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Persecution News - Nepal

Update: Church bombing claims third victim
(June 03, 2009)

Two Christians killed, several injured in church bombing
(May 27, 2009)

Nepal Profile

Total Area:
147,181 sq. km

Population:
29,519,114 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnicity:
Chhettri 15.5%, Brahman-Hill 12.5%, Magar 7%, Tharu 6.6%, Tamang 5.5%, Newar 5.4%, Muslim 4.2%, Kami 3.9%, Yadav 3.9%, other 32.7%, unspecified 2.8% (2001)

Language:
Nepali 47.8%, Maithali 12.1%, Bhojpuri 7.4%, Tharu (Dagaura/Rana) 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.6%, Magar 3.3%, Awadhi 2.4%, other 10%, unspecified 2.5% (2001)

Religion:
Only official Hindu state in the world. Hindu 80.6%, Buddhist 10.7%, Muslim 4.2%, Kirant 3.6%, other 0.9% (2001)

Government Type:
Democratic Republic

Capital:
Kathmandu

Population Below Poverty Line:
30.9% (2004)

Country Reports

Update: Church bombing claims third victim

June 03, 2009

Photos of victims from Compass Direct

Buddha Laxmi Joseph, one of the many Christians who sustained serious injuries when a bomb exploded inside the Assumption Catholic Church on the morning of May 23 in Kathmandu (read the story), died in hospital on June 1. Joseph, an Indian national, was the mother of 15-year-old Celeste Joseph who was killed
instantly by the blast.

A 27-year-old woman belonging to the group Hindu Rashtra Bachao Samiti (The Society to Save the Hindu Nation) has confessed to police that she planted the bomb in the church building and has been arrested. On May 29, the militant group the Nepal Defense Army released the following statement: "We want all the one million Christians out of the country, if not we will plant one million bombs in all the houses where Christians live and detonate them."

Click here to learn more about the opposition facing Christians in Nepal.