Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The Nepali government ordered the arrest of a Christian clergyman and his wife on charges of "child trafficking" and "abduction".
Joseph Marandi and his wife Laulam Chrosia run the Immanuel Church near Sorabhag, in the eastern district of Morang. They spoke to AsiaNews the clear their name.
"There is nothing true. We provide free education to street children and were disliked for this. It is a case of persecution."
This morning, Police Deputy Superintendent Prabhuprasad Dhakal said that the investigations got underway after the arrests.
"We were informed that the children were brought to the area from different parts of the country. Officially, they were invited to receive an education and health care, but some have been abducted ending up with human traffickers. The investigation is still ongoing."
The charges were filed by a children's rights organisation but the details have not been made public.
"We have brought these children, 13 in all, to our church to give them free education," the Marandis told AsiaNews. "They all come from poor families who could not afford to send them to school, and have been with us on their explicit request."
"The accusations are false. We have never trafficked in anything. This is a case of persecution and a threat to the charitable work carried out by Christians in a Hindu-majority country. "
"From what we heard from the police, the children were forced to stay in the church," said government spokesman Minendra Rijal. "But I still have to study the case and speak with the relevant authorities before I can say anything else. Until the investigations are not be concluded, it is better not to say anything."
