Attacks against Christians in Sri Lanka fuel global call to prayer

As the global call to pray for the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka goes out, Release International has received reports of death threats against a Christian pastor, and moves to halt worship services. The attacks come from Buddhists and Hindus opposed to Christianity. 

Leading Christian human rights organisations worldwide have launched a global campaign to pray for Sri Lanka, where there is civil war and instability. Churches have been attacked and religious tensions are rising.

A Christian pastor was threatened with death over Easter, forcing the church to cancel Good Friday and Easter Sunday services. The trouble began in Hambanthota District on April 8.

Four men stood outside a pastor’s house shouting ‘Christian come out,’ while his wife and two children were alone at home. The pastor, whose identity we are protecting, hurried home, where the ringleader threatened to kill him unless he left the village by morning. The threatening calls continued over the next few hours.

That night a man pounded on the door shouting abuse and threats. The pastor tried to reason with him and persuade him to stop terrifying his children. Finally, the police came and arrested the man. But the trouble didn’t stop there.

Buddhists hostile to the church got up a petition signed by villagers and temples around the area. They warned the landlord to evict the pastor or they would damage his house.

The pastor took his children to a place of safety and cancelled Easter church services to avoid inflaming the situation. On April 13 news reached the pastor of a plot to attack him when he went to pick up his children.

The opposition facing Sri Lankan Christians is not just coming from Buddhists. In Batticaloa District, in an area where Hindus are in a majority, villagers chased away a church worker who came to visit Christian families. And Christians in the area have been threatened.

The reports come from Release partners the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL). They ask: ‘Please uphold the pastors and their congregations in prayer.’

Release International is supporting the children of persecuted pastors in rural areas where the persecution of Christians is strongest. In these predominately Buddhist areas families face hostility ranging from physical violence and death threats, to refusal to buy from them or sell them goods.

Pastor Lydia (not her real name), has experienced the violence first hand. Her husband was murdered by militants after converting to Christianity from Buddhism. She told Release: ‘They have killed, they have burnt us, and they have bombed us, but they haven’t chased us away. Our God is a wonderful God.’

Through its international network of missions Release supports Christians imprisoned for their faith and their families in 30 nations. It supports church workers, pastors and their families, and provides training, Bibles, Christian literature and broadcasts. Release is a member of the UK organisations Global Connections, the Evangelical Alliance and the Micah Network.

ENDS

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Please email for a selection of Sri Lanka stills and captions relating to Christian persecution.

For a country profile on Sri Lanka, please go to: http://www.releaseinternational.org/pages/country-profiles/sri-lanka.php

Background to the humanitarian crisis:

More than 50,000 people have been killed in the long-running civil war between the government and Tamil separatists. The latest push by the army to defeat the Tamil Tigers has driven thousands from their homes and trapped some 200,000 civilians in the conflict zone. Relief agencies say it is increasingly difficult to reach civilians displaced by the conflict.

There are fears that even if the Tamil Tigers are driven out they could continue to wage a guerrilla war involving suicide bombers and assassinations.

Religious tensions have also been rising, with attacks on churches by Buddhist militants and calls for anti-conversion laws that would restrict the freedom of Christians to share their faith or undertake charity work.

The Religious Liberty Partnership, which includes the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance (representing 128 countries) has launched ‘The Toronto Statement’ calling on Christians worldwide to pray for the crisis in Sri Lanka.

The Toronto Statement:

·        Expresses deep concern about the ways humanitarian efforts are being handled

·        Calls for support for efforts to end hostilities and seek an enduring peace

·        Calls on the worldwide church to pray and work for religious freedom for all Sri Lankans

Release International serves persecuted Christians worldwide. Its CEO, Andy Dipper, said: ‘Sri Lanka needs our prayers right now. The conflict is causing a humanitarian crisis, and the church is suffering as a result of anti-Christian legislation and violent attacks by Buddhist extremists. There is potential for a major loss of life.’

For further information please contact Andrew Boyd on 01730 301905 or Release International on 01689 823491 or by email at info@releaseinternational.org 

And for more information on Release International please go to: www.releaseinternational.org