Persecuted for their Christian faith

India.

A Christian leader in Manipur, a state in northeast India, is pleading for help because of the murder, desecration, and disruption of his people by a warring tribe. He said that members of the Meitei tribe “are killing innocent women, children, pastors, and even civil servants” among the Kuki and Zo tribes. Not only has the government done nothing to stop the violence, but the government has also even sided with the rampaging Hindu tribals. The Christian community is being persecuted for their faith, suffering from ethnic cleansing and genocide.” 

The federal government, according to the Manipur leader, has done nothing. The federal government is dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party that promotes Hindutva, a policy that promotes Hindu values above all others. “India is for Hindus” has been its slogan.  

Thus far he said the conflict has killed at least 147 Christians, and injured another 220, with an additional 58 persons lost or not accounted for. He said 170 villages have been burned, affecting 17 churches his organization has planted, and devastating 4,581 houses and 93 Christian offices.  317 churches have been burned down, and 100,000 people have been rendered homeless by the violence.

The conflict began when members of the Meitei tribe attacked members of the Kuki tribe holding a peaceful protest against the proposal by the government to give “scheduled tribe” status to the Meitei tribe on May 3.  

“Your valuable prayers and generosity will help affected families and these suffering Christians in Manipur,” he stated.

Please Pray for our Christian bros and sister in Manipur State.
Source: https://www.persecution.org/2023/06/12/manipur-christian-leader-pleads-for-help/

Nigeria.

Fulani militants murdered more than 300 Christians, including two pastors, and destroyed 28 churches since mid-May in Plateau State, Nigeria. The Islamic extremists also displaced 30,000 Christians and destroyed 2,000 homes in recent attacks, according to local sources. 

The Christian population in Nigeria faces a growing persecution threat since Boko Haram’s insurgency in the 2010s. The insurgency and its splinter group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), primarily operate in northeastern Nigeria, while Fulani militants operate in the central and southern regions. Fulani militants execute a “comparable strategy to Boko Haram and ISWAP and demonstrate a clear intent to target Christians and potent symbols of Christian identity.”

In 2022, Nigeria ranked first in the number of Christians killed, assaulted, or abused and ranked second in the number of Christians displaced, and churches attacked, according to the Open Doors 2023 World Watch List report. The report also noted that “[2022] has also seen violence spill over into the Christian-majority south of the nation,” and that “Nigeria’s government continues to deny this is religious persecution.” 

Please Pray for our persecuted bros and sisters in Nigeria. They truly are on the front lines, where Christianity meets Islam.

Source: https://www.persecution.org/2023/06/08/fulani-militants-murder-hundreds/