The murder of US national John Allen Chau has been making headlines worldwide for the last few days. And now, a Christian group in America has demanded action against the Andaman Islands' Sentinelese tribe, which is said to have killed Chau for trespassing into their land.
The 27-year-old tourist had illegally entered the North Sentinel Island to interact with the reclusive tribe and preach Christianity. He is even said to have taken along gifts for the members of the tribe. However, he was killed there and reportedly buried on the island by the tribesmen.
The International Christian Concern has now said it is "extremely concerned" and that action must be taken on the matter.
"We here at International Christian Concern are extremely concerned by the reports of an American missionary being murdered in India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands," a spokesperson for the International Christian Concern told LAD Bible.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to both John's family and friends. A full investigation must be launched in this this murder and those responsible must be brought to justice."
However not everyone agrees with the fringe group as the fact that entry into the island is forbidden is well known. Several social media users too have slammed the group for making such demands, suggesting that the group itself should go and serve summons on the island, reported the Times of India.
Several activists have also said that tourists and other people must not trespass into such forbidden lands as it threatens the safety of such tribes.
Chau's family too has said that they do not want any action against the Sentinelese tribe and want to move on.
What is International Christian Concern?
The International Christian Concern is a non-denominational, non-partisan and non-governmental organisation, that works towards the human rights of Christians.
Its website states that it aims to help Christians, as well as, other religious minorities from persecution through advocacy, awareness, and assistance. "We bandage and build," it adds.
Founded in 1995 and located in Washington DC, it serves nations throughout the world. Until now, it has released reports on persecution of Christians in countries such as China, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Algeria, Mexico, Pakistan, Egypt and India. The group is also known to have worked on the case of Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi.
The group also brings out a monthly subscription called Persecution.
India and International Christian Concern
Speaking of India and its treatment of Christian missionaries, the group in a press release has said that persecution in the nation continues to escalate in terms of both figures and severity. It spoke of an instance when Graham Staines, an Australian missionary, was burned alive along with his two sons in Odisha.
"A mob of Bajrang Dal fundamentalists attacked the missionary and his children while they sleeping in their station wagon in Manoharpur village, located in the Kendujhar District of India's Odisha State," the release said, adding: "India has a history of attacks on foreign Christian missionaries."
It also slammed the BJP government in India and said that the persecution cases have risen since 2014.
"Using religiously divisive rhetoric for political gain, BJP officials incite Hindu radicals to take action against religious minorities. In 2014, the year the BJP-led government took power, the Evangelical Fellowship of India (EFI) documented 147 incidents of Christian persecution," the group said.
"In 2017, after three years of the current government, EFI documented 351 incidents of Christian persecution."
