Monday, 13 January 2014 00:00
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Two Christian churches were attacked by protestors led by Buddhist monks and residents in the town of Hikkaduwa yesterday.
The demonstrators claimed that the churches were operating without authorisation required under a circular issued to govern new places of religious worship issued in 2008 and demanded that the cease holding worship services on the premises. Assembly of God on the Baddegama Road in Hikkaduwa and the Calvary Free Church were both attacked by the mobs yesterday, the church said in a statement. The statement said both churches had been damaged and equipment destroyed by the attacks.
“The congregation was marooned in the building of the Assembly of God church building. The police have not been able to restrain the mob,” the statement from AOG said. Initial assessments have placed damage to the Hikkaduwa AOG at Rs. 500,000 and damage to Calvary Hikkaduwa at between Rs. 1.5-2 million, the church said.
“Police were unable to control the mob,” the church said in its statement. It said the attacks had taken place while the congregation was engaged in religious worship which was a violation under the terms of the Penal Code. (DB)
