RELIGIOUS LIBERTY UPDATE ON SRI LANKA - December 2002
Christmas Day attack on AOG house church in Kirimetimulla Akuressa
Police Division
(Southern Province)
The
remote village of Kirimetimulla is typical of the Southern villages of Sri
Lanka; firm in its commitment to a Buddhist heritage dating back two thousand
years. Mrs. Indrani Abeysinghe (aged 49) is a native of Kirimetimulla. She
accepted Jesus Christ as an adult, while living away from the village. During
the mid 90’s she returned to her home in the village with her four children. From
2001, her house was used for conducting worship services on Sundays. This house
Church is attended by about 20 believers.
On
the 17th of January 2002, Indrani received a threatening letter from
a group claiming to be the youth of the village, giving her an ultimatum to
stop holding services in her home. She chose to ignore the warning and the
services continued. Soon after, her home was stoned one night. The only damage
was a broken window. The house church continued to meet. On 8th May
2002, she received another letter threatening her and other inmates of her home
with death and the demolition of her home if she continued to use her home for
Christian worship or activities. Indrani ignored this letter too. There was no
disturbance and the services continued as before.
On
Christmas Day 2002, the Christmas service was attended by the believers. Indrani’s
four adult children who lived in Colombo were home for Christmas. Many of the
villagers (Buddhists) visited her home during the day to enjoy a meal. It was
almost mid night when the tired but happy family turned in for the night. Indrani
was fast asleep when she was awoken by the sound of loud gruff voices and
banging on her front door. She switched on the light in her room, but nothing
happened. (It was later that they discovered that the electricity supply to
their house had been cut off). The voices getting louder with murderous
threats; Indrani could hear the sound of shattering glass as all the windows in
her home were being broken down. Fearing for her daughter’s safety, she ran in
to her daughter’s room and closed the door behind her. Even in the dark, she
could make out the shattered windows and broken glass covering the floor. She
could also hear the sound of her sons trying to hold the back door, which was
being forced open. All that Indrani could do was pray to the Lord, calling on
the name of Jesus.
There
was chaos and confusion as Indrani’s sons tried their best to hold the
intruders back, groping in the dark. The eldest son was holding the back door
shut preventing the mob from entering the house. A voice from outside called
out to shoot the door down. In fear of being shot, he let go of the door. The
mob pushed through wielding clubs and shining flashlights in their faces. Through
the blinding lights all the sons could see were silluettes of hooded men. The
attackers lost no time in assaulting the sons. They were particularly brutal to
Indrani’s second son, 28 year old Suranga. The force of the blows threw him
across a bed. He was unable to get up or defend himself any further as the mob
beat him up with clubs. A flashlight was shining in his face and he could just
make out a gun trained on his head. Suranga’s attention was on the gun…he
expected it to go off any moment. He did not see the sharp edge of the mammoty
(a spade used by Sri Lankan farmers) coming at his forehead until it was too
late. Suranga must have lost consciousness….the mob decided to leave, assuming
that he was dead.
Indrani
could hear the sounds of violent blows and the cries of her sons. But she did
not want to expose her daughter to danger. She held on to the door with all her
might as someone tried to force open the door of her daughter’s room. She knew
that she was no match to the strength of several men. Suddenly the assault on
the door ceased. A miracle that saved Indrani and her daughter.
After
the mob left, a neighbour came to their aid. Until this time the house had been
surrounded by some members of the gang, chasing away any of the neighbours who
heard the family’s cries for help and came to help or investigate. The mob had
in total numbered 10 – 15. They wore masks to hide their identity. The
neighbourhood streetlights too had been switched off during the attack and
there are reports of three-wheeler taxies parked up the road for a quick
get-a-way.
Suranga
was taken to the Matara hospital in the morning (they were afraid to travel by
night). He was hospitalized for treatment of a severe head injury, which
required about 8 stitches. The other sons were treated for minor injuries. Indrani
has lodged a complaint with the Akuressa police (entry number 217/329 of 26th
December 2002). She and her family cannot identify any of the attackers and she
is unable to name any suspects. The Police are conducting inquiries, but the
lack of information on suspects is hampering investigations. It is probable
that the attackers were hired goons from another village. The attack has all
the marks of a well planned and organized attack.
Indrani
has left her home and is now living with friends in a city close to Colombo. Although
visibly shaken and traumatized, she is determined to continue her ministry, but
her children fear for her life. Suranga, thank God, has recovered to some
degree and has been discharged from the hospital.
Please
pray for Indrani, her children and the believers of the area. Pray also for
other workers who minister in similar difficult areas.
National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka