Hindu-Christian conflict in East Nepal

The Dharan Christian Society has drawn the attention of city chief Hark Sampang saying that the Vijayapur Region Religious Protection Coordinating Committee is going to cause disruption when a church is being built on its private land for religious purposes.

The community said that the Vijaypur Region Religious Protection Coordinating Committee has submitted a letter to the head of Dharan city with the intention of depriving them of the construction of the newly built Holy Trinity Believers East Church in Dharan 14.

Presenting an attention letter to Dharan sub-metropolitan city on Friday, the society refuted the allegation of the Vijaypur Region Religious Protection Coordinating Committee that religious harmony could be disturbed. The society has said – ‘Christians neither provoked religious harmony yesterday, nor have we provoked it today, nor will we provoke it tomorrow, such a bad act will never happen from us. We express our commitment to the brothers and sisters of Dharan.

It has been mentioned that the Christian society is shocked and surprised that the newly constructed church building should be shifted and no church should be built in Dharan-14 Vijaypur.

“In the preamble of the Constitution of Nepal 2072, it is mentioned that Nepal is a country with multi-racial, multilingual, multi-religious, multicultural and geographically diverse characteristics. In Article 26 of the Fundamental Rights of Part 3 of the Constitution of Nepal, Article 1 of the Right to Religious Freedom guarantees that every person who believes in religion will have the freedom to follow, practice and protect religion according to their faith.” A church has been built for religious purposes on its own private land of the place using the rights provided by the Constitution of Nepal.

Elder Gobind Rai, President of Christian Society Dharan, said that since Nepal is a beautiful country with multi-ethnic, multilingual, multi-religious and multicultural diversity, Dharan itself is a beautiful city of the East, which has imbibed the great slogan of ‘Bahujan Hitaya, Bahujan Sukhay’, so it is necessary to show an example of unprecedented unity and harmony.

In a statement issued by President Rai, it is said – “When a Muslim dies in this beautiful city, another Hindu’s tears fall, another Christian attends a Hindu’s wedding, another Christian touches his hand when a Christian is troubled, another Buddhist wipes away a Hindu’s tears.” Yes, this city is a tolerant city that lives with religious tolerance and harmony.

The Christian society has mentioned that colorful flowers of all religions, castes, languages and cultures should bloom and spread their fragrance in Dharan.

The society has demanded the protection of the church to the head of the city, Harak Sampang, in order to guarantee the rights given to the Christian religious place (church) in Dharan-14 by the Constitution of Nepal 2072 and to freely carry out religious activities according to their religious beliefs.

The society has also informed that the Dharan Christian Society is ready to find a solution to the problem through peaceful discussion with the relevant parties.

The society has given notice to Deputy Chief Aindravikram Begha, Ward President of Dharan 14, Area Administration Office Dharan, Area Police Office Dharan, Federation of Nepal Journalists, Sunsari, National Human Rights Commission, Sunsari and Inter-Religious Peace Network.