Christian tribals evicted from village in Assam

Nine Christian tribal families were forcibly evicted from their villages in Assam for reufusing to renounce their faith and take up animistic practices.

According to information obtained by the All India Christian Council (AICC), the families belonged to four villages in Kokrajhar district of Assam.

On November 14, some members belonging to Bodo Religious Bathou (an indigenous Bodo tribal religion) destroyed the houses of three Bodo Christian tribal families in Haldibari and four other families in surrounding three villages – Moflabari, Jamduguri and Basdari. Members of nine Bodo tribal Christian families were forced to leave their villages.

"On November 14, 2006 morning some members of Bodo Religious Bathou of Haldibari assembled at village council hall and made an resolution to evacuate Christian members from the village," said Benjaligar Machahary, director of Bodo Radio Program, to AICC. At the end of the meeting, about 25 members belonging to Bathou, heavily drunk, went to the houses of three Christian families and began demolishing them. They also went about assaulting other Christians in surrounding villages and continued the rampage till police forces intervened.

"After destroying three Christian families of Haldibari, they went to other nearby three more villages and dismantled six other Christian homes. All the Christian members were given two options to leave the village to profess Christianity or leave the Christians to live in their own villages," said Machahary.

Police sources have revealed that cases have been registered against the offenders. Seven of 25 offenders who were initially arrested on the basis of the complaint filed in Kokrajhar police station, were released later on bail.

The evicted families have been provided shelter in a primary school building. According to news sources, the locals have condemned the attacks and have allowed the Christian families to return to the villages.

"Hindu fanatic leaders used Bodo tribal communities to provoke hatred and disharmony among different faith and religions among Bodo communities. In many of the cases, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) – Hindu religious fanatic influences Bodo tribal communities to hate Bodo tribal Christians," said Bishop K. Basumatary of Bodo Evangelical Lutheran Church.