Nepalese Christians protest changes to constitution | Baptist World Alliance
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Baptist World Alliance, BWA News Release

Непальские христиане протестуют против изменений в конституции

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Baptists and other Christians in Nepal are protesting changes to the country’s constitution that limits religious freedom in the Hindu-majority country.

Nepal’s parliament overwhelmingly approved the new constitution on September 17 by a vote of 507 to 25. Some small opposition parties boycotted the vote.

A change to the constitution implies that conversion from one faith to another will become illegal. Religious conversion deemed “contrary to public health, public decency or morality or incitement to breach public peace… is not allowed and such act shall be punishable by law.”

This clause appears to run contrary to another constitutional clause that “every person shall have the right to profess, practice and protect his or her own religion according to conviction and the freedom to separate oneself from any religion.”

In addition, the constitution states that “every religious denomination shall have the right to maintain its independent existence, and, for this purpose, to operate and protect its religious sites and religious trusts in accordance with law.”

“We seek your prayer at this moment for our country,” a leading Baptist in the country asked of the Baptist World Alliance. He told the BWA that Hindu extremists demanded that Nepal return to its former status as the “Hindu kingdom.”

Непал стал светской республикой в 2008 году после того, как на выборах в Учредительное собрание, состоявшихся в апреле того же года, наибольшее количество мест получила Единая коммунистическая партия Непала. С тех пор индуистские националистические партии и их сторонники выступают за отказ от статуса светского государства.

“Extremist Hindu demonstrators are threatening the churches,” said another Baptist leader. “They have stoned the Itahari Baptist church at night. Many churches have been threatened by them.”

Около 40 человек погибли в ходе акций протеста представителей преимущественно этнических меньшинств, опасающихся дискриминации в результате конституционных изменений.

Конституционный кризис разразился в то время, когда страна находится в процессе восстановления после разрушительного землетрясения, произошедшего в апреле этого года, в результате которого погибло более 8 800 человек, более 21 000 получили ранения, а ущерб составил около $5 млрд. долл.

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© 18 сентября 2015 г.

The Baptist World Alliance, founded in 1905, is a fellowship of 266 conventions and unions in 134 countries and territories comprising 53 million baptized believers in 178,000 churches. For more than 100 years, the Baptist World Alliance has networked the Baptist family to impact the world for Christ with a commitment to strengthen worship, fellowship and unity; lead in mission and evangelism; respond to people in need through aid, relief, and community development; defend religious freedom, human rights, and justice; and advance theological reflection and leadership development.