Sri Lanka ‘radical Buddhist’ monks break into a Christian church, attacked student says Bishop Asiri Perera
Earlier this month, on August 4, a young Christian belonging to the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka was attacked and beaten by a group of radical Buddhist monks. According to local Christians, news of the attack shook Sri Lanka’s Christian community still shaken by the Easter Church Bombings earlier this year.
According to Asia News, the attack took place in the village of Mahiyanganaya, located in central Sri Lanka. Four monks, members of a well-known radical nationalist group, broke into a private place of worship and attacked a student from the Evangelism Training College.
The young Christian was able to escape and make his way by motorbike to a hospital 180 kilometers away. Church leaders have filed a complaint with local police, but no arrests have been made.
Speaking with Asia News, Bishop Asiri Perera, President of the Methodist Church of Sri Lanka, said, “We Christians are not foreigners. We are citizens of this country.”
“This is not the first time this has happened,” Bishop Perera continued. “I have great respect for Buddhism, but such actions harm the name of Buddhism. I am very concerned about the erosion of our freed to practice the Christian faith.”
The attack, along with several other recent incidents of anti-Christian violence, have left many Sri Lankan Christians concerned for their safety. In April, the Christian community suffered the largest single attack when suicide bombers, likely supported by ISIS, bombed three churches on Easter Sunday. More than 250 people were killed in those attacks.
Bishop Asiri Perera and family
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