Friday, April 22, 2011

Nepalese Christians Seek Burial Grounds

According to Compass Direct News earlier this week, in Nepal a Christian group has filed a petition with the country's Supreme Court in an attempt to obtain burial grounds in Nepal for Christians.  Up to now, Christians were allowed to use forested land belonging to a Hindu Temple for burials. However, earlier this month the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said it would no longer allow forest lands to be used.  So a Christian pastor filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to intervene, and one judge ordered the government and the PADT to stop interfering with Christian use of forest land until the courts resolve the issues. But then a Hindu activist filed a counter-suit attempting to keep Christians from using Hindu Temple property for Christian burials. Meanwhile the recently formed Christian Burial Ground Prayer and National Struggle Committee began a relay hunger strike in Kathmandu asking for Christian cemeteries in all 75 districts of Nepal. The government has appointed a committee to look into the demand and to report back in two weeks.