23rd January, 2014
Statement
condemning the continued attacks on religious places of worship by Buddhist
extremist mobs, the inaction of the Police and the silence of the mainstream religions
and the mass media
We the undersigned, strongly condemn the continuing
attacks on places of worship by Buddhist extremist mobs, the inaction of the
Police in the face of these violent attacks and their failure to take the
assailants into custody, and the silence of the established religious
institutions and mainstream media.
We are outraged
over the spate of violent attacks against places of worship of religious
minorities, including those of Christians, Muslims and Hindus, and remain
deeply concerned at the apparent State complicity and level of impunity enjoyed
by certain extremist groups. Between
January to September 2013, 227 attacks against Muslim places of worship and
other institutions[1]
have been recorded, and in the year 2013, 103 cases of attacks on Christian Churches and Pastors have been recorded.[2] During the same period many
Hindu temples too have been attacked[3] around the country. The actual number of incidents is
much higher, as many incidents remain unreported, due to fear of reprisals and
the lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies.
We urge all communities to respect the
religious beliefs and constitutionally guaranteed rights of freedom of assembly
in the act of worship of their fellow citizens, and not to be misled by the
bigoted propaganda of hate groups.
The most recent attacks took place at around
10am, on January
12, 2014, when the Assemblies of God (AoG) and Calvary Churches in Hikkaduwa
(Galle district), were attacked by a 300-strong mob led by men in saffron robes
claiming to be “Buddhist monks”, party to an extremist group named Hela Bodu Pawra (loosely
translated as Buddhist Heritage Fortress),
during their Sunday morning service. Serious damage was caused to the two
buildings. Stones were also thrown at the premises while some worshippers were
trapped inside. On the night
before these attacks (11), the pastors of both churches had received
information of the impending attacks, and having informed the Police, were
guaranteed protection and instructed to go ahead with the regular service of worship
the following morning. Still the Police was still unwilling or unable to stop
the mobs from attacking these churches and further, refrained from using legally
permitted minimum force at least, to dispel these mobs. (However, on previous
instances, the police and security
forces have shown very little restraint in using maximum force such as tear gas
and even gun fire, as evident during the Free Trade Zone[4] and Weliweriya[5]
protests for instance.)
The violent mob alleged that these churches
were not registered with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs, and
were therefore illegal. The tense situation prevailed past 12pm, with the
Police unwilling to disperse those engaged in these acts of violence. A senior
police officer who arrived at the scene gave an assurance to the monks that the
churches would be closed for 2 weeks (until 10th February, 2014), during
which time the issue would be resolved. Thereafter, the mob had dispersed.
In another incident earlier in the morning on the 12th at
around 2.30am, a place of worship of the Foursquare Gospel Church in
Pitipana, Homagama, was set on fire by unidentified persons, and a
threatening note was found hanging on the gate of the premises warning
Christians who gather there of possible dire consequences. [6]
On the following day (13), the Police Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana stated
that the police have compiled a report on the attacks and submitted a list of
identified suspects (inclusive of 8 monks), to the courts, and that all
investigations concerning protests and demonstrations related to religion will
be handed over to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs. It is
ironic that investigative duties coming within the direct purview of the Police
have, in this instance, been handed over to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and
Religious Affairs. This action is however in keeping with the trend
initiated by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, in their Circular dated 16th
October, 2008, which calls on all new religious places of worship to obtain
written approval from the Ministry prior to the setting up/maintaining of such
places. This raises the troubling question as to why a multi-ethnic and
religious country must seek approval from a Ministry that clearly prioritizes one religion over the rest, by its
name alone. Whilst acknowledging that there must be a central and
independent body to register/monitor churches and places of worship, we find
there lies a conflict of interest in a Ministry tasked (although not
exclusively,) to further Buddhism, being the sole authority on
approving/registering other places of worship.
The deafening silence on the part of mainstream religious institutions in relation to these attacks, is appalling, albeit not surprising, considering their unwillingness to show solidarity with each other and to confront the government, with the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka being the one exception.
The deafening silence on the part of mainstream religious institutions in relation to these attacks, is appalling, albeit not surprising, considering their unwillingness to show solidarity with each other and to confront the government, with the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka being the one exception.
We welcome and reiterate the open letter published by
the Muslim Council to President Mahinda Rajapakse calling on him to “...order the law enforcement agencies to
rein-in these mobs that infringe on the peoples fundamental right to worship.
Should there be any breach of law by any individual or groups, we kindly urge
that due process is followed and necessary legal action is taken without
letting individuals or religious groups to take the law in to their own hand.”
We also note with growing concern that Breaking News Alert Service or mainstream media institution has given little or no coverage to these attacks, or previous attacks instigated by Buddhist extremist groups.
Further, we wish to highlight and commend the orders made by the Galle
Additional Magistrate to the Hikkaduwa Police on 16th January, and
ask that they be implemented with immediate effect. The orders call on the
Police to arrest all identified suspects immediately, and all media
institutions to provide the police with unedited footage of the attacks, to
assist with ongoing investigations.
We therefore urge law enforcement authorities
to ensure strict adherence to rule of law and prosecute those who are
responsible for these heinous crimes, in the existence of abundant evidence available
with the public and media organisations. In addition, we are very disturbed to
see continued Police inaction and delays in responding to incidents of racist
mob violence, which is a clear indication of State complicity, and the lack of
any interest by the newly minted Ministry of Law and Order headed by the
President, to hold perpetrators to account.
Signatures;
Individuals
Signatures;
Individuals
1.
Ahilan Kadirgamar
2.
Ajit Abeysekera
3.
Ameena Hussein
4.
Anberiya Hanifa
5.
Anushan
Selvarajah
6.
Anushaya Collure
7.
Asoka Obeyesekere
8.
B. Gowthaman
9. B. Skanthakumar
10.
Bhavani
Fonseka
11.
Buddhima Padmasiri
12.
C. Dissanayake
13.
Cayathri Divakalala
14.
Chamira
Perera
15.
Chandralal Colombage
16.
Chandrika De Silva - Freelance Journalist
17.
Chandula Kumbukage
18.
Damaris Wickremesekera
19.
Deanne
Uyangoda
20.
Deborah Philip
21.
Devika Karunaratne
22.
Dilhara Pathirana
23.
Dilshy Banu
24.
Dr. G. Chris Rodrigo
25.
Dr. Mareena Thaha Reffai
26.
Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu
27.
Dr. Selvy Thiruchandran
28.
Emil van der Poorten
29.
Faizun Zackariya
30.
Farzana Haniffa
31.
G.A.
Prabath Kumara - Chief Coordinator, Future In Our Hands Development Fund ,
Badulla
32.
Gajen
Mahendra
33.
Godfrey Yogarajah - Executive Director, Religious
Freedom, World Evangelical Alliance
34.
Herman Kumara
35.
Hilmy Ahamed
36.
J. Henry de Mel
37.
Jansila Majeed
38.
Jayasingam. T
39.
Jayatilaka
Kammallaweera
40.
Joe William
41.
Johann
Tranchell
42.
Jovita Arulanantham
43.
K. Rajaledsumi
44.
K.S. Ratnavale
45.
Kumari Kumaragamage
46.
Kusal Perera –
Journalist
47.
Lakshan Dias – Attorney-at-Law
48.
M. H. Mohamed Hisham
49.
M.N. Mohideen
50.
Maduka Peiris
51.
Mahaluxumi Kurushanthan
52.
Mahendran Thiruvarangan
53.
Marisa
de Silva
54.
Melisha Yapa
55.
Michael Mendis
56.
Mirak Raheem
57.
Mohammed Mahuruf
58.
Nicola Perera
59.
Nilantha Ilangamuwa
60.
Nilshan Fonseka
61.
Nimalka
Fernando
62.
Nirmanusan Balasundaram
63.
Niyanthini Kadirgamar
64.
P.N. Singham
65.
Padmini
Weerasooriya
66.
Prof. Jayantha Seneviratne - University of
Kelaniya
67.
Prof. Kumar David - Marx School
68.
R.M.B. Senanayake
69.
Ranil D. Guneratne
70.
Rev.
Fr. Emmanuel Sebamalai
71.
Rev. Fr. Jeyabalan Croos
72.
Rev. Fr. Nandana Manatunga
73.
Rev. Fr. Ravichandran Emmanuel
74.
Rev. Fr.
Sarath Iddamalgoda
75.
Ruki
Fernando
76.
S. M. Praveen – OMI
77.
Sampath Samarakoon
78.
Sanjana Hattotuwa
79.
Sanjaya Senanayake
80.
Shantha
Pathirana
81.
Shreen Abdul Saroor
82.
Silma Mohideen Ahamed
83.
Siritunga Jayasuriya - United Socialist Party
84.
Srinath Perera – Attorney-at-Law & General Secretary,
Free Trade Union Centre
85.
Sritharan Sritharuni
86.
Stalingeorge Nishanthini
87.
Sumathy Sivamohan
88.
Sunanda Deshapriya
89.
Sunil
Jayasekera
90.
T. Mathuri – Attorney-at-Law
91.
Taanya Tranchell
92.
Tehani Ariyaratne
93.
Thiruni Kelegama
94.
U.L. Jaufer
95.
Udaya
Kalupathirana
96.
Victor Panangala
Organizations
97.
Almuslimaath
98.
Association
of Family Members of the Disappeared
99.
Buddhist
Liberation Front
100.
Center for Social Concerns, Ja-Ela
101.
Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA)
102.
Free
Media Movement
103.
INFORM
Human Rights Documentation Center
104.
Muslim Women's Research and Action Forum
105.
National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri
Lanka
106.
National Peace Council of Sri Lanka (NPC)
107.
Secretariat for Muslims (SFM)
108.
The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka
[1] Address by
Ms. Flavia Pansieri United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights at
the 24th session of the Human Rights Council, Geneva, 25 September 2013 - http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13820&LangID=E
[3] Colombo
Telegraph, Dambulla Kovil Attacked; Hindu Politico Says Mosques
And Kovils Must Not Be Shifted - https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/dambulla-kovil-attacked-hindu-politico-says-mosques-and-kovils-must-not-be-shifted/
& Tamil Guardian, Attacks on Hindu
temples escalate - http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=4839
[4]
The Sunday Leader, FTZ Worker Succumbs To Injuries - http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/06/01/ftz-worker-succumbs-to-injuries/
[5]
The Republic Square - Akila Dinesh, 17-year old killed during
Weliweriya clash - http://www.therepublicsquare.com/politics/2013/08/02/akila-dinesh-17-year-old-killed-at-weliweriya-clash/
[6] Incident details – Source: National Christian Evangelical Alliance of
Sri Lanka - http://nceasl.org/category/religious-liberty/incident-reports/