» 10/05/2009 17:35 NEPAL Despite church collapse, annual meeting of Nepali Christian Protestants continues by Kalpit Parajuli Protestant leaders admit their responsibility in the building’s collapse, which killed 25 people and injured more than 100. Thousands attend victims’ funerals.
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) –The annual convention of Nepal’s Protestant Christian Church resumed on 1 October in Dharan. Proceedings were interrupted on 30 September following the collapse of the Zion Prayer House, which left 25 dead and 100 injured. As police continue their investigations, Church leaders have acknowledged their responsibility in the incident.
The authorities have offered their full support to the victims. In recent days, Home Minister Bhin Rawal visited the injured, who are currently being treated at Dharan’s Institute of Medical Sciences at the government’s expense.
On 28 September, about 2,000 Protestants from India and Nepal converged on the Zion Church for their annual meeting.
The structure is designed to accommodate 200 but caved in overnight because of overcrowding. About 800 people, including women and children, were in the building at the time of the incident, some sleeping on the roof.
On 1 October, thousands of people took part in the victims’ funeral, celebrated in a Christian ceremony at the local Protestant cemetery.
Right after the incident, at least 40 per cent of the original participants left the meeting to return to the places of origin of the victims.
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