Christian Women Brutally Assaulted

On Tuesday, 16th September 2003, the four Christian workers attached to the Assembly of God, Kotadeniyawa went to the church property at Green Gardens, Mihirigama Road, to erect a fence on its perimeter. The property had been purchased by our church six months before. Sister Ayesha was pastor of the branch church and had been working in Kotadeniyawa for four years. The other three Christian workers were Sisters Shyama, Indika and Sharmila. Kotadeniyawa is located about 30 km North-East of Ja-Ela and about 45 km from Colombo.

While the concrete posts were being fixed in place, the monk from the Erabadda Temple, Rev. Buddhapriya, came into the premises and wanted to know what they were doing. Our workers had said they were fencing the property that belonged to us. He had then abused them with foul language and told them to stop work immediately or face death. He said, "You may have to be hospitalised in the process." He also said that he would be returning in two hours time to see whether the work was continuing. Sister Ayesha called me immediately and informed me regarding the threats. I instructed her to go to the Kotadeniyawa Police Station and lodge a complaint. When she went and spoke to the OIC [Officer-In-Charge] he called the Buddhist Monk and got him down to the Police Station. In the Police Station this Buddhist Monk vehemently opposed our presence in this place and demanded that we leave the area. After lodging her complaint at the Police Station ( MOIB No.324/183 of 17/9/2003), Sister Ayesha returned and continued with the fencing.

Since the work needed to be completed, the four girls, who lived several kilometres away in a place called Nalla, decided to stay over night in the house adjacent to our property. Somawathie a member of our church who owned this property had handed this house to us until she returns from the Middle East.

Around 10 p.m. on the same day they heard the sound of the concrete fence posts being broken. Immediately Ayesha and Shyama stepped out and flashed a torch. They saw about 30 men destroying the fence posts. When the men saw the girls they charged at them, but the girls got into the house and locked the doors. The men broke both the front and rear doors and entered the house and dragged the girls out. This house did not have electricity and the entire area was in darkness. They beat the girls saying, "do not convert our good Buddhists by offering them money." While beating them, they demanded that they confess that Buddha was God. When they could not get them to repeat those words, the others in the group told the men not to do that. Some of the men were bent on raping them, and the girls had to struggle, receiving many bruises on their bodies. The men pushed Shyama to the ground, and one man said that she was good for him. The men smelt of liquor, and although the girls were frail they were not able to rape even one - we believe they were divinely protected. In their frustration the men continued to kick, trample and beat the girls. Knowing that their plan was foiled they now accused them of being prostitutes, screaming out that they had raided a brothel and had caught four prostitutes - they said that there were four men inside who had escaped. It was around 11 in the night, and they forcibly took the girls to the Police Station, about a kilometre away. Although the girls were screaming for help, nobody came to their rescue. Several lights that were put on in houses were quickly switched off when the girls were being marched along the road. The girls were kicked and beaten by the men who followed them. Sister Ayesha and Sister Indika received most of the kicks as they walked behind the other two. Sister Ayesha had lost her spectacles and her wristwatch in the process of the assault. The men also knew that Sister Ayesha was the leader of the group.

The girls were in excruciating pain when they arrived at the Kotadeniyawa Police Station. But they had to wait for the OIC who was not at the premises. The assailants fabricated and lodged a complaint, saying that they had raided this house and found it to be a brothel, and therefore dragged these 'prostitutes' and brought them to be handed over to the Police. The OIC came to the Police Station around midnight, the girls were asked to sit and wait with no medical attention whatsoever. Sister Ayesha asked the OIC to allow her to take a call to me; but he did not allow her to do so. The Police did not record any statement from these four girls. The OIC was well aware that a few hours before, Sister Ayesha had complained to the Police regarding the threats from the Buddhist Monk. He did not even listen to the story the girls had to say; neither did he visit the site of the attack. He kept the girls waiting till about 2 in the morning in the Police Station and had discussions with the men. Thereafter he had the four girls taken in a Police jeep to the Divulapitiya hospital. While travelling to the hospital, at about 2 o'clock in the morning, Sister Ayesha managed to call me using her mobile phone. She told me in brief that they were beaten and were being taken to the Divulapitiya hospital. I told them that I would come immediately.

I took Pastor Jayananda, his wife Sis.Judika and Pastor Jayasuriya and rushed to the Divulapitiya hospital, reaching there at about 3 a.m. The District Medical Officer examined the girls and said that he needed to ward Sister Ayesha, but not the others. However, the Police officers said that they needed to take the girls back to the Police Station to record their statements. We arrived at the Kotadeniyawa Police Station at about 4 a.m. The girl's statements were recorded. (MOIB No. 330/187 of 18/9/2003) I, as Senior Pastor, was asked to make my complaint, which I did. I then told the Police officer that I needed to take them away, as they were in pain. He told me that the OIC has given instructions that he needs to visit the site with the girls and he wanted us to wait. Each time we asked for him they said that he was sleeping and would come soon. At 6.15 a.m. (18th September) I insisted that I needed to take the girls away and I could not wait any longer for the OIC to come. Then two Police Officers, one armed with a gun, came with us to the site of the attack. The Police officers recorded that 51 concrete posts were broken to the ground, the front and the rear doors of the house were broken and the furniture within destroyed, a gold chain and pendant belonging to Sister Shyama had been broken and stolen when they attempted to remove her clothes. The motorcycle was damaged, the kitchen was damaged and the crowbar from the house was missing.

We came back to the Police Station at about 7 a.m. I saw the OIC in his room and went to him and told that we were here from the early hours of the morning, that the girls were in unbearable pain and without any sleep, and that I needed to take them away. He told me that they could not be taken away as his superiors had requested him to produce them in courts. I told him that the girls were the ones who were attacked and we had lodged our complaint. Why then should these girls be produced in the courts? I also asked him why the ones who did this were not in custody. He replied that they too will be produced at the court, and he wanted me to come to the Minuwangoda Magistrates Court at 10 a.m.

It was very evident that the OIC had been influenced by the Buddhist Monk, and had proceeded on the allegation that the girls were prostitutes, without any evidence for it. He did not take the trouble to even visit the site. The girls, shabbily dressed as they were after the attack, were produced before the Minuwangoda Magistrate at 11.30 a.m. on the 18th of Sept. 2003. The Judge reprimanded the Police for charging these young girls of being prostitutes without any medical evidence. This was the first time in their lives that they went to a Police Station and were produced in a court. In addition to their physical suffering, the girls, are in severe pain of mind due to their public humiliation, and the accusation of being prostitutes. They and their family members are distressed that they thereafter have to face a medical examinations to prove that they are not prostitutes.

At the courts, only three of the accused were produced before the Judge, the Buddhist Monk who was the first accused in our complaint was not produced to the courts. The three girls were released on a surety bail, as were their assailants, and are to be produced in court again on 6th October 2003. The disgraceful handling of this situation by the OIC of the Kotadeniyawa Police was clear to the Police Officers too, who clearly saw the injustice done to the girls.

We plead for justice and equal rights every citizen is entitled to. We have done nothing to violate the laws of this country. We are appealing to you to bring those violators of the law to justice.

We solicit your prayers and intercession during this period of trial.