Nepali Christians slam demolition of Korean missionary building

Aug 01, 2024

KATHMANDU: Christians in Nepal have voiced concern over the demolition of a building where a South Korean Protestant congregation imparted religious training to locals.

Authorities in Dhangadhi in western Sudurpashchim province partially demolished the building operated by the Nepal Life Word Mission, a Protestant group from South Korea, declaring it an “illegal structure” and not complying with rules on July 30.

Three people, including a Nepali pastor associated with the South Korean congregation, were arrested on July 24 and are still in police custody for disturbing “public order, decency and morality.”

“Investigations are ongoing. We hope to come up with our findings soon,” superintendent of police Padam Bahadur Bista told UCA News on July 31.

The two-storied building was partially pulled down following an order from authorities in Dhangadhi Sub-Metropolitan City.

The building was erected “without the approval from the local body. We decided to demolish a part of the building that was unauthorized,” said Gopal Hamal, the local mayor.

The demolition is part of a series of actions against the Nepal Life Word Mission which is accused of operating church-related services and training in a building that only had a license to run technical and vocational training.

“It is clear that the state is trying to clamp down on religious minorities,” said BP Khanal, a coordinator of the Nepal Christian Society (NCS), an ecumenical body.

Will the authorities take a similar course of action against buildings owned by Hindus and Buddhists? he asked.

The Christian leader alleged that the demolition violated a 35-day notice norm in cases of illegal structures.

The municipality should have given sufficient time for the owners to take the legal route, Khanal said.

We Christians are under direct attack “whenever something wrong happens in society.” It is sad to see the state is sowing the seeds of “religious intolerance,” Khanal said.

Pastor Uddhav Chimoriya from the Federation of National Christian Nepal blamed the municipal authorities for carrying out the demolition “too quickly.”

“We have become victims of rising anti-Christian sentiment from all quarters in recent times,” Chimoriya said.

The pro-Christian Janajagaran Party Nepal has called on the government to release the pastor and others who are in police custody.

The land that housed the building was rented by Let Me In, a South Korean group running skincare businesses and hospitals in Nepal, one and a half years ago.

Let Me In registered a company in Dhangadhi in July last year to build a technical and vocational training center for locals.

After the building was constructed in April this year, Let Me In collaborated with the Nepal Life Word Mission which started conducting religious training in June.

The locals, mostly Hindus, alleged that the South Korean missionary group was luring poor Hindus to Christianity in a deceitful manner.

The authorities have already revoked the licenses of both Korean groups.

Nepal has recently reported persecution against Christians, including attacks on churches and the arrests of pastors and followers. There are 11 cases pending in courts, according to the NCS.

The South Korean congregation was unavailable for comment.

Christians make up less than 2 percent of Nepal’s 29.16 million population.--ucanews.com