ASIA/INDIA - Two Catholic Convents attacked in the state of Bihar

Friday, 9 November 2007

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Patna (Agenzia Fides) -Catholics in the state of Bihar in north east India are under shock following attacks on two convents of Catholic Sisters women in which the nuns were threatened and beaten.
Vicar general of Patna archdiocese Mgr Devasia Mattathilany, condemned the violence: “We are disliked by extremists for our social work. Whereas we serve the people and should be guaranteed protection”, he said referring to the fact that many similar episodes all over India go unpunished thanks to certain acquiescence on the part of the police.
The first Catholic institute to be attacked was the Convent and adjacent Home for the poor of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth at Rajgir, in central Bihar. On November 3 at 6am two men armed with guns broke into the convent. They told mother superior, Sr Rose Platthottam to hand over the convent money, hitting her on the head causing injuries which were later treated in hospital. Before leaving the criminals looted and damaged the buildings.
The second attack was on the Convent of the Sacred heart Sisters near Muzaffarpur, commercial capital of Bihar. During the night of November 2 five masked armed men forced open the gates and entered the convent where the sisters, says Superior Sr Aruna, have a kindergarten and a medical dispensary which assists especially people with AIDS. The attackers did not steal anything they simply threatened the nuns telling them to leave the city. “We are no longer safe in this place, we are most concerned”, said one of the sisters.
The local Catholic Church condemned the episodes of violence recalling that the Christian community in its structures serves all the people without distinction, in the fields of education, healthcare, social assistance and care for the poor. According to a report presented to the Indian authorities, there have been 464 attacks on Christian communities in the past 20 months, due to growing religious extremism. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 9/11/2007 righe 28 parole 289)