Hundreds of students in the province of Aceh, western Indonesia, invaded a shelter on December 27 that temporarily housed more than a hundred Rohingya refugees, driving them out in what is but the latest incident due to local hostility towards the refugees, who belong to a persecuted stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar.
Since mid-November, more than 1,500 Rohingya fled refugee camps in Bangladesh to reach Aceh province by sea in makeshift crafts. According to the United Nations, this is the largest migration of Rohingya to Indonesia since 2015.
Under the slogan “Aceh’s Students Denied Access to the Rohingyas”, hundreds of people demanded that these asylum seekers leave from their temporary shelter in the Balee Meuseuraya building and be relocated elsewhere.
Even though most of vulnerable refugees are families, especially women and children, the students dragged them into vans and pickups and drove them to another place not far away, about a kilometre from the previous location.
About 135 Rohingya, who landed on an Aceh beach on 10 December, were subjected of this action, after.
“We were able to move these Rohingya as most of our compatriots in Aceh have already expressed concern and were against their presence here,” said one of the coordinators of Wednesday’s action.
Outrage over parish council’s “barbaric” punishment to questioning youth
A Kerala parish council’s “barbaric” punishment to a youth during Christmas midnight Mass has triggered condemnation in the southern Indian state.
“Today I heard the news that the young man was brought to his knees to apologize. The sting of the action still hasn’t gone away, and the shame of it coming from a religious group that I belong to is overwhelming me,” laments Father Aji Puthiyaparambil, who left active priestly ministry a few months ago to fight corruption in the Church.
The 46-year-old priest says the “barbaric punishment” took place on Christmas, the “birthday of the one who forgave those who insulted him even in his last breath.”
Earlier, marunandanmala-yalee.com, a YouTube channel, reported the incident with the headline, “A parish gives barbaric punishment to a youth. Kerala is shocked.”
According to the December 27 report, the parish committee of St Andrews Church, Karumkulam, had asked a young parishioner named Minroose to walk on his knees from the church’s main door to the altar before apologizing.
The YouTube channel shows the man walking on his knees before apologizing from the pulpit. The man, who claimed he was an illiterate fisherman, said the committee had asked him to apologize in the church for questioning its decision on a church property.
87 tribal Christians buried months after Manipur riots
Thousands of Christians paid their last respects to 87 indigenous Christians during a mass funeral on Dec. 20, eight months after sectarian violence rocked India’s hilly state of Manipur.
The victims from the Kuki and Zomi communities were buried in separate places in Churachandpur district, where the strife started on May 3, claiming 200 lives.
“We buried 87 people in two different places in two sessions,” Barnabas Simte, district president of the All-Manipur Catholic Union, told UCA News on Dec. 20.
“The bodies included those airlifted from capital Imphal and those kept in the district hospital,” Simte added.
The government airlifted 60 bodies of indigenous Kukis from Imphal on Dec. 14 as the authorities feared transporting them by road could fuel fresh tension.
Their burial was sanctioned on Nov. 28 by the Supreme Court, India’s top court.
According to government records, 175 bodies mostly of indigenous people were preserved in mortuaries.
The top court ordered the government to hand over the bodies to their relatives and dispose of the unidentified bodies.
Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists come together in Natore for Christmas, the feast of harmony
Christmas was marked by interfaith harmony and sharing with members of different religions united to celebrate the joy of the birth of Jesus in Natore, a district in Rajshahi Division, experiencing moments of intense participation in the name of rebirth, new beginnings, forgiveness, and peace in a country that once experienced sectarian tensions.
Trees adorned with lights and decorations illuminated the surroundings, accompanied by special prayers in churches and Christmas carols and hymns of joy in Christian homes.
The celebration crossed religious boundaries with members of the Christian, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist communities united in stressing that “Christmas is a universal celebration.”
Robiul Islam, a young Muslim from Natore, spoke to AsiaNews about his experience. ”I joined the Christmas party with my friend Jonathan Gomes. We sang Christmas carols, enjoyed delicious food, including the Christmas cake,” he said. Stressing the strong bond between faiths, he said that Jonathan had previously participated in Eid (Islamic) celebrations with his family.
On Christmas Day, the parish of Bonpara, Natore, organised a convivial moment after the Mass with local Christians sharing Christmas cake and songs with people of different faiths.
Siddiqur Rahman Patwari, a Muslim leader and member of Parliament, as well as other political leaders, attended the event, bringing greetings to the Catholic community.
Patwari expressed gratitude to the missionaries from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) for their major role in local development. He also highlighted local religious harmony, expressing hope that it would continue in the future.
Conversion case: Church rejoices after priest, others get bail
Church groups in India on December 20 expressed joy after a court granted bail to a priest and three Catholics in judicial custody for nearly three months for allegedly violating an anti-conversion law.
The Allahabad High Court, the top court of Uttar Pradesh in northern India, granted bail to Father Babu Francis, the director of social work in Allahabad diocese and others on December 18.
“With God’s grace and your prayers Fr. Babu Francis has been granted bail. We received the bail order at 5:10 pm today. He will come out very soon along with others. Let’s thank God for His great gift for Christmas 2023,” said a message from Bishop Louis Mascarenhas of Allahabad addressed to his people.
The prelate urged the priests, nuns and Brothers in the diocese to offer a thanksgiving Mass on December 21.
While thanking his people for their “constant prayers and support during this difficult time,” the bishop pointed out that “their innocent suffering will not go in vain, it will strengthen the Church and faith to work for the Lord.”
Pray for Manipur, conflict regions: Catholic bishops’ Christmas message
The head of the Catholic Church in India on Christmas eve called for prayers for war-torn regions of the world, including Manipur in the country.
“In the spirit of Christmas, I earnestly request your prayers for those in violence-affected and war-torn regions of our world, including the state of Manipur in our beloved country, and the conflict zones of Israel-Palestine war, and Ukraine,” says the Christmas message from Archbishop Andrews Thazhath of Trichur, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India.
Ethnic violence has raged in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur since May 3, rendering thousands homeless.
The prelate wants the “collective prayers” to become a beacon of hope and healing for those enduring the harsh realities of conflict.
“As we celebrate the joyous occasion of Christmas and welcome the dawn of the New Year, I, along with all the Catholic bishops in India, extend heartfelt greetings to each one of you. May this season be filled with the love, peace, and joy that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ brings into our lives.”
Archbishop Thazhath prays for the coming year to “witness a transformation, where peace triumphs over discord, and compassion reigns over cruelty, fostering understanding and harmony in the troubled areas of Manipur and bringing solace to the people of Israel, Palestine, and Ukraine.”
The Indian Church leader wants those celebrating the festival to pause to reflect on Christmas’ true essence. “It is not merely about Santa Claus and Christmas trees adorned with glittering ornaments. Christmas is, above all, a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, whose life embodies the principles of love, justice, and compassion.”
Manipur, Archbishop of Imphal: ‘At Christmas God unites us beyond any tribe, language or culture’
“We are approaching Christmas” and “traditionally we look forward to this great celebration”, but “this year several parishes in our archdiocese will not be able to carry out Christmas liturgies or gather families and loved ones as happened in the past due to ethnic violence.” For this reason the Church invites us to “refrain from grandiose festive celebrations”.
With these words the archbishop of Imphal, Msgr. Linus Neli, addresses the Christians of the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur in his Christmas letter. The clashes broke out in May and involved the main tribal groups in the region, the Kuki and the Meitei. Despite a decline in violence, the situation continues to remain tense.
“God adds joy to our hearts by gathering the human family around his Son regardless of race, tribe, language, culture, status, gender or community. We are all one in humanity”, underlined the archbishop.
But around the world there are different situations in which Christmas celebrations are interrupted due to violence: “The same difficulty prevails in many parts of the world due to wars and conflicts. Many suffer from stress and anxiety while staying in shelters for an extended period of time.”
India Christians welcome state election win by main Modi rival party
A senior Indian cardinal has welcomed a new state administration led by a party which represents the main rival to the country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist BJP party, and which came to power in part on the basis on promises to respect minority rights.
Cardinal Anthony Poola of Hyderabad congratulated A. Revanth Reddy of the Congress Party, who led his coalition to victory in Telangana state in the south-central region of India on Nov. 30 and who recently took office as the state’s Chief Minister.
“Revanth Reddy’s ascension to this significant responsibility reflects the trust and confidence vested in his leadership capabilities by the people of our vibrant state,” said Poola, who also leads the Telugu Catholic Bishops’ Council (TCBC).
“Revanth Reddy embarks on a new journey. We are optimistic that under his leadership, Telangana will continue to prosper and flourish, reaching new heights of development and inclusivity,” said Poola, the first cardinal from India’s traditionally marginalized Dalit community.
“The Archdiocese of Hyderabad and the TCBC are eager to collaborate and support Revanth Reddy’s vision for a harmonious, progressive and equitable Telangana state,” he said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to contributing to the welfare and upliftment of our communities, working hand in hand with the new government for the greater good of all citizens.”
Nation acknowledges Christians’ contribution: Prime Minister
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi says the nation “proudly acknowledges the contribution of the Christian Community.”
The prime minister said this while interacting with leaders of Christian community on the occasion of Christmas on December 25 at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi, the official residence of the Prime Minister of India.
The prime minister praised Christian contributions to the freedom movement and highlighted the various intellectual thinkers and leaders. He underlined that Gandhiji himself had said that the Non-Cooperation Movement was conceived under the patronage of Sushil Kumar Rudra, principal of St. Stephen’s College.
Modi, who is completing 10 years as the Indian prime minister, highlighted the crucial role played by the Christian community in giving direction to society and mentioned active participation in social service towards the poor and the deprived.
He also noted their contributions in important areas of education and healthcare.
Wishing everyone, especially people of the Christian community a Merry Christmas, the prime minister thanked everyone present for joining him on this very special and sacred occasion. He expressed delight in accepting the Indian Minority Foundation’s proposal to celebrate Christmas together and thanked them for the initiative, says a press release from the Press Information Bureau of the government of India.
Throwing light on his relations with the Christian community for a long time, the prime minister recalled holding frequent meetings with the Christian community and their leaders when he was the chief minister of Gujarat. He also recalled his interaction with Pope Francis Pope on October 30, 2021, as a memorable moment.
He said the two leaders discussed issues such as social harmony, global brotherhood, climate change and inclusive development to make earth a better place.
Noting that Christmas is not just the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ but also to remember his life, message and values, the 73-year-old Indian leader underlined the values of compassion and service that Jesus lived by.
He said Jesus worked to create an inclusive society where justice prevails for all and it is these values that are illuminating the way like a guiding light in the development journey of India.
Iran: Jailed Christians denied Christmas
In Iran, Christmas for some Christians is a dark cell, in one of the country’s most notorious prisons, held without charges, aware that they were locked away only for their faith with no prospect for indictment that would enable them to defend themselves, deprived of rights even more than their liberty.
This is the case of an Armenian man, one of a hundred Christians arrested last summer and held in Evin prison, north of Tehran, who, after four months, is still unaware of his fate, with the only certainty of spending the holiday away from his family.
The story of 35-year-old Hakop Gochumyan is relayed by Article18, an advocacy group seeking to protect and promote religious freedom in Iran and on behalf of its persecuted Christians.
The Armenian national was visiting Iran with his wife Elissa, who has dual Armenian-Iranian citizenship, and their two children. On 15 August, the two adults were arrested in Pardis, on the outskirts of Tehran.
According to some witnesses, the couple, with their children aged seven and 10, were at a friend’s house for lunch when a dozen plainclothes agents from the Ministry of Intelligence burst in and took them away.