Tripura Baptist Christian Union
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The Tripura Baptist Christian Union (TBCU) is the largest protestant church body in the Indian state of Tripura. It has its head office in Agartala, the state capital. It has been found lending support to the banned terrorist organization, NLFT[1].
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[edit] History
The group was formed under the leadership of Rev. M.J. Eade in December 1938 in Lakshmilunga, a village six miles from Agartala.
TBCU was supported and funded from the beginning by the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society and they provided most of the staff till the 1960s. TBCU has now become an independent indigenous self supporting church organisation.
[edit] Information
TBCU employs many pastors and evangelists and runs community programs such as schools and dispensaries.
TBCU celebrated its Golden jubilee and Diamond Jubilees in 1988 and 1998 respectively with much fanfare.
Recently it has started partnerships with the Zoram Baptist Mission of Mizoram.
[edit] The Organization
The TBCU has affiliations to the Asia Pacific Baptist Federation [2] and the Baptist World Alliance.[3] It has 13 affiliated associations:
- Sadar North Baptist Association (SNBA)
- Central Baptist Association (CBA)
- Kok Baptist Association (KOKBA)
- Udaipur Baptist Association (UBA)
- Sabroom Baptist Association (SBA)
- 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)
- Yapri Baptist Association (YBA)
- Kamalpur Baptist Association (KBA)
Every year a meeting of the Council Members of the TBCU is organized at one of the churches within the Union. The group has a partnership with Zoram Baptist Mission, the missionary organization of the Baptist Church of Mizoram.
[edit] Office bearers of TBCU
- General Secretary: Rev. Rajani Kaipeng (SSBA)
- Associate General Secretary: Rev. Dakshina Ranjan Reang (YBA)
- Secretary: Rev. Rana Kusum Debbarma (SNBA)
[edit] Activities
The TBCU runs a Theology school/college from its mission compound in Agartala. TBCU ran its own Hospital until 1980 providing free treatment to the tribals and locals of the state.
The TBCU runs the St. Paul's School which is situated in Arundhutinagar, Agartala. The school was started in the 1940s as the first English Medium school in the kingdom. The Principal of School is Rev. Lalrema Darlong and the Vice-Principal is 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.[4]
[edit] Statistics
TBCU has 500 churches with a total communicant membership of 80,000.[5]
[edit] Controversial links with militant outfit
The Government of Tripura uncovered evidence asserting that the Baptist Church in Tripura has been helping Tripuri militants, such as the NLFT in the state. The NLFT militants, who are involved in armed struggle for the independence of Tripura, have been reported to be forcing some local tribals to convert to Christianity at gunpoint.[6]
The Left-Front Government have accused the Baptist Church of Tripura of supporting this violent campaign of NLFT by providing funding and arms for the group. In April 2000, Nagmanlal Halam, Secretary of the Noapara Baptist Church in Tripura, was caught with a large quantity of explosives which were meant for the group. Halam later confessed to buying and supplying explosives to the NLFT for the past two years. Another church official, Jatna Koloi, was arrested in south Tripura in April 2000. According to the State Police, Mr Koloi had received training in guerrilla warfare at an NLFT base in 1999.[7]
