NEPAL

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits the practice of all religions; however, although the Government generally has not interfered with the practice of other religions, conversion and proselytizing are prohibited, and members of minority religions occasionally complain of police harassment. The Constitution describes Nepal as a "Hindu Kingdom," although it does not establish Hinduism as the state religion.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.

Adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist peacefully and respect all places of worship. Those who convert to other religions may face isolated incidents of violence and sometimes are ostracized socially, but generally do not fear to admit in public their affiliations.

The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Ba'hai and other religious groups. It closely monitors religious freedoms and raises these issues with the Government when appropriate.

Section I. Government Policies on Freedom of Religion

Legal/Policy Framework

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion and permits the practice of all religions; however, although the Government generally has not interfered with the practice of other religions, conversion and proselytizing are prohibited and punishable with fines or imprisonment, and members of minority religions occasionally complain of police harassment. Some Christian groups are concerned that the ban on proselytizing limits the expression of non-Hindu religious belief. The Constitution describes Nepal as a "Hindu Kingdom," although it does not establish Hinduism as the state religion.

Religious Demography

Hindus constitute 85 to 90 percent of the population; Buddhists, 5 to 10 percent; Muslims, 2 to 5 percent; and Christians, approximately 1.7 percent. Christian denominations are few but growing. Recent estimates put the number of Christians in Nepal at about 400,000, and press reports indicate that 170 Christian churches operate in Kathmandu alone.

Governmental Restrictions on Religious Freedom

A conviction for conversion or proselytizing can result in fines or imprisonment or, in the case of foreigners, expulsion from the country. However, arrests or detentions for proselytizing are rare, and there have been few incidents of punishment or investigation in connection with conversion or proselytization during the last few years.

April 2000 public observances of Easter in a Kathmandu park and Passover seder in a major hotel in Kathmandu were uneventful. However, a year earlier, Christian groups in Kathmandu were prevented from observing Good Friday in a public park when they failed to obtain the proper permit; 3 members of a group of 400 persons reportedly were injured when police attempted to disperse the group's subsequent protest at a local government office. Easter services that year, which did have the proper permit, took place in a public park without incident.

The Government investigates reports of proselytizing. It investigated a 1997 accusation against the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and cleared ADRA in 1997. Nongovernmental groups or individuals are free to file charges of proselytizing against individuals or organizations. Such a case was filed with the Supreme Court against ADRA and the United Missions to Nepal, an umbrella Protestant group, on December 31, 1999. The case still is pending. In 1999 a U.S. medical doctor was deported; he believed that it was because of an allegation that he had proselytized Christianity.

For decades dozens of Christian missionary hospitals, welfare organizations, and schools have operated in the country. These organizations have not proselytized and have operated freely. Missionary schools are among the most respected institutions of secondary education in the country; most of the country's governing and business elite graduated from Jesuit high schools. Many foreign Christian organizations have direct ties to Nepali churches and sponsor Nepali priests for religious training abroad.

The Constitution prohibits discrimination on the basis of caste, except for traditional religious practices at Hindu temples, where, for example, members of the lowest caste are not permitted.

The Press and Publications Act prohibits the publication of materials that create animosity among persons of different castes or religions.

There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom during the period covered by this report.

There were no reports of religious detainees or prisoners.

Forced Religious Conversions of Minor U.S. Citizens

There were no reports of the forced religious conversion of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be returned to the United States.

Section II. Societal Attitudes

The adherents of the country's many religions generally coexist peacefully and respect all places of worship. Most Hindus respect the many Buddhist shrines located throughout the country; Buddhists accord Hindu shrines the same respect. Buddha's birthplace is an important pilgrimage site and Buddha's birthday is a national holiday. The country's Muslim minority is not well integrated with the larger Hindu majority, and does not have the same level of common religious feeling that the Hindu and Buddhist communities share.

Some Christian groups report that Hindu extremism has increased in recent years. In January 1999, the India-based Hindu political party Shiv Sena, locally known as Pashupati Sena, opened an office in Kathmandu; a few Shiv Sena candidates unsuccessfully ran for office in the 1999 general elections. Government policy does not support Hindu extremism, although some political figures have made public statements critical of Christian missionary activities. Some citizens are wary of proselytizing and conversion by Christians and therefore, view the growth of Christianity with alarm.

Those who chose to convert to other religions--in particular Hindu citizens who convert to Islam or Christianity--sometimes are ostracized socially. Some reportedly have been forced to leave their villages. While this prejudice is not systematic, it can be vehement and occasionally violent. Hindus who convert to another religion may face isolated incidents of hostility or discrimination from Hindu extremist groups. Nevertheless, converts generally do not fear to admit in public their new religious affiliations.

The caste system strongly influences society, even though it is prohibited by the Constitution. However, traditional religious practices at Hindu temples are an exception to this prohibition. The Government allows caste discrimination at Hindu temples where, for example, members of the lowest caste are not permitted (see Section I). Otherwise, the Government makes an effort to protect the rights of the disadvantaged castes.

In August 1999, a mentally deranged man desecrated a Hindu temple in southern Nepal, declaring that he was a Christian and that "God told me to do it." Local Christians released a statement indicating that the man was not a member of any known church. However, in apparent retaliation and after reports of agitation for revenge, a nearby Christian church was desecrated and set afire the following week. The senior local government official said that, although some Hindu-oriented groups had formed a committee to retaliate against Christians, it was not clear whether any particular institution or group was involved in the church burning.

Section III. U.S. Government Policy

The U.S. Embassy maintains regular contact with Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Ba'hai and other religious groups. The Embassy closely monitors religious freedoms and raises these issues with the Government when appropriate.

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