Tripura Baptist Christian Union
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tripura Baptist Christian Union is the largest protestant church body in the Indian state of Tripura. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital.
Contents |
[edit] History
It was formed under the leadership of Rev. M.J. Eade in the December of 1938 in Lakshmilunga, a village six miles from Agartala.
[edit] The Organization
The TBCU has affiliations to the Asian Baptist Federation [1] and the Baptist World Alliance,[2]. It has 12 associations affiliated to it. The associations are:
- Sadar North Baptist Association (SNBA)
- Central Baptist Association (CBA)
- Khowai-Ompi-Kamalpur Baptist Association (KOKBA)
- Udaipur Baptist Association (UBA)
- Belonia-Sabroom Baptist Association (BSBA)
- Kailashahar Baptist Church Association (KBCA)
- Jampui-Sakhan Baptist Association (JSBA)
- Achik Krima
- Amarpur-Raima-Sarma Association (ARSA)
- Saisawm-Sazai Baptist Association (SSBA)
- Dharmanagar-Longai Baptist Association (DLBA)
Every year a meeting of the Council Members of the TBCU is organized in any of the churches within the Union (TBCU).
[edit] Office bearers of TBCU
- General Secretary : Rev. Ngaituasunga Darlong (KBCA)
- Associate General Secretary : Rev. Lalthanliana (JSBA)
- Secretary : Rev. Rana Kusum Debbarma (SNBA)
[edit] Saint Paul's School, Agartala
The TBCU run's the one and only school under TBCU authority, the St. Paul's School which is situated in Arundhutinagar, Agartala. The Principal of School is Rev. Lalrema Darlong and the Vice-Principal Rev. Sukhendu Lal Nath.
The school is a Higher Secondary school with classes from K.G. to Class XII. It is affiliated to CISCE. There are more than 1500 students. [3]
[edit] Sadar North Baptist Association
Sadar North Baptist Association started as a small circle within the Central Baptist Association of TBCU. It later on evolved and developed into a full-fledged association of TBCU with many churches affiliated to it. Today there are around more than 100 churches and fellowships within Sadar North Baptist Association. Some the pioneers of the Baptist's in Sadar North is Life Deacon Biralal Debbarma (one of the first three christians in the Kokborok speaking community) and Late Rev. Rabindra Debbarma.
SNBA, as Sadar North Baptist Association is abbreviated, has the highest strength of Kokborok speaking Christian community in Tripura. Estimates says that there are roughly 16,000 baptists in Sadar North. SNBA has headquarters in Agartala. The Executive Secretary of SNBA is Rev. Chandra Kanta Debbarma.
Some churches like Kisong Baptist Church and Khumulwng Baptist Church have huge strength of members whereas others like Roktia Baptist Church and Rasu Baptist Church have less strength of members.
[edit] Aiding Terrorism Against Non-Christians In Tripura
The Government of the state of Tripura has uncovered evidence to support the assertion that the Baptist Church of Tripura has been funding the terrorists. The Church has been forcing local tribals to convert to Christianity at gunpoint and turning them against the Hindus in the region [4].
The Baptist Church of Tripura was initially set up by missionaries from New Zealand in the 1940s. Despite their efforts, even until the 1980s, only a few thousand people in Tripura had converted to Christianity. In the aftermath of one of the worst ethnic riots, the NLFT was born in 1989—allegedly with the help of the Baptist Church. Since then, the NLFT has been advancing its cause through armed rebellion.
The National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) was formed in December 1989 for the purpose of seceding from India in order to create an independent state of Tripura. The NLFT has conducted a systematic and violent campaign against Bengalis, Hindus, and parts of the tribal population to secede from India. It was declared as an unlawful organization under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in 1997. Due to their subversive and terrorist activities, they were declared by the Government of India as a terrorist organization under the Prevention of Terrorism Act in 2002. [5]
Indian Government officials have accused the Baptist Church of Tripura of supporting this violent campaign by providing funding and arms for the group. In April of 2000, Nagmanlal Halam, secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was caught providing 50 gelatine sticks, 5 kilograms of potassium and 2 kilograms of sulphur and other ingredients for making explosives to the group. Halam later confessed to buying and supplying explosives to the NLFT for the past two years.
In October 2000, the NLFT ordered all Hindus to cease celebration of Durga Puja [6]. In 2001, there were 826 reported terrorist attacks in Tripura, in which 405 people lost their lives and 481 kidnappings were made by the NLFT and related organizations such as the Christian All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTP) [7].
In another incident in August 2003, police arrested the secretary of a Baptist Christian Missionary church in North Tripura District who was in possession of five kg of potassium, one kg sulphur, few gelatin sticks and 45 gm of high explosive materials [8].
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
 This Christian organization-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
