| 30th
November, 2006
BosNewsLife.com
Anti-Christian violence "is escalating"
in Sri Lanka amid ongoing fighting between security forces
and Tamil rebels seeking independence, according to human
rights investigators.
Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a major advocacy group
investigating the situation on the troubled island, told BosNewsLife
in a statement several churches and individual Christians
have been attacked by militants this month.
CSW Worldwide chief executive Mervyn Thomas said he
was concerned as "at a time when ethnic violence
is escalating in Sri Lanka, this recent spate of religiously
motivated attacks is particularly discouraging".
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The
group said the Lighthouse Church in the Gompola area of Kandy
District was attacked on 22nd November while the pastor and
a church worker were inside.
“Rocks were thrown at the building, shattering the front
window, and the church worker was seriously injured when a
rock hit him on the head," CSW added.
That violence came after members of the congregation of the
Assemblies of God Church in the Yakkala area of Sri Lanka’s
Gampaha District were reportedly prevented from attending
a church service by a mob of over 100 people, some of whom
were armed with clubs, ten days earlier on 12th November.
Four Buddhist monks accompanied the crowd of attackers and
anti-Christian posters had appeared on the walls, CSW and
other Christian sources said.
"Only two policemen were sent to the scene initially,
but they were unable to control the crowd. They had to ask
for reinforcements twice before twelve other officers arrived,"
said CSW.
Four days later, a young woman from the congregation had a
container of black oil thrown over her as she travelled to
the pastor’s home, CSW claimed.
The church had been threatened in a similar manner two weeks
earlier, however CSW said that "police protection was
not provided despite previous assurances”.
“The church has temporarily stopped holding services."
In Kandy District on 12th November, the Sunday service at
Mizpah Prayer Ministry was disrupted by a crowd of 35 people
who were accompanied by 12 Buddhist monks and a Provincial
Council member, Christians said.
The church’s pastor reported that the mob threatened
to flatten the building if the congregation gathered together
to worship again.
On the same day, four members of the Prayer Tower ministry
in the Puttlam District, were reportedly threatened by a group
of men as they returned from a funeral. They were told not
to return to the village and were hit with fists and rocks.
CSW Worldwide chief executive Mervyn Thomas said he was concerned
as "at a time when ethnic violence is escalating in Sri
Lanka, this recent spate of religiously motivated attacks
is particularly discouraging".
He said his group had urged authorities in Sri Lanka to ensure
“that all citizens have the opportunity to practice
their chosen religion with out fear of harassment by mobs
and urge all faith communities to show tolerance and respect
for one another”.
Buddhist militant groups have criticised the spread of Christianity
in Sri Lanka and pushed for legislation to make that more
difficult.
National authorities also claim that the group Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) also known as the Tamil Tigers,
kidnapped Christians, but there have also been reports that
Sri Lanka national security forces attacked refugee camps
which killed people fleeing the fighting, including apparently
Christians, BosNewsLife established.
The LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers, has been fighting
for an independent homeland for Tamil-majority regions within
Sri Lanka.
About 3,000 troops, civilians and rebel fighters have been
killed this year amid the worst fighting since a now tattered
2002 ceasefire, which ordinary Sri Lankans fear could snowball
into a return to a conflict that killed more than 67,000 people
since 1983.
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