[Assam] Conversion the dead?

[umesh sharma]

seems like a too good nexus between the church and the state in Nagaland -- pursuing people even after they die. I wonder if they can even pursue them to heaven or hell -and make them pay for crimes committed in human life.
   
  Umesh

Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:
    Well, well, well, this is a new twist. Won't they atleast stop converting the dead?
   
  Sentinel Letter
   
   
  Mbaupungwa Pastor Converts Dead IIamdi
IIamdi Sarayu was the president of Zeliangrong Heraka Youth Organization, Nagaland for 16 years. He was working as an assistant teacher at Government High School, Tening, in Nagaland. He lived his whole life according to traditions. He had high regards for customary laws and traditional festivals. 
He was pained at the degeneration of indigenous Naga culture and primordial religions. Western culture was a cause of concern for him. He used to appeal to the Naga society to respect primordial religions and indigenous culture. 
Unfortunately, IIamdi passed away on May 15 in Dimapur and the Pastor of Mbaupungwa village, Kuranglung Zeliang, declared on May 16 that Baptism of Ilamdi's body was already performed and, therefore, his last rites would be done according to the Baptist rites. 
Zeliangrong Heraka leaders and close relatives were shocked to hear the conversion of the corpse of Ilamdi. They protested but found themselves helpless against the organized force of the church. Is this the type of Christianity Naga missionaries are preaching? The Pastor who is supposed to be a man of truth and moral integrity, turned to be a fraud. 
It is strange that when the Pastor of Mbaupungwa village noticed that Heraka men were nowhere near the dead body of IIamdi, he staged the drama of Baptism of the corpse in the midnight. Other church leaders of the area know that Heraka men are angry on the fraudulent conversion of the dead body of IIamdi. They admit in private that whatever was done in the name of conversion of the dead body of IIamdi was not right, but they fear to speak in public. 
The Nagaland church was very upset about the passing of the anti-conversion bill in the Rajasthan Assembly. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio even wrote a letter to the President of India, requesting him not to give his assent to the Rajasthan anti-conversion bill. The church and the Chief Minister both have stated that the freedom to profess one's religion that is guaranteed by the Constitution, would be violated by such a bill. 
But where is the provision in the Constitution giving right to Christian missionaries to carry the cross and plant on the chest of dying men? What about the human rights of Heraka men and other followers of primordial religions? It is because of this invasion of Christian missionaries on the people of other religions that different States are bringing anti-conversion bills to protect their people from the church onslaught. 
RK Zealiang,
Burma Camp, Dimapur,
Nagaland.
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Umesh Sharma
5121 Lackawanna ST
College Park, MD 20740

 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone]

Ed.M. - International Education Policy
Harvard Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University,
Class of 2005

weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/
 		
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