Gulf Daily News 

Manama, Nov 26: Indian officials will intervene in a row over a group of churches in Manama, which are facing eviction unless they prove their legal status.At least 10 churches have been given two weeks to come up with documents that show they have been given permission to operate.

Manama Municipal councillor Abdulmajeed Al Sebea'a claims at least seven churches in Segaiya don't have a licence from the Manama Municipality, the Social Development Ministry or the Justice and Islamic Affairs Ministry.

Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty has now called a meeting of the churches at his office today to study the issue in detail.

Mr Shetty said he wanted to know whether the main issue relates to parking problems that the churches are causing, or if it was simply that they are not registered.

"I have to study the issue in detail before taking it up with the authorities concerned," he told the GDN.

"We are grateful to the government, which has given the freedom of worship to all religions in this country.

"The churches play a very creative role in keeping their members engaged in spiritual and social activities."

Mr Shetty said the Indian community constituted the single largest expatriate community in Bahrain.

"The authorities here praised them because the community is known for the least crime rate among all expatriate groups," he said.

"The churches and other religious institutions have contributed substantially towards building people's character and helping them to live as law abiding and loyal residents in the kingdom."

Meanwhile, the churches yesterday said they had not received any notice in writing from the municipality.

In a letter to the Indian Ambassador, representatives of six churches requested him to take up the issue on an urgent basis.

"We have been worshipping in Segaiya for a long time in different groups," they said.

"We would like to confirm that we don't have any business other then worshipping God.

"We do not disturb the neighbours. We have also made necessary parking arrangements without causing any problem to neighbours or local friends in the area."

Some of the churches have applied for registration that would legalise their existence, but are still waiting for a response, said Sharon Fellowship Church president Pastor P C Varghese.

"We appreciate the magnanimity of the landlords in this area who have been supporting us for conducting prayer meetings in their buildings," he added.

Besides the Sharon Fellowship Church, the letter is signed by representatives of the Church of Philadelphia, Church of South India (CSI), IPC Immanuel, St Paul's Mar Thoma Church and the Church of God.

Four other churches in the area are Assemblies of God (AG) church, Pentecostal Mission, the Word of Life Church and the Christ Church.

Out of the 10 churches, half of them are understood to have registered with the Social Development Ministry.

Church of Philadelphia secretary Samuel Jacob said the church was a registered Christian society with the ministry.

"Our landlord has rented the place for us for worship and other social activities, and we have invested in building a majlis at the church with the permission of the landlord and the municipality," he said.

"We have instructed our church members not to park in front of our villa in order to avoid traffic congestion in the area."

Mr Al Sebea'a revealed yesterday that he had been contacted by a number of church heads - some saying they can prove their legal status and other asking him for help in getting registered within the next two weeks.

He said he had also received letters from Christians in Bahrain, including a Bahraini lawyer, urging him to find an amicable solution rather than evict the churches, unless damage done to neighbours is beyond repair.