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Nepal Crisis Threatens New Freedoms

The people of Nepal have endured decades of political upheaval. They are now asking Christians to join them in praying that the political situation stabilizes in their country.

(25 June 2009)

"Nepal needs an absolute miracle," said Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan after reviewing reports from Christian leaders in the strife-torn Himalayan country. "Right now we have a high emergency, but what is worse is that things could go back to the guerilla warfare that we had for the past 10 years."

Dr. Yohannan expressed concern on behalf of the 300 churches and 2 Bible colleges that Gospel for Asia helps support in Nepal. Recently, pro- and anti-Maoist demonstrators were burning tires and blocking streets in Nepal's capital city of Kathmandu.

"We are terribly concerned about the future of Nepal," Dr. Yohannan said, "and we ask that Christians around the world pray for this volatile situation."

The crisis began over a simmering dispute between the ruling Maoist party, which won the most recent elections, and the opposition over the integration of former Maoist rebel fighters into Nepal's regular army.

The peace accord that ended the decade-long civil war calls for the rebel soldiers to be taken into the army. But the question that has divided the government is how fast the integration should take place and whether individual former rebels should be screened before their acceptance into the military.

The dispute broke into the open when the Maoist Prime Minister, Prachanda, tried to fire the army's top general. Nepal's President, Ram Baran Yadev, a member of the main opposition party, told the general not to quit.

In what has been seen as a positive sign in support of Nepal's fledgling democracy, Prachanda chose to resign rather than escalate the situation.

Hopefully, his move will avoid action by the 19,000 former rebel fighters now confined to UN-supervised barracks. But in truth, no one knows what tomorrow may bring.

"We are terribly concerned about the future of Nepal," Dr. Yohannan said, "and we ask that Christians around the world pray for this volatile situation."

He also asks for prayer that Nepal's political situation would stabilize. Prayer was also requested for the safety of GFA-supported workers and their families in Nepal.

 

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