Manja Tamang is shown climbing Nepal mountains while serving as a missionary before his arrest. |
The Nepali government has scheduled another release date for Gospel for Asia missionary Manja Tamang, who was falsely accused of murder. Manja is now scheduled to be released in early 2009 according to GFA's ministry leader in Nepal, Narayan Sharma.
Narayan recently met with Nepal's Director General of the Department of Prison Management to discuss Manja's case.
"It was a fruitful talk," Narayan reported. He said that Manja will be released next year on February 19, Nepal's Democracy Day, if not sooner. That date will be the 10-year mark for Manja's time served in prison.
"The director told us that a proposal is submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs to release 315 prisoners," Narayan wrote. "Manja is on that list." If Nepal's new Constituent Assembly approves this proposal, Manja could be released at any time.
Manja received similar hopeful news at the beginning of this year, and it was thought he may have been released by now. The recent elections and changes in government are thought to have delayed the release. Nepal's monarchy was recently abolished, and democratic elections were held. Nepalis chose members for their new governing body that day, and Narayan is praying that this newly-elected group will intervene in Manja's case soon.
"There is a possibility the new Constituent Assembly will approve his release at any time," Narayan said.
The Communist Maoist party won the majority of seats in the new assembly. In spite of a history of Christian oppression, Narayan says that Nepal is more open to the Gospel now than it was under the monarchy. Narayan is hopeful that this will result in Manja's freedom.
Manja was imprisoned in 1999 after stumbling across the body of a murdered man. When Manja reported the incident to authorities, anti-Christian extremists accused him of being the murderer, and he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He has served nine years of his sentence, during which he endured beatings and torture, but also won the respect of prison officials. He was even allowed to teach classes for the inmates. Manja now leads a Bible study with over 35 new Christians—all prison convicts—and has sent others out as "missionaries" upon their release.
Narayan Sharma visits Manja in the courtyard of the prison where he is being held. |
Narayan asks for continued prayer for Manja and his family, as well as for the prisoners that Manja is discipling. He also asks that Christians would pray for the country's newly elected officials, that they would be fair and would release Manja from prison.
Read about Rati Tamang, Manja's wife, who is carrying on her husband's ministry.
Nepal has gone through much political change in the past two years.
