Radical Buddhists destroy church in Sri Lanka

24 January 2000 (Newsroom) -- A mob comprised mostly of Buddhist extremists attacked an evangelical Protestant congregation in Makola, Sri Lanka, during a Sunday, January 14, worship service, according to the World Evangelical Fellowship.

Following threats to the pastor and church members, the mob stormed the church, threw out furniture and equipment, and then demolished the building. WEF says that the attackers were mainly Buddhist extremists whose actions were instigated by the local temple monk. Buddhist temple monks in rural areas of Sri Lanka are powerful figures in the community, WEF notes. Local politicians also were seen with the attackers, witnesses said.

According to the Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, the attack was likely motivated by the belief held by Buddhist extremists that Sri Lanka is a Sinhala Buddhist country and the Protestant minority, which is less than 1 percent of the population, should not be allowed to establish churches and convert Buddhists.

The monk believed to be responsible for the attack has vowed that, regardless of the law, he will never let a church exist in the area. The church building sits on Pastor Chandana Peiris own family land. Several months ago a mob tried unsuccessfully to burn down the church.

The police have privately told the pastor that action against the attackers might lead to further retaliation, forcing him to leave the area. Police asked Peiris to come for an inquiry on January 21.

Last April, an unknown group set off two bombs at a church construction site in the predominantly Buddhist town of Tissamaharama in south Sri Lanka. Local people had expressed opposition to a Christian church being built in the district.

Sri Lanka's evangelical Protestant minority has reported incidents of persecution by extremist Hindus as well as Buddhists. In November 1998, Pastor Vasu Sritharan of Canaan Fellowship Church near Jaffna was killed shortly after receiving death threats from Hindu groups. The groups had sent a petition to authorities requesting that they curtail the pastor's work among Hindus. A month later, another member of Sritharan's congregation was killed in the same manner, with a slit throat.