Sri Lanka: Christian Arrested After Complaining Threat on His Life

Representative image The Christian Post

A Christian in Sri Lanka who reported a Buddhist mob's threat on his life has been arrested and charged with false assault allegation, an advocacy group reported.

The Christian (name withheld for security reasons) in Nattandiya, North Western Province in Sri Lanka, reported against six Buddhists in his area who had threatened to attack the man if he refused to stop inviting a pastor to lead Bible studies at his house, the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) reported.

He filed a complaint about the threat on his life at the Marawila police station, in Puttalam District, on Jan. 27. This angered the mob and they headed to his house on Jan. 29 with intent to assault him, the NCEASL reported.

Before they could reach his house, a neighbor notified the Christian of their approach and tried to stop them, resulting in a fight in which one of the attackers was injured and received hospital treatment, a source said Morning Star News.

The injured Buddhist filed an assault complaint against the Christian even though he was not present at the fight. Police arrested the Christian.

Sri Lanka, with the population about 70 percent Buddhist and 13 percent Hindu, has been witnessing increase in violence and harassment against Christians.

"There seems to be an attitude of intolerance against religious minorities, and this is instigated by extremist groups – also, by the continuation of a biased attitude by local governmental officers," the director the Asia Evangelical Alliance's Religious Liberty Commission, whose name is withheld for security reasons, told MSN.

"The government accepted all recommendations made by the UN in the previous Universal Periodic Review cycle of Sri Lanka pertaining to religious freedom. We are yet to see some of these recommendations implemented in the country," he added.