75 dead from ethnic riots

India (MNN) ― Ethnic rioting between the Bodo tribespeople and Muslims in the Indian state of Assam has left 75 dead and 500 villages in ashes.

The attacks started a month ago on July 6 after a Muslim man in Assam was shot and killed.

Since then, a leader from each group has been killed. Four Bodo people were found brutally murdered by machetes.

The feud between the immigrant Muslims and the Bodo tribespeople runs deep over land disputes in Northeastern India. But such violence from the feud is now at a new level.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) calls the violence in Assam a “major national crisis.”

400,000 villagers in Assam have fled for their lives. 235 relief camps have been set up for displaced people.

Several GFA churches for Bodo Christians have been destroyed. On top of that, rioters have also devastated 15 believers’ homes.

GFA has around 60 congregations in a danger zone where violence is occurring. They also have 70 missionaries in the region.

Compassion Services through GFA are working to bring aid relief to displaced villagers and victims. As they bring the aid, GFA says they are seeking to give people the hope of Christ in this time of trial.

The ethnic rioting piggybacks on flooding that hit the Bodo region earlier. GFA missionaries are still helping many recover from both disasters. They ask for prayer.

Please pray for the safety of Christians and villagers in Assam. Pray for peace to come to the region.

Missionaries in crossfire of ethnic tension

(Photo courtesy of GFA)

South Asia (MNN) ― Heated ethnic tensions in an undisclosed country in South Asia have missionaries and Bible College students trapped.

Gospel for Asia (GFA) reported word from their missionaries in that country last Friday saying an ethnic war has been escalating for over three weeks now.

It started on May 28 after a young woman there was brutally raped and killed. The perpetrators belonged to an opposing ethnic group.

The community the young woman was from became enraged and struck back. They attacked a bus on June 2, killing 10 people.

As each ethnic group tries to retaliate, the violence has spread across local villages. GFA says mobs are roaming the area, burning homes, and attacking villagers. Many people can’t even leave their homes to buy food during the day for fear of their lives.

A GFA missionary in the country writes, “At this very moment, the groups are attacking homes and killing each other. Many local people are coming to our church building and staying together with great fear.”

A group of Bible College students with GFA are even prevented from going back to school in the area because of the violence.

Pray for the peace and protection of the Lord over the missionaries there. Pray that others would come to find the peace of Christ in this dangerous time.