Sri Lanka: Christians protest after extremist Buddhists attack churches

Sri Lankan Christians of all denominations, marched through the streets of the capital Colombo to protest against the attacks carried out lately by Buddhist extremists and for the lack of protection of religious freedom.

More than 2,000 faithful took to the streets in Colombo on Sunday. Attacks were carried out by Buddhists on 12 January against two churches and a centre of Christian prayer. The centre of prayer, belonging to the Gospel Church in Pitipana, near Colombo, was set on fire while the other two attacks - with damage to the furniture and stained glass windows and the burning of Bibles – was carried out against a church of the 'Assembly of God' a 'Church of Calvary' in the southern coastal town of Hikkaduwa.

According to the police, 24 suspects were identified and arrested. Among these, 18 will be tried by a court of Galle, near Hikkaduwa. The group includes five Buddhist monks .Last Sunday in all Christian churches the demand for respect for religious freedom was raised. The Anglican Bishop Mgr Dhiloraj Canagasabey, speaking to the faithful at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Colombo, reiterated that it is the government's responsibility to ensure that Christian citizens have full enjoyment of rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution: "Freedom of thought, conscience, religion and association should be the prerogative of all religious communities", he said, adding: "We expect the protection of the rule of law".

In a note sent to Fides, the "National Christian Evangelical Alliance" of Sri Lanka contains several minor incidents of the same kind, which occurred in January, such as threats, warnings, small acts of violence against priests, vandalism.In a country where the large majority are Buddhists, Christian minorities are about 7%, Muslims 10%, Hindus about 13%.