This news clearly illustrates what the Christians in Sri Lanka are up against and the conditions under which our aid projects for the persecuted Christians in the country are carried out. We thank God that so far there have been no similar episodes that have affected the very people we have supported with the help of our donors with Bibles and help with animal husbandry, for example with goats or chickens.
Right: Image of previous assault on church
Our partners, the National Evangelical Alliance, in addition to helping with Bibles and livestock, are actively involved in making pastors and congregations aware of their constitutional rights, so that they do not believe those who try to convince them that they have no right to hold Christian services or that the constitution has been changed, as described in this news story.
Buddhist monks involved in attacking church
On the right: Sri Lankans
But the policemen were overpowered by the angry crowd who then smashed furniture and fixtures in the church building and also did extensive damage to several cars parked outside belonging to the congregation. The pastor was hit by a rock and subsequently suffered severe abdominal pain. It is reported that the crowd also attacked two of the policemen when they tried to stop the attack. Police reinforcements and soldiers from the army had to be called in to bring the crowd under control.
Monks wanted to close the church
The day before, on December 8, a group of Buddhist monks and lay people had visited the pastor and told him that he could not hold Christian services in Weeraketiya without permission from the Buddhists. When the pastor expressed that he was simply exercising his constitutional right to practice his faith, the monks told him that the constitution had been amended (the fundamental rights chapter of the constitution regarding freedom of religion has not been amended since the constitution was adopted in 1978). The monks gave the pastor an ultimatum that he must close the church or they would destroy it.
- Pray for the pastor and all those who were injured during the attack or had their belongings destroyed.
- Pray for those conducting the investigation that the truth will come out.
- Pray for the congregation, especially for the children who were present during this terrifying attack.
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