bagri (40) was burnt alive on Saturday by a group of 50 armed men for beating an ox belonging to his upper-caste neighbour that had strayed into his field. Shankar, Kailash Bagri's son told that they all converged at their house brandishing swords. "My father ran some distance but they eventually caught him and burnt him to death...all because he beat an animal," Shankar said to the Salem Voice Ministries (SVM) News Service. "Our family was so terrified that we ran for cover," he added.
A senior police official said the case was detected on Monday; but he denied reports that the man was burnt alive.
Chanchal Shekhar, District Superintendent of Police (SP) of Dhar said, "They tried to conceal their crime by burning and disposing the body, but we have seized the evidence." SP continued that the police authorities haven't been able to make any arrests since the accused are absconding.
Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches in India (CMCI) and the Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the incident. Atrocities against Dalits from upper-castes are common in India. Low-caste people are being known as Dalits.
Two Dalit women named Devorati and Kamala were being thrown out of government hospital and died after they gave birth of two babies in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh on November 1 by the health officials for the inability of paying additional bribe.
A Dalit Christian woman, Chellarian Rita, found murdered while attempting of the rape on October 19 in Kannur District of Kerala.
Another Dalit woman, Suman, was tied up to a tree, severely beaten and forced to drink urine on October 10 at the village of Tili Aanvili in Hosangabad district of Madhya Pradesh for refusing to harvest crop alone in an entire farm.
In September, a Dalit woman was burnt alive by upper-caste men in northern Uttar Pradesh state, after her son eloped with a girl from their caste.
Earlier in August, a policeman in eastern Bihar state had drowned two low-caste girls by throwing them in a river for stealing firewood from his orchard.
Caste-based discrimination is banned in India, but upper-caste Hindus still practice all forms of discrimination, including not allowing the low-caste to worship at temples and insisting that they drink from separate village wells. The most menial jobs, including cleaning of sewers and night soil, often manually, are also largely done by Dalit community members, who comprise about 160 million of India's 1.2 billion population.
A major portion of Dalits believing Jesus Christ and worshipping God in the Spirit and the truth because of the discrimination of the upper-caste people. There also the fundamentalists do not allow them to live with peace; but persecuting and torturing widely.
Earlier this year, a United Nations committee, equated violence against Dalits with racial discrimination and has questioned India's record on treatment of the socially marginalized. The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has called upon the Indian government to ensure an immediate end to the violence on Dalits. The report found that the "de-facto segregation of Dalits persists" and highlighted systematic abuse against Dalits, including torture and extra-judicial killings, as well as an "alarming" extent of sexual violence against Dalit women.

Dalit Christian woman tied up to a tree, beaten and made to drink urine

November 6, 2007 Hosangabad (Madhya Pradesh, India), SVM News, : Dalit woman was tied up to a tree, severely beaten and forced to drink urine on October 10 at the village of Tili Aanvili in Hosangabad district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Suman, a dalit woman was asked to harvest crop alone in an entire farm. She refused and wanted to go back home. At that time she was brutally persecuted by farm owners who belong to upper caste and influential community.
Suman is admitted to the Hosangabad District Hospital. Scheduled Castes and Tribes Employees Association district unit President A N Hariyale received Suman's complaint letter accompanied by an affidavit.
Suman told media persons that Radheshyam Gaur, Sarwan Gaur and their kin told her on October 10 to harvest an entire farm, which was not possible. "When I began leaving for home, the accused tied me to a tree and beat me up. I sustained fractures in the limbs", Suman said.
After regaining consciousness, she asked for water and Radheshyam gave her urine instead. The following day, the village kotwar (official) took her in a bullock cart to Seoni-Malwa Police Station where she narrated her woes. "I do not know what was written (by police). Later, I was brought to hospital where one arm was operated upon and a rod inserted in the other. The accused snatched my mangalsutra (wedding chain) and money". Suman added.
Kotwar Sundarlal alleged that the accused gave him Rs 200 and asked him to convey the victim to the police station.
"On October 11, a complaint was received about Suman being assaulted and threatened with murder. A charge sheet has been submitted. However, the urine-linked allegation is not true," said Station House Officer V K Jain. Dr Jitendra Khare said that Suman was undergoing treatment since October 12 in the District hospital.
"In view of the incident's gravity, the additional superintendent of police has been directed to inquire," said Superintendent of Police S K Saxena.
Paul Ciniraj, president of the Christian Ministers of the Churches of India (CMCI) and Director of the Salem Voice Ministries condemned the incident.