A group of Buddhists headed by a monk destroyed a Christian church in the North West Province of Sri Lanka earlier this month, leaving worshippers to now conduct their prayers under a tree.
The Kithu Sevana prayer centre in Paharaiya was attacked by the mob on January 5, said a leader of the Christian community in the region, Kamal Wasantha.
"First, they threatened us verbally,” he said. “Then they came with wooden sticks, iron bars and knives and destroyed everything."
"The Lord's house was pulled down in front of our eyes, as we asked God to forgive them," he added.
Though over 200 witnesses had named the Buddhist monk and 12 others responsible for the attack, Sri Lankan police have released all the accused on bail.
The police “know the names and facts about the culprits, who live in the same village,” said Lakshan Dias, a Christian attorney
“ Sri Lanka has failed to uphold freedom of religion. The country’s dominant ideology, that of Buddhist Sinhalese, undermines the minorities."
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