A mob of around 100 Buddhists attacked a church in Kok Pring in south-east Cambodia during a service on Sunday, July 13, destroying the cross at the front, breaking windows, and throwing Bibles into puddles of water. The building would have been destroyed if the police had not intervened. According to Hun Neng, governor of the province of Svay Rieng, there were some injuries, but no further details are available. A squad of police officers has been assigned to protect the building and officials have spoken with the villagers about respecting religious rights.
It appears that a three-year drought was part of the reason for the attack. The police chief, Sort Nady, told Associated Press, "They were angry with the church. They said the presence of the church has caused continuous droughts that have prevented them from growing rice." According to a report from Zenit, the mob also accused the Christians of having contempt for Buddhists. Since many of the Christians in Cambodia are Vietnamese refugees fleeing religious persecution in their own country, there are suggestions that strong feelings against the Vietnamese refugees may have also been a factor in the attack.
Pray that tensions between Christians and Buddhists in Cambodia will not continue to escalate, but that they might be able to live peacefully together. Pray for those attacked, that the physical and emotional wounds will be healed through the power of God's Spirit. Pray also for the physical needs of the people and that this drought will soon end.
