Subj: Sri Lanka:Anti-Christian belligerence rewarded.

----------------------------------------------- Sri Lanka: Anti-Christian belligerence rewarded. ------------------------------------------------

In Sri Lanka, a local Head Quarters Inspector has banned a small Christian fellowship from meeting for worship or prayer on the grounds that aggressive, threatening Buddhist opposition to its presence led to a disturbance of the peace. This unconstitutional, unjust and arbitrary ruling is pure appeasement. Impunity equals permission, and appeasement leads to escalation. Unless it is overturned, this ruling will bolster the confidence of Sri Lanka's Buddhist militants with the hope that unlawful, anti-Christian belligerence will be rewarded rather than prosecuted.

-------------------------

On Saturday 6 August 2005, the pastor of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Horana, Kalutara District, Sri Lanka, was informed that the mob which interrupted worship and harassed believers on Sunday 31 July was planning a repeat attack on Sunday 7 August. On the basis of this information, a request was made for police protection.

On Sunday 7 August, the mob of around 50 persons led by a Buddhist monk arrived at the church and demanded amidst threats that the believers (about 12 in number) cease their meetings, leave the church and not return.

No police protection had arrived, so the pastor once again called the police station, this time to request police intervention. The police called both parties to the police station to resolve the matter.

The Buddhists claimed that the Christians have no right to meet for worship in a village that is 99% Buddhist. Various unsubstantiated accusations were leveled against the Christians, based on the Buddhist Commission Report (which is a report, and not law).

The police accepted that the Christians have a constitutional right to religious freedom, which entitles them to meet and practise their faith. However, the Head Quarters Inspector (HQI) ordered the pastor and his congregation to stop meeting for Christian worship, with immediate effect, on the grounds that their Christian worship has led to a situation where it has caused a disturbance of the peace.

The church has also been instructed not to try and relocate. Hence the members of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Horana have in effect been banned from meeting for worship and prayer.

Elizabeth Kendal

**WEA Religious Liberty News & Analysis** <>

"World Evangelical Alliance - Religious Liberty News & Analysis."

To subscribe for Religious Liberty News & Analysis, please send your request to Elizabeth Kendal <>. Please include your name and country or state of residence.

For more information on the World Evangelical Alliance, please take a look at our site on the web at <http://www.WorldEvangelical.org>, and for the Religious Liberty Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance, see <http://www.WorldEvangelical.org/rlc.html>.

PRAYER: For those of you who would like more detailed information on situations for prayer and intercession, we recommend that you subscribe to the WEA Religious Liberty Prayer List. Each week a different nation or situation is highlighted. To subscribe, send an empty e-mail to <> with any or no subject.

Advocates International <http://www.advocatesinternational.org> serves as the legal and judicial advisor to the RLC. Advocates International links many Christian lawyers and judges around the world and has been involved in religious liberty issues for many years.

The Religious Liberty News & Analysis mailing list provides reports on the state of religious liberty and persecution around the world with those with a special interest in the field. Most members are involved in church-based religious liberty advocacy, academic research, missions leadership, creative-access missions, religious media, or have prayer networks supporting these groups, although anyone is welcome to join. Postings average one or two per week. Information shared does not necessarily reflect the opinion of World Evangelical Alliance, or of the WEA Religious Liberty Commission.