{"id":46253,"date":"2016-04-20T23:04:17","date_gmt":"2016-04-21T03:04:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=46253"},"modified":"2016-04-20T23:04:17","modified_gmt":"2016-04-21T03:04:17","slug":"persecution-of-christians-in-sri-lanka-continues-unabated-under-the-new-sirisena-wickremesinghe-govt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=46253","title":{"rendered":"Persecution of Christians in Sri-Lanka Continues Unabated Under The New Sirisena-Wickremesinghe Govt"},"content":{"rendered":"

Attacks against Christians in Sri Lanka have continued following the change of government in 2015, according to a leading human rights lawyer. A growing number of cases are now linked to local government officials. And Buddhist monks continue to be at the forefront of the persecution.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Officials have been closing churches and prayer meetings. There has also been an increase in the number of Christians being denied burial in public cemeteries.<\/p>\n

\u2018Miriam\u2019 is a human rights lawyer in Sri Lanka. Her real name is being withheld for her protection.<\/p>\n

She says: \u2018Persecution continues in Sri Lanka, despite the newly-elected government. We have documented more than 120 incidents since the election in 2015. A growing number of incidents are being instigated or carried out by local government officials. This is very concerning.\u2019<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Release International supports persecuted Christians around the world. \u2018We share that concern about Sri Lanka,\u2019 says Chief Executive Paul Robinson.<\/p>\n

\u2018You don\u2019t normally associate Buddhism with violence, but time and again we hear that it is Buddhist monks who are leading the attacks against the churches. And our partners have found the monks are being aided by pro-Buddhist authorities. This has to be brought into the spotlight. Miriam is here to do just that.\u2019<\/p>\n

Churches closed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawyers have documented recent examples of persecution.<\/p>\n

In January the police closed down a church in Kurunegala District. The trouble began on January 3rd when a villager forced his way into the church and began to video the service on his mobile phone.<\/p>\n

The following week, 100 villagers led by two Buddhist monks forced their way into the church service. They began to shout at the pastor: \u2018Who are you? Is your church registered? If you continue this service we will physically assault you!\u2019<\/p>\n

The police refused to register the pastor\u2019s complaint or provide protection. They ordered the pastor to immediately discontinue all religious worship until he obtained a court order giving permission.
\nOther churches have also been forced to stop their meetings.<\/p>\n

In August 2015, ten Buddhist monks and 30 villagers burst into a church in Galle District. They assaulted members of the congregation, including the pastor and his wife. But when the pastor went to the police he was reprimanded. They told him he could not worship at the church without obtaining registration.<\/p>\n

A crowd gathered, and forced the pastor to sign a letter agreeing to stop all religious worship. The pastor was injured during the dispute.<\/p>\n


\nNo legal basis<\/strong><\/p>\n

As their justification for closing churches, Sri Lankan officials continue to use a circular which lawyers maintain has no legal basis. The circular was issued by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs in 2008.<\/p>\n

The circular requires that for every new religious building that is to be constructed approval must first be given by the ministry.<\/p>\n

However, Sri Lankan legislation does not require the registration of religious places of worship with the state. Release\u2019s partner believes the circular is being abused to abet a clampdown on Christian places of worship.<\/p>\n

Violent attacks<\/strong><\/p>\n

There have also been violent attacks on worship services.<\/p>\n

A mob set fire to a pastor\u2019s home at a church in Hambantota District. The trouble began in July when a crowd, led by 12 Buddhist monks, turned up at the pastor\u2019s home to question him about his religious activities. Later that day, they stoned his house.<\/p>\n

In August, the pastor\u2019s home and car were set on fire. That night, the pastor overheard some of his neighbours saying this had been a planned attack and they hoped to see the pastor\u2019s house burn.<\/p>\n

In May, someone approached the pastor at a church in Gampaha District and begged him to come and pray for his mother. But the man and an accomplice abducted the pastor, partially strangled him and threatened that if he did not stop the worship, 200 people would come to destroy his church.<\/p>\n

Burials prevented<\/strong><\/p>\n

There have also been moves to prevent Christian burials in public cemeteries in Sri Lanka. In January 2016, a group of Buddhist monks heard that a Christian burial was about to take place in Puttalam District.<\/p>\n

They complained and had the burial stopped. The pastor then tried to get permission to carry out the burial at his church premises. But the opposition from Buddhist monks was so vehement this was also denied.<\/p>\n

The pastor then sought legal advice and tried again to conduct the burial in the village public cemetery. The police said they would protect the funeral party but a mob began to gather and surround the cemetery.<\/p>\n

The police officer in charge ordered the pastor to perform the burial at another public cemetery in a nearby village. He also warned the pastor to state in writing that no other Christians would be buried in the village public cemetery, due to do the protest of the Buddhist monks.<\/p>\n

The same thing happened in January 2016 in Trincomalee District. Villagers prevented a Christian burial, saying it was against the religious traditions of the village. In the end, the burial had to be carried out according to non-Christian rites.<\/p>\n

Buddhist Nationalism<\/strong><\/p>\n

In recent years, there have been upwards of 450 documented acts of violence against Christians, including arson and murder. Hindus and Muslims have also come under attack from Buddhist extremists, though most of the religious persecution has been against Christians.<\/p>\n

Christians make up about 7 per cent of the population. The growth of evangelical Christianity in Sri Lanka since 1980 has met with violent opposition from militant Buddhists, including Buddhist monks.<\/p>\n

A rise in Buddhist nationalism has accompanied the increase in persecution. Militant Buddhists are pressing for a nationwide anti-conversion law and a ban on missionary groups. <\/p>\n

For years, Parliament has been discussing legislation to ban so-called \u2018forcible conversions\u2019. Christians fear this could easily be abused to limit church activities.<\/p>\n

Through its international network of missions Release serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries around the world, by supporting pastors and Christian prisoners, and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles, and working for justice. Release is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections and the Evangelical Alliance.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Courtesy:Release International<\/em><\/p>\n

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Attacks against Christians in Sri Lanka have continued following the change of government in 2015, according to a leading human rights lawyer. A growing number of cases are now linked to local government officials. And Buddhist monks continue to be at the forefront of the persecution. Officials have been closing churches and prayer meetings. There …<\/p>\n

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