CCA expresses grave concern over increasing persecution of religious minorities across South Asia

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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22 April 2025

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) has expressed deep concern over the alarming rise in religious extremism and persecution of religious minorities across South Asia, urging governments to take immediate action to safeguard their rights and freedoms.

Recent distressing incidents in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India highlight a troubling surge in the persecution of religious minorities across South Asia, underscoring the urgent need for protection and justice.

On Good Friday, 18 April 2025—a day of solemn reflection and sacrifice for Christians worldwide—a court in Faisalabad, Pakistan sentenced Pervaiz alias Kodu Masih to death. He was found guilty of desecrating the Holy Qur’an, an allegation that had previously incited violent mob attacks in Jaranwala, where numerous churches and Christian homes were set ablaze, displacing thousands. The judgment included a death sentence under Section 295-C, life imprisonment under Section 295, a 10-year prison term under Section 295-A, and fines totalling Rs 3.5 million.

The misuse of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, often vaguely worded and widely criticised by human rights organisations, has disproportionately impacted minority communities, particularly Christians, Hindus, and Ahmadis.

Accusations under Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are frequently made with little or no evidence, often triggering mob violence, prolonged imprisonments, and even capital punishment, as seen in the recent sentencing of Kodu Masih. These laws have fostered a climate of fear and impunity, making it increasingly difficult for religious minorities to live safely.

In Bangladesh, violence against minority communities continues to escalate. On 17 April 2025, a prominent Hindu community leader in Dinajpur district of northern Bangladesh, Bhabesh Chandra Roy, was abducted from his home and brutally murdered.

This incident adds to a disturbing pattern of attacks on minorities, including the desecration of Hindu temples and targeted assaults on homes and businesses in recent months. Members of minority religious communities, including Christians, are frequently accused of supporting the Awami League political party, led by ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, whose removal from power in August 2024 prompted a surge in attacks against religious minorities.

In India, on 31 March 2025, a group of Christian pilgrims were attacked and two Christian priests were assaulted in Jabalpur, the judicial capital of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh.

According to reports, two buses carrying pilgrims from Christian ethnic tribal communities were intercepted by a right-wing mob while returning from a religious celebration organised by the local Catholic Church. The pilgrims were forcibly taken to a police station under allegations of engaging in conversion activities. When two priests arrived at the station to assist the pilgrims, they were physically assaulted by the mob inside the police premises.

This incident is part of a broader pattern of anti-Christian violence reported from various parts of the country. Madhya Pradesh is among 11 Indian states with stringent anti-conversion laws. Christians in this state constitute a small minority, accounting for only 0.27 percent of its 72 million people.

The General Secretary of the Christian Conference of Asia, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, stated, “The CCA condemns the growing wave of religious extremism in South Asia and the violent acts committed against religious minorities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. We urge all governments in the region to take immediate and concrete measures to safeguard vulnerable people and communities, especially religious minorities.”

“The protection of religious minorities is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative. Ensuring their rights, dignity, and security is essential for building peaceful, just, and inclusive societies. We call on all faith communities to uphold the values of tolerance, mutual respect, and harmony”, added the CCA General Secretary.

Asian churches echo these concerns, particularly as Christianity remains a minority religion in most Asian countries. There is growing anxiety over the erosion of communal harmony and the increasing threats to peaceful coexistence among people of all ethnic and religious backgrounds, regardless of their faith identity.