austraLasia 791
JHABUA AND ALIRAJPUR - A SITUATION FOR
PROFOUND CONCERN
MUMBAI: 17th January '04 -- 'austraLasia'
has previously reported on difficulties experienced in the vicinity of the
Salesian communities near the borders with the Indian State of Gujarat.
These are difficulties which have been felt generally in the region due to the
activities of Hindu extremist groups, and felt in particular by the Christian
and Catholic communities in Jhabua and Alirajpur. But in fact the
situation has been much worse; the Bishop of the Diocese feared going
public. He is now convinced however that publicity is necessary. The
wider world must know what is happening.
The following information comes via BIS, the information
service of the Don Bosco Province of Mumbai.
Catholic clergy and people are under threat in the diocese
of Jhabua: a variety of hostile activity has made it clear that there is an
effort to drive out or eliminate the Christian communities in this area. A
young girl has been raped and killed at the mission school. Fundamentalist
groups have been in procession around the area shouting slogans and inflammatory
remarks and burning effigies of the Bishop and priests. One priest has
been manhandled and others pelted with stones. Jabhua town has a Salesian
community with a boarding section for the school, while at Alirajpur there is a
school conducted by the Salesians.
On January 17th, Fr. Stanny Fereira, Salesian Parish
Priest at Alirajpur, was on his way to offer support to the Salesian community
at nearby Jhabua. His vehicle was set upon by Hindu fundamentalists.
In the ensuing melee, and during his attempt to escape, a cyclist was killed,
and Fr. Fereira landed in a ditch beside the road. He was then severely
beaten by the mob and sustained severe head injuries. Police arrived on
the scene and took Fr. Pereira away to an undisclosed location for protection
and recovery. Back in the parish, the Salesians have moved out for safety
reasons and closed the school.
Other Christian communities have suffered harassment and
attacks on property and persons. The situation is being monitored by the
local police, though nobody really knows at this stage what control they are
able to exert, or how objective they are in the midst of the present
unrest.
_____________________
'austraLasia' is an email service for the Salesian
Family of Asia-Pacific
