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.
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