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Sri Lanka

• Election Results Raise Concerns

  

  Sri Lanka's Christian community is facing renewed concerns about future religious freedoms following the results from the November 17 presidential election. Prior to his election, Mahinda Rajapakse had formed an alliance with the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a party composed entirely of Buddhist monks whose primary purpose has been to pass anti-conversion legislation in Sri Lanka.  In his first address as president, Rajapakse pledged to protect Buddhism but also provide freedom for all other religions.  It remains to be seen how this will be demonstrated.  His appointment of Ratnasiri Wickramanayake as Prime Minister raises further concerns.  Wickramanayake had previously served as Minister of Buddhism and was responsible for the introduction of the government's anti-conversion bill, ironically called the "Freedom of Religion Bill."  For more information on Sri Lanka,click here.  A video report from Sri Lanka is also available at www.vomcanada.com.

• Sri Lankan Constitution Amendment Thwarted

  Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, President of Sri Lanka

  An amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution scheduled for second reading on October 4 has been delayed because of a lack of support for the debate.  While the private member's bill was not taken up this time, it is possible for it to be taken up at a later date.

  The JHU, a political party composed entirely of Buddhist monks, has reacted strongly to reports that the government will shelve their anti-conversion bill.  They accused the United States of "interfering in religious affairs and human rights in the country."  It is likely that the government will want to avoid this controversy at this time because of presidential elections on November 17.

• JHU Moves to Make Buddhism Sri Lanka's Official Religion

  Ven. Ellawala Methananda Thera President of the JHU

  In a strategic move, while public attention in Sri Lanka is focused on upcoming presidential elections, a constitutional amendment aimed at making Buddhism the official religion of Sri Lanka has been put on the Parliamentary Order Paper for a second reading on October 4 by the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU).  The JHU is a party made up entirely of Buddhist monks.  Earlier the Sri Lankan Supreme Court ruled that parts of this amendment were unconstitutional.  Consequently, a two-thirds majority vote of parliament and a national referendum would be required for the amendment to pass. 

  The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) is concerned that the legislation may pass virtually unnoticed, with attention diverted to the upcoming elections.  The NCEASL is calling for advocacy and has published a documentoutlining their concerns with the proposed amendment. Contact information for Sri Lankan government officials through www.srilankanchristians.com.

  For more information on Sri Lanka and the challenges facing Christians there,click here. An extensive video report released earlier this year by The Voice of the Martyrs entitled, "Faith Under Fire: Sri Lanka," is available for viewing on www.vomcanada.com.

• Sri Lankan Police Order Christians to Stop Meeting

  On Sunday, August 7, twelve Christians from the Foursquare Gospel Church in Horana, Kalutara District met for worship, despite threats by a mob the previous week. According to an August 9 report from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL),  approximately fifty Buddhists disrupted the service, demanding that the Christians leave and not return. 

  The pastor called the police and both sides were asked to come to the police station. The mob claimed that the Christians had no right worshipping in the village which is almost entirely Buddhist.  Though the police inspector acknowledged the Christians' right to worship, he ordered the Christians to stop meeting immediately since their meetings were disturbing the peace.  They were further told they could not meet anywhere else.

  Pray for these believers as they consider their response at this point.  Pray for Christians throughout Sri Lanka facing intimidation from those opposed to the spread of the Gospel.

  For more information on the challenges of being a Christian in Sri Lanka,click here.  Earlier this year, The Voice of the Martyrs Canada released a new video report, "Faith Under Fire: Sri Lanka," available from our online catalog. A 14-minute excerpt of this video is available online for the first time in the Video section of VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com. 

• Church Buildings Attacked and Worker Injured

  Two incidents in recent weeks demonstrate that religious tensions in Sri Lanka have not abated.  According to a report from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), a church in Kayankerny in the Batticaloa District was damaged in the early morning of July 7 when dynamite detonated in three places around the foundation of a newly constructed building. The walls, roof and floor were damaged.

  On July 16, the Holy Cross Church in the town of Pulasthigama was attacked by a group of hooded men who began smashing the furnishings.  A fire was set in the church that complete destroyed the building.  Two young men in the building at the time and were beaten.  One, Angel Rukmal Fernando, 19, was admitted to the Polonnaruwa hospital.  The attack was widely condemned by politicians and religious leaders, including the Buddhist leader, Pahamune Sumangala Thero.

  Pray that Christians in Sri Lanka will be free to practice their faith without fear of violence by those opposed to their message.  Pray that those fighting against the Church will see the love of Christ in the lives of believers and come to repentance and faith in the Lord.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka,click here. Two video reports on Sri Lanka are also available for viewing on www.vomcanada.com.

• Escalating Violence Against Christians in Sri Lanka

  

  For reasons known only to those responsible, the number of attacks on Christian churches in Sri Lanka has increased dramatically over the last month.  A press release from the National Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) gives the following list of incidents since May 29.

  The Kithu Sevana Church in Kaluvilapothane, Ambanpola has been meeting in the same location for the past ten years.  On Sunday, May 29, ten Christians had gathered to pray when a crowd of approximately one hundred, together with a local Buddhist monk, disrupted their prayer meeting.  The local believers were threatened and told to stop conducting meetings.  A visiting pastoral worker was told to not return.  Because of fears of another attack, the next prayer meeting scheduled for the following Sunday was cancelled.

  In the Batticaloa District, the NCEASL, in partnership with The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada, has been constructing a leadership training centre amidst threats.  On February 29, the building where construction workers stayed was burned down.  On the night of June 2, the home of the family who donated the land for the training centre was set on fire.  The family was able to escape without injury and extinguish the fire before the entire house was destroyed.

  The Assembly of God Church building in Ambalangoda (Galle District) was destroyed in the December tsunami and the church was fortunate to purchase a new building on June 4.  The following night, however, the windows of the building were smashed with rocks and bottles.  The street lights had mysteriously been switched off during the attack.  The next morning, a mob of around one hundred surrounded the building, hurling threats at the Christians.  By mid-afternoon, the threats turned to violence as the crowd invaded the building and attacked two parishioners and the pastor.  The three were brutally beaten and required treatment.  One is reported to be in serious condition.  Further threats of violence against the men have been reported. The church building also suffered serious damage in the attack.  The pastor's van was damaged and his wallet, identification and cellular phone were stolen.

  Pray that the increased violence will subside.  Pray for the healing of those injured in the Ambalangoda attack.  Pray for courage for the believers facing ongoing threats against them.  Pray that proposed legislation banning religious conversions will not pass in the Sri Lankan parliament.

  For more information on persecution in Sri Lanka,click here or visit VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com for video news reports from Sri Lanka.

• Sri Lanka Update: Court Hearing

  On June 6, a court hearing was held for two men accused of assaulting and attempting to rape four female pastoral workers from the Assembly of God Church in Kotadeniyawa.  The two are also charged with damaging the church premises.  Though the lady pastor faced particularly tough questioning in the hearing, she was able to maintain her composure and not be intimidated.  The next hearing is scheduled for September.

  The two men on trial were among thirty who attacked the women in September 2003.  The four victims were falsely accused of being prostitutes and were later charged with breach of peace.

• Sri Lankan Pastors Face Threats from Police

  A May 31 report from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) recounts three situations in which pastors have faced threats from police in the past two weeks.

  On May 19, pastors went to meet with police over threats received by an Assembly of God Church in Polonnaruwa.  Rather than receiving support from the police, they were instructed to stop all Christian activities and to not build any church buildings in Polonnaruwa, since it is a Buddhist area.  They were threatened with arrest for breach of peace if they continued to meet in the area.

  Charges of breach of peace have been filed against the pastoral worker of an independent church in Halpita, Polgasowita.  On May 15, Buddhist protestors demanded that the church be closed.  On May 27, the pastoral worker was summoned to appear before the Kesbewa Magistrates Court on May 30.

  On May 30, a pastor in the village of Bendiwewa was asked to come to the local police station for a discussion with the local Buddhist monk and community leaders.  The pastor was asked to explain the ministry of the church.  Stating that they do not wish to resort to violence, the monk and leaders requested that a church building not be built in the village and the pastor not engage in evangelism.  The police requested that the pastor confine all his activities to the five Christian families in the church.  He was given the impression that he would be welcome to stay if he did not introduce Christianity to anyone outside of the church.

  Pray for each of these churches facing opposition from members of the community as well as the authorities.  Pray that all charges will be dropped.  Pray that the proposed anti-conversion legislation will not pass in the Sri Lankan parliament.  Pray that Sri Lankan Christians will continue to share their faith despite pressure to remain silent.

  For more information on Sri Lanka and the difficulties facing Christians there,click here.  Video clips from Sri Lanka are also available on VOMC's multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.

• Sri Lanka Update: Court Case Against Workers

  Sister Ayesh One of the pastoral workers on trial

  The NCEASL reports that the court case against four female pastoral workers from Assemblies of God Church in Kotadeniyawa is scheduled to continue on June 6, 2005. These ladies were attacked by a mob of men who broke in to their house in during the night in September 2003 and then falsely accused them of being prostitutes. Later they were charged with breach of peace. The court hearing has been going on for some time.

  The NCEASL asks that we please pray for them as they give evidence in court. Pray also for their lawyers, the judge and the prosecution attorneys; for justice to prevail; that these women of God will not be humiliated before the court.

  In late 2004, The Voice of the Martyrs produced, in partnership with the NCEASL, a 30-minute documentary on the current situation facing Sri Lanka's Christians.  The story of these women is included on this video.  To order a copy online, click here. A preview of the video is also available in the Video section of www.vomcanada.com.

• Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief ends visit to Sri Lanka

  The following is the statement delivered May 12 by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief of the Commission on Human Rights, Asma Jahangir, at a news briefing in Colombo following her 2 to 12 May visit to Sri Lanka:

  "First of all, I would like to introduce my responsibility here as Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief. I serve in this capacity as an independent expert, distinct from any United Nations agency, and report to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the worldwide situation of freedom of religion or belief. My methods of work include visits to countries of concern for the mandate. These visits are not limited to countries which have a weak record in terms of freedom of religion or belief but include countries where emerging issues may threaten a satisfactory level of religious tolerance.

  A Special Rapporteur visits countries at the invitation of the Governments concerned and I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the Government of Sri Lanka for its excellent cooperation during the entire duration of the mission.

  I am also aware that I have come to Sri Lanka shortly after the tragic event that have affected your country with the Tsunami. The resilience of Sri Lankans in dealing with their trauma and sufferings is in this regard particularly remarkable.

  During my stay in the country, in addition to Colombo, I have traveled to different locations, including Homagama, Kandy, Batticaloa, Ampara, Jaffna and Killinochi. I have met with a number of Government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Constitutional Affairs and the Ministers responsible for the different religious communities present in the country. I have also met with representatives of the different political parties as well as with the leader of the opposition. Meetings have been held with representatives of the Buddhist community, including the Most Venerable Udagama Sri Buddharakhitta, representatives of the Hindu, Muslim and Christian communities as well as of smaller religious groups. In Killinochi, I met with representatives of the LTTE. Finally and most importantly, I met with a number of representatives of the civil society, concerned Sri Lankans and members of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

  The report on my visit to Sri Lanka will be submitted to the Commission on Human Rights after my visit and will include conclusions and recommendations to the Government as well as to the international community. At this stage I am therefore only in a position to share with you some of my preliminary observations.

  During my visit I have noticed that there is a high degree of transparency in the Sri Lankan society, including amongst the government functionaries and the political leadership that I met. They were open to discussion and keen to preserve their culture of religious tolerance. However, I have noticed that certain issues related to the right to freedom of religion are not appropriately addressed. In this regard, I am concerned that inaction or lack of proper attention could lead to numerous misunderstandings and promote a climate of religious intolerance.

  Over the last few years, I have received a number of reports of violent acts of religious intolerance such as the destruction or burning of places of worship. These have been perpetrated against different religious communities and have been widely confirmed by interlocutors from all sides. I have noted that in most cases the perpetrators have not been brought to justice. Moreover, in many cases, the police and other competent authorities appear to have been reluctant to take appropriate actions despite the identification of perpetrators. The inaction of the Government can only embolden the forces of intolerance and paralyzes rational voices. Inability to take appropriate and timely measures in arresting the rising trends of religious intolerance could make political as well as religious leaders a hostage to the very few who take extreme positions. I consider that the reported attacks on places of worship, mostly on churches, constitute clear violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief and the Government has an obligation to prosecute their perpetrators and to compensate the victims.

  During my visit, I have received numerous allegations of organized groups involving in improper or unethical practices to induce individuals to change their religion. While it was not claimed that anyone was coerced to or forced to change his or her religion in a manner that is clearly incompatible with the right to freedom of religion or belief, many of these allegations have remained vague as to the identity or circumstances of the so-called victims. Despite several requests and efforts in this direction, I have been unable to hear direct testimonies of such cases. Nevertheless, second hand accounts by credible sources indicate that conversions through improper means have indeed occurred and certainly raise a concern.

  There were a few reports of incidents of deliberate 'hurt' to religious feelings and of defiling of religious symbols. These are of concern to my mandate and I will be following the outcome of the investigations. I believe that the existing legal provisions in the Penal Code of Sri Lanka are sufficient in dealing with the nature of offences reported to me and urge that these be effectively implemented.

  Moreover, in the same context, there have also been allegations that faith based organizations that have brought humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka for the victims of Tsunami, have adopted certain methods exploiting the vulnerability of the population. I have also not been able to confirm these allegations by precise and individual cases but a sufficient number of allegations are confirmed by a number of sources.

  I would therefore call on those Sri Lankans and foreigners that are involved in humanitarian and development efforts to respect the guiding principles on humanitarian law. The United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/182 urges NGOs, religious and missionary organizations to provide aid without espousing any particular religious opinion. A large number of humanitarian workers and organizations have scrupulously observed this principle. They have generously donated and tirelessly worked for the victims of Tsunami but regrettably a few have not strictly observed these guidelines. These are regrettable practices but do not constitute a criminal offence or a clear violation of the right to freedom of religion, as long as such conversions are not carried out under force, pressure or other coercive methods. Nevertheless, they do raise anxiety.

  In response to these religious tensions, some initiatives have led to the introduction of two draft laws that would criminalize acts of 'unethical' conversions. Contrary to what has been often claimed, the content of these drafts as well as the implementation of their provisions do raise concerns under human rights law, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.

  In this respect, I note with some satisfaction that there are in Sri Lanka independent mechanisms and pluralistic as well as democratic traditions. As such Sri Lankans are adequately experienced to resolve emerging religious tensions. The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in its determination has declared portions of one of these draft Bills as unconstitutional. In my opinion, the provisions of both draft Bills could result in the persecution of religious minorities rather than the protection and promotion of religious tolerance. The enactment of these Bills could seriously undermine the culture of religious tolerance enjoyed for decades in this country. It could impair the religious harmony that this country can rightly be proud of sustaining even through the difficult period of a civil war.

  More essentially, while I could be apprehensive by the relative determination of a few, I have been encouraged by the fact that the important majority of my interlocutors have expressed their willingness to resolve this question through appropriate means".

  For use of information media; not an official record