National
Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka
Incident Report - 31st May 2007
Pastor
and 2 other Christians arrested, allegation of destroying Buddha statues
27th May, 2007
Mt. Carmel Theological College, Kandy District
The Pastor who is the principal of the Theological College and two
others were asked to come to the Police station regarding a complaint made against
them that they have caused destruction to Buddha statues. At the Police station,
they were placed under remand custody. The complaint against them was made by
persons who alleged that two small statues of the Buddha placed by the road
side at Unkelipitiya and Thalathuoya were destroyed by the three Christians.
On Monday 28th, the principal was released on bail as he was able to prove that
he was in the hospital with his daughter who was ill, at the time of the alleged
incident. The other two remain in custody, pending a hearing on the 7th of June.
Although it was said that they were not brought before the magistrate on Monday
pending an identification parade, there has not been an identification parade
up to the point of this report.
There have been mass public protests and protest marches against the Bible college.
However, the local Police have maintained a certain degree of law and order
and prevented any attacks on the college, the students or the pastors. There
were angry reactions after the principal was bailed out. The Principal pastor
has received threats and has been advised to send students away from the College
and also take precautions regarding personal safety. Some private media stations
have highlighted the story on local radio, adding to the tension.
It is reported that a lawyer from the area who initially agreed to represents
the three backed down after being pressurized by interested parties.
Please pray for this situation.
NOTE: NCEASL has made arrangements to facilitate legal representation
for them.
-----------------------------
31/05/2007 NCEASL
Sri Lanka says some police involved in abductions
By Simon Gardner
Reuters
Wednesday, March 7, 2007; 4:03 AM
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's government said on Wednesday it suspects some state security service personnel have been involved in abductions and murders that have mushroomed amid renewed civil war.
The admission comes as President Mahinda Rajapakse's government faces pressure to halt rights abuses blamed on elements of the military as well as
Tamil Tiger rebels and renegades -- and days before an expected roasting by the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The police has arrested more than 450 people since September in connection with a host of crimes including aiding and abetting the Tamil Tigers and abductions and killings -- 20 of those serving in the police and army.
"Out of the arrests of the defense personnel, some may be involved in abductions and killings and disappearances. It is (our suspicion)," Defense Spokesman and government minister Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters.
"In relation to charges, these are things that cannot be done within 24 hours. It will take some time.
Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission says nearly 100 abductions and disappearances have been reported so far this year from the capital Colombo, eastern district of Batticaloa and the besieged northern Jaffna peninsula.
That in turn comes on top of 1,000 cases reported during 2006 as the island's civil war between the state and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in which around 68,000 people have been killed since 1983, resumed.
Human rights groups are lobbying for an international human rights monitoring mission to be sent to Sri Lanka, arguing that witnesses were often reluctant to speak up because there are no safeguards like a witness protection scheme.
"Amnesty International believes nothing could be more effective in reducing the incidents of human rights violations than a genuine commitment by the security forces and the LTTE to respect human rights and stop abuses," said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty International's researcher on Sri Lanka.
"The test of the sincerity of
such a commitment would be a public commitment to agree without delay to the
establishment and deployment of an effective
international human rights monitoring mechanism."
UN envoy Allan Rock says he has credible evidence that elements within the security forces have helped to abduct children as soldiers for a former band of Tamil Tiger rebels who broke away from the mainstream group in 2004 and are now called the Karuna faction.
The government angrily rejects Rock's allegations.
National
Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka
Report - 6th march 2007
Pastor
and three other missing
Pastor Victor Emmanuel Yogarajan (51) his two sons Daniel Yogarajan (22), David
Yogarajan (20) and another young man Joseph Sugandakumar (20) have been reported
missing since the 2nd of March 2007.
Reports from the Pastor's family and the Vavuniya Clergy Fellowship say that
Pastor Yogarajan from the Gospel Missionary Church in Vavuniya was in Colombo
with his two sons and another young man to make some travel arrangements for
them through a travel agent. According to reports, they were last seen leaving
the house in which they stayed overnight in Negombo on the morning of 2nd March
2007 to go to the bus stop, presumably to travel to Colombo .
Since then, their whereabouts are unknown. A complaint has been made by the
family with the Vavuniya Police.
The Negombo Police, when contacted, was not able to shed any light on the whereabouts
of the four men.
Trend of disappearances
This incident is one of an alarming number of disappearances.
In statement issued on the 2nd of March 2007, the Asian Human Rights Commission
said that a disappearance occurs in Sri Lanka every five hours. The The Civil
Monitoring Committee on Extra Judicial Killings and Disappearances said (on
the 4th of March 2007), that they have received nearly 100 complaints of disappearances
from Colombo and other areas.
Given this general status quo, the family members are extremely distressed and
fear for the safety of Pastor Yogarajan and the others.
-----------------------------
06/03/2007 NCEASL