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Methodist Bishop requests PM to ensure religious freedom
Six people, who were part of a mob that pelted stones and obstructed a prayer service at a religious centre run by the Methodist Church at Kundichchaankulama in Anuradapura, have been charged with unlawful entry, obstruction and unlawful assembly.
The six were produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s court on April 16 and granted bail. They have been given notice to appear in court on May 21. The Police Chief has tasked a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) team to look in to the matter, according to the Rev. Asiri Perera, who is the president and Bishop of the Methodist Church in Sri Lanka. “We are happy with the police action, the police were there on good Friday and ensure no harm was done to the centre during prayer services,” he said.
The bishop said the police inquired if they had any objections to the granting of bail and the church responded that it had no objections.The police action came after a meeting the bishop had with Prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Police Chief Pujith Jayasundera. At this meeting, Bishop Perera raised the matter of police inaction.
On Good Friday, Methodist Church members and civil society activists held an hour-long ‘Silent Vigil’ outside the Kollupitiya Methodist Church on Galle Road to highlight the need for the freedom of religion. The silent protest was titled ‘Stand for Freedom’.
On April 14, Palm Sunday, a mob of about 25 youths had attacked the ‘Aadara Sevana’ centre while a prayer service was going on. The mob had yelled death threats, pelted stones and thrown firecrackers at the gates of the centre. They had later locked in the congregation of about 17 and prevented them from leaving until the Police finally intervened twohours later.
On Sunday March 31 also, a mob had pelted stones and hurled abuse, insisting that people from other areas should not be allowed to take part in religious activities at the centre.”The centre has been running for the past 16 years. We provide training for differently-abled and hearing-impaired children,” Bishop Perera said. According to him, Anuradhapura Municipal Councillor Nalin Siriwardene was present on March 31 when the mob first attacked the prayer centre. “He came to the Police station and claimed to speak for the group that was being detained. That is all I know. The police will have to find out more through their investigations,” he said.
The National Christian Council, of which the Methodist Church is a member, will meet in the coming days to make representations to the President and the Prime Minister on police inaction in similar incidents and the importance of maintaining freedom of religious worship, Rev. Perera said.