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area populated by Hindus as well
as Buddhists. While the church
distributed packs of literature to
Hindu children there was no reaction
from the local community; however,
once Buddhist youngsters started
receiving them the uproar began.
At the insistence of local monks,
who exert great influence in the
community, the pastor was called
to an inquiry earlier this year, and
incorrectly accused of holding
prohibited meetings on the ground
that they were not taking place in a
registered church. The law actually
permits such gatherings but he was
warned to stop his activities.
When the pastor was challenged
that the books he was distributing
were attempts to convert others, his
response was that he was not trying
to convert but simply to bless the
local community.
However, despite his actions being
lawful, a mob was rounded up to
intimidate him as he returned home.
This was not the first time he had
faced threats.
In 2019 the entire village community
had surrounded his home when he
had two other pastors visiting. Police,
who blocked the roads, and monks
were among the crowd trying to
intimidate the Christians.
Chandrapala had built his church with
the support of other congregations
and that seems to have been the issue.
The church has a congregation of
about 15 but none are from the local
village area.
His children are at school and feel
the resentment against them, but
they believe that they have God’s
protection. His daughter, who is
supported by our partners, goes to a
Christian school.
Our partner also provides legal help
to Pastor Chandrapala.
This persecution is part of an
increasing Buddhist nationalism
not just in society but at state level.
Currently, a government minister
is working to introduce more
formal registration procedures for
all churches including meetings in
individual houses.
At the same time Hindu
fundamentalism, influenced by the
Indian experience, is rising in the
north and east of the country where
the population is predominantly
Tamil.
CHURCH GROWS
500 PER CENT
In March last year, Buddhist villagers
organised a 1,000-strong mob attack
on Pastor Indrajith’s church after a
number of local families came to faith
in Christ.
These attacks were instigated by ten
temples. Believers were threatened
and told to stop services, some were
beaten, and one was hospitalised with
a split mouth. When the pastor visited
his church members, he was often
stopped by crowds, monks and the
police. He has had death threats, even
whilst in a police station.
On Easter Sunday he was challenged
by the police who had come armed
with guns and was told to stop the
service. Officers then took him and
about 100 of his congregation to
the police station where the pastor
demanded to know his rights.
Our partner has become involved in
supporting the church, which has
been opposed by politicians and local
officials. The outcomes so far are
encouraging. The judge hearing the
cases has ruled that the opposition
was wrong and that Indrajith did have
the right to hold worship services.
He filed a human rights petition
against the politicians, and they
immediately stopped their hostile
actions. On top of that all the protests
of the monks were shown to be illegal.
One of the pastor’s opponents, who
was a drug dealer and led the attack,
eventually found Christ. When he
died soon after, Indrajith conducted
his funeral. One of the monks who led
the attack has even since become his
friend and some of the other monks
who instigated the attack, former
childhood friends, have since spoken
in his defence.
Most encouragingly of all, since the
incident his congregation has grown
by 500 per cent! But it has come at a
cost. His children have had to move to
a Christian school after being beaten.
He is now affiliated to our partner and
is determined to stay and continue his
work. Members of a local parliament
have even visited the church for a
blessing.
Indrajith’s ambition is to establish
more disciples and churches during
the next 20 years. He wants to see
a church within walking distance
for everyone and is pleased that our
Continued on p16
Pastor Hasitha Nuwan
oversees seven churches