Alliance News : Jan - Mar 2016

No Place to Bury the Dead

P. 4

JANUARY - MARCH 2016 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE NATIONAL CHRISTIAN EVANGELICAL ALLIANCE OF SRI LANKA

This Publication is for Private Circulation Only

What’s up @ the NCEASL

Surrounded by a bird sanctuary and a lagoon, the Sanctuary House Retreat and Training Centre has been inspired to develop their own vegetable plot. The vegetables thrive on the rich nutrients readily available in the soil. The produce is used to complement delicious meals for which the Sanctuary House is famous.

The Law, the Church and All Things Sacred It had only been a month into the new year when the Religious Liberty Commission recorded over 15 incidents of violence and intimidation against Christians. While the election of a new government in 2015 seemed to bring to an end the state support once enjoyed by religious extremist groups, local government authorities do not appear to be on the same page as the new government, Cont’d P. 2

There is a New Seamstress at Warakapola Forty-nine year old Sriyani Mangalika lives with her husband Tilakaratne and three children, all under the age of 16, in a little village situated on the outskirts of Warakapola. Battling with bad landlords and struggling to support her family by supplementing her husband’s income as a carpenter, leaves Sriyani exhausted. She pounds rice at a nearby mill in addition to taking on other odd jobs, to bring home a bit of extra cash. Cont’d P. 2

Hope for Children Living Positive Senuri* is a 11 year old girl who does not have many friends. She spends most of her time playing with her 8 year old brother because he does not go to school either. People stay clear of Senuri once they learn that she is infected with HIV. Cont’d P. 7

Even though there has been a decline in persecution of Christians perpetrated by Buddhist extremist groups in 2016, the NCEASL has recorded 25 incidents instigated by and involving government officials during the January to March period.

In this issue we focus on the accounts of Christians being persecuted for their faith and the role that the NCEASL has played in addressing it.

This issue also highlights the NCEASL’s work with pastors and ministry workers in equipping them to create awareness on the spread of leprosy in Sri Lanka.

A programme designed to support People Living with HIV and AIDS, specifically children who suffer ostracisation and rejection from their peer groups, was also organised by the ADT. We hope you find this issue interesting. Please feel free to contact us for comments or feedback on our publications!

The Media and Communications Unit

Page 1 Alliance News January-March 2016

The Law, the Church... Cont’d P. 1 that promised to “prevent actions and speech that lead to denigration of of other races and religions”. This was also highlighted in the Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for 2015, that noted that “police harassed religious minorities at their houses of worship, did not stop religiously-motivated attacks and sometimes participated in them…”

The RLC’s documentation that contributed to the findings of the USCIRF continued to record incidents of discrimination, particularly by state officials in relation to education, the freedom of worship and even Christian burials.

Ps. Premathileke, a one-time security force personnel is now a pastor of a church in the Ampara District. He was one among the 29 Christian clergy and pastoral workers gathered in Kalmunai on 17 February to have these concerns addressed. Ps. Premathileke has spent years trying to comprehend the ambiguous laws and regulations surrounding Christian ministry in Sri Lanka. “Today I learnt a new thing; there is no need to register a church. I was of the opinion that we needed to register!” he said, confident in his newly acquired knowledge. Like Ps. Premathileke, several other participants who had come from Batticaloa and Ampara were perplexed by calls from local government authorities, who refer to vague ‘circulars’ to register their churches with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs.

While apprising the participants of their rights, the participants were also made aware of their responsibilities with regard to the freedom of religion and belief. The importance of cultural sensitivity in the manifestation of their faith was also highlighted at the workshop. Participants were encouraged to be mindful of practices that may cause a disturbance, prove offensive or even intensify existing tensions. The importance of adhering to the protocol for the use of loudspeakers in residential and non-residential areas was another one of the subjects discussed in this regard.

The workshop was a source of encouragement to Ps. Singh who had begun to face run-ins with the law in carrying out his ministry.

He was confident that he would be able to resolve the problems he faced to a great extent through what he learnt at the workshop that day. “Even though I once heard about the regulations surrounding the construction of religious places of worship – today I understood what it all meant!” he said, thankful that he was now equipped not only with knowledge of his rights but also his responsibilities as a citizen.

Visit www.nceasl.org for more on ‘The Law, the Church and All Things Sacred’

There is a New Seamstress... Cont’d P. 1 Over the last couple of years however, the family’s financial situation has taken a turn for the better; Sriyani is encouraged and hopeful that she could do even better for her family.

Ever since Sriyani discovered that she had a flair for needlework, she began to see herself as a seamstress in the village. However, she never had the means by which to make this dream a reality. The Religious Liberty Commission of the NCEASL, who met Sriyani at a camp organised for women who faced persecution for their faith, felt that they could support her to help fulfil her goal of buying a sewing machine.

“I plan to buy the material from Katunayake – I will be able to get it quite cheap from there” she said, explaining her business plans. She plans to concentrate her efforts on sewing rugs and selling them to a wholesale shop close to where she lives.

“I was privileged to attend the women’s camp and learnt a lot of things which I shared with the rest of my family. I thank God from the bottom of my heart for giving me a livelihood” said Sriyani, looking forward to better days to come.

Sriyani tries out the new machine as her husband looks on Page 2 Alliance News January-March 2016

#EmpoweredWomen

Page 3 Alliance News January-March 2016

FEATURE STORY

R

Ministry in the Wilderness: No Place to Bury the Dead

amesh* was teacher at a school in Colombo when he heard God’s calling. Like Abraham, God led Ps. Ramesh from familier surroundings into the wilderness. “We came into the desert without anything for ourselves” recalls Ramesh. “We came to quench the thirst of the people with the Word of God.” As a pastor ministering at the Bethel Assemblies of God Church in Serukele, Ps. Ramesh has served the Christians living in the area for 15 years. Even though there were many who came to the pastor in search of the Good News, life in this rural area has been extremely challenging for his entire family.

As they faced several financial problems, Ps. Ramesh’s family had to make many sacrifices along the way. His ministry too has faced difficulties since its inception when the pastor would conduct prayer services in the homes of his congregation.

The leaders of other faiths obstructed the pastor’s ministry. They were not happy that the pastor had chosen their neighbourhood for his ministry. These clergy would often instigate the villagers to protest against the pastor and his ministry. It is quite common that Ps. Ramesh would be followed and a member of his congregation would be threatened against attending the services.

With the dawn of 2016, the situation faced by the pastor and his congregation worsened.

A young girl from the pastor’s congregation passed away. The family members together with the pastor were preparing for her burial when they came to know that the religious leaders had petitioned against Christian burials in the public cemetery.

They had even secured permission from the Assistant Government Agent’s office in order to ensure that this burial does not take place.

Desperate and confused, Ps. Ramesh tried his best to secure the necessary permission to carry out the final rites for the deceased.

Vehement opposition from Buddhist monks of the village however ensured that the pastor could not secure permission to proceed with the burial.

This is when Ps. Ramesh contacted the NCEASL for advice. Following their counsel, the pastor asked the area police to obtain a magistrate’s order permitting him to proceed with the burial at another public cemetery located in close proximity to the

village Catholic church. This order was thereby obtained on 5 January. He was also promised police protection which would ensure that the burial service will not be interrupted. Thus, the family of the deceased were preparing for the burial on 6 January when villagers began their protest at approximately 9 a.m., ignoring the presence of the two police officers providing protection. The Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the area police station who arrived at the location too was unable to disperse the crowds. He asked that the deceased be buried in the cemetery of the adjoining village. The OIC further coerced the pastor into signing a letter which stated that he will not bury Christians in the village burial grounds.

Sadly, this is not the only problem the pastor and his congregation has faced in the recent past. On 17 January, Ps. Ramesh was warned that a meeting was held in the village temple to discuss his activities in the village. The pastors source told him that the villagers were planning on destroying his life and his church. The threats against members of the congregation too has intensified. The family which donated the land for the newly constructed Bethel Assemblies of God Church is facing several problems too.

They are not permitted to officially transfer the land to to the church. The District Secretary for the Serukele area has even threatened to take away their home.

The obstacles placed by the state officials, often under the counsel of the religious leaders, are proving to be the greatest of problems.

Encouraged by the example of their leaders, the villagers too have begun to intimidate their neighbours.

greatest pressure he is faced with is the issue regarding burial of Christians. “We are afraid that in the event someone passes away, we will have to wage war to secure a place for the burial.”

He explained that even though there is 40 perches of land which could be used as a burial ground for Christians, it is a problem securing necessary permission from the state officials. This situation is greatly affecting Ps. Ramesh’s ministry too. People are afraid to embrace the faith as they are concerned that they will not receive a proper burial because they are Christians. “We are living with a great psychological pressure” exclaimed

“We are afraid that in the event someone passes away, we will have to wage war to secure a place for the burial.” - Ps. Ramesh

Ps. Ramesh wonders what his next course of action should be

“They did not permit us to bury our dead because they are against our faith” the pastor explained. “The priests and monks caused several problems and did not allow us to use any of the two cemeteries in this village.” The situation seems to be worsening for Ps. Ramesh and his church. They live in fear of the anger and hate of the other villagers. “They say that they will burn us, attack us, chase us away or kill us” Ps. Ramesh said. However, he ignores this threat against his life as he explains that the

Ps. Ramesh who went on to express his gratitude for the NCEASL’s support in this time of discouragement. “The NCEASL promised to help us secure a court order to bury our dead” he explained. “They helped us a lot with legal support. We find a great deal of encouragement from the NCEASL.” *Name has been changed to protect the identity of the speaker Visit www.nceasl.org for more on incidents of intimidation and violence against Christians

Page 5 Alliance News January-March 2016

NEWS IN BRIEF Human Rights Seminar in Kotamale The Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) conducted a Human Rights seminar in Kotmale on 27 December. The 45 participants who attended this seminar consisted community leaders who represented those who work in the tea plantations in the Kotmale area. The seminar followed a local forum held with this community earlier, during which the RLC identified several rights’ violations faced by the estate workers. Thereby this seminar was organised with the aim of redressing these issues. This seminar which was conducted in Tamil, was facilitated by Mr. R. Ramesh – a Political Science lecturer at the Peradeniya University. The community leaders who participated in this seminar were equipped with basic information which would help them ensure that the rights of the workers are not violated. The topics which were addressed at this seminar included workers’ rights, public health issues, economic rights and environmental issues.

From Kindergarden to Masters in Experiential Training The Sanctuary House (SH) is now more than a venue with meals and accommodation for retreats, camps and workshops. This year, the SH graduated to become a fully-fledged training facility with an in-house experiential trainer trained by Breakthrough India. The SH now designs and facilitates experiential training programmes in the vernacular. These training programmes are designed for organisations working towards developing high performance teams.

Using experiential training as an effective tool for learning and behavioural change, the SH ensures that everyone has a role to play in developing a mindset for a new learning experience. The fun and enjoyment associated with this form of practical learning help them grasp the lessons learnt in the session. Formerly, experiential training at the SH centred around team-building activities and exercises. The new programmes encompass indoor as well as outdoor activities that are aimed at basic team building, interdependence, cooperation, bonding, strategising, working

Camp for Persecuted Women Sets Precedent The Religious Liberty Commission, held a camp for persecuted women that included 55 pastor’s wives and daughters who had faced challenges from those hostile to Christianity. This camp that was held for the very first time proved to be very successful.

The residential camp was conducted at the Sanctuary House, Pamunugama for 4 days from 15 – 18 September 2015 and consisted of several in-depth programmes conducted by specialists in gender, occupational therapy, Christian counselling and spiritual upliftment, which were designed to help the participants forgive, heal and be strengthened to face new challenges. The

participants started each day with praise, worship and prayer. The sessions that were conducted demonstrated how women in other parts of the world faced persecution with God’s grace, while seeking remedies within the legal framework of their countries.

Participants were also advised of their rights under the Sri Lanka Constitution that provided safeguards for Religious Freedom under Articles 10 and 14. An encouraging video on how Michael Lapsley, a South African Anglican Priest and Social Justice Activist who faced persecution for his opposition to the apartheid system, were shown to participants. Several participants shared their testimonies and all participated in group activities that helped them share their painful experiences and pray for each other as well as engage in exercises that helped in the healing of memories. The camp was conducted with Tamil and Sinhala interpretation for the benefit of the participants who were comfortable in the local languages.

Special Canadian guests conducted sessions and uplifted participants with individual counselling and prayer.

Drainage System for an Urban Slum The community living in Vihara Lane, Wellawatte experience great difficulty during the rainy season. Due to the lack of a proper drainage system, 25 families face flooding and as a result cannot step out of their homes on such days. In inclement weather conditions, these families are forced to wade through knee-deep water. The children are the worst affected by this situation as they find it hard to brave the floods with their school uniforms and shoes. Following a request from the community, the ADT constructed a drainage system for the benefit of the affected families. The unlevel ground that was prone to flooding was also cemented by the ADT on 26 November. The ADT ensured that the families that benefited from this drainage system contributed their labour towards the construction work. This guarantees that the community will continue to maintain this newly constructed drainage system.

Three Seminars for Nothern Christian Leaders During the month of November, Missions and Evangelism conducted three seminars for christian leaders in the Northern districts. A total of 80 women from the Northern districts attended the seminar titled Leading in Love which was also replicated for 65 women from the Gampaha District. The training was focused on leading in love as Christ did. Further, a strategic meeting was held for 42 senior pastors from Jaffna to discuss the need to unite in a nation-building effort in partnership with each other. To further emphasise the learnings from the strategic meeting, a programme on partnership was organised for 65 pastors and church leaders from Jaffna. Those who attended this seminar learned biblical basics on partnership with God and with each other. The participants at these seminars were greatly benefited by Partners International who facilitated the programme.

Page 6 Alliance News Oct-Dec 2015

Hope for Children... Cont’d P. 1 Schools refuse her admission and neighbours do not permit their children to play with her. Senuri does not really understand why people do not like her family and this makes her very sad.

She hoped that things will change for the better in 2016. Sadly though, the people in her village demanded that Senuri’s family leaves the village. Senuri remembers how terrified and sad she felt standing on the road when the New Year dawned. Her parents are very worried as to what lies ahead for their family.

Then one day, Senuri’s family received an invitation from the Alliance Development Trust (ADT). The ADT had invited a total of 56 children and 44 adults for a special programme on 16 January. In a bid to give hope to a group of marginalised persons, the ADT’s Sexual and Reproductive Health desk reached out to persons living with AIDS and those at risk of contracting the virus. Due to the stigma surrounding such persons, they find it extremely difficult to secure employment and often live in appalling conditions. The New Year Hugs programme was thereby organised with the problems of such persons in mind. This programme which began with breakfast was filled with a variety of performances. The dramas enacted expounded beautiful messages of acceptance and advice on how to change one’s life. A game of musical chairs then commenced

E

to the delight of the children. Senuri laughed in delight whilst her brother desperately tried to win the competition.

This day could only get better for Senuri and her family. It was a time to forget their woes and enjoy themselves, at least momentarily. Senuri and her brother had mixed feelings when they received school bags filled with stationery items. Even though they felt sad that they could not go to school, they were happy because they could study, draw and make crafts with the help of the books, pastels, board and coloured paper.

Senuri clapped hard when her mother’s name was called; she received a voucher worth SLR 2,000 which would pay for groceries. Even though the programme finished after lunch, Senuri’s family stayed on to talk to the ADT officers. “We are in a very desperate situation with nowhere to go” said Senuri’s parents, explaining the incident they had faced recently. They were grateful for the advice and the promise of assistance from the ADT. Senuri’s mother was also thankful for the invitation to attend this programme. “The children enjoyed themselves and we are grateful for the gifts” she said. *Name has been changed to protect the identity of the beneficiary

Leprosy Sunday: Embracing the Rejected

ach year, the last Sunday in the month of January is set aside for World Leprosy Day. On this day, outreach programmes are held worldwide to increase public awareness that leprosy can be easily prevented and cured.

The NCEASL through its Touch Anti-Leprosy Campaign has to date trained 724 church leaders from 21 districts in a bid to counter the stigma and wrong perceptions attached to the disease. Persons affected by leprosy are ostracised by their families and communities due to the lack of awareness on prevention and cure. This year, Leprosy Sunday was marked by 214 pastors who preached on a different aspect to this issue. On the theme of ‘reaching out to the rejected’ they spoke on the parable of the Good Samaritan and why Christians should reach out to those around them who are sick, hurting, rejected and ostracised. The pastors expounded on how Christians should overcome social barriers which prevent them from dedicating themselves to the welfare of those living without hope and advocating for their needs. “While preaching I saw some burst into tears as they understood what it is to be rejected. I got my congregation to take a stone and think of a family member or community member whom they have rejected. Then I got them to keep that stone at the foot of the cross making a commitment to reach out to that person” said Ps. Nilantha from Kataragama.

“While preaching I saw some burst into tears as they understood what it is to be rejected. I got my congregation to take a stone and think of a family member or community member whom they have rejected. Then I got them to keep that stone at the foot of the cross making a commitment to reach out to that person”

Page 7 Alliance News January-March 2016

PROJECTS AT A GLANCE MISSIONS AND EVANGELISM Pastors’ Fellowship Meetings for 83 Pastors from Jaffna, Monaragala, Rakwana and Polonnaruwa The NCEASL Met the Colombo-North Pastors’ Fellowship Committee Members 33 Church Leaders Attended the Task Force Meeting 46 Scholarships Given to Theology Students from Lanka Bible College, Colombo Theological School and the Assemblies of God Church 6 Pastors Supported with Livelihood Support Emergency Relief Support to 2 Pastors Publications – Worship that Honours God (in Sinhala) by Dr. Ajith Fernando, Reading the Bible for All Its Worth (reprint) and Pezhaipura (first edition)

RELIGIOUS LIBERTY COMMISSION A Human Rights Seminar Held in Matale for 46 Community Leaders 2 Advocacy Seminars Held for 39 Pastors in Ampara and Batticaloa An Advocacy Training Seminar for 18 Community Leaders in Kandy Emergency Assistance for 6 Pastors from Balangoda, Puttalam, Hambantota, Batticaloa and Meegoda 3 Students from Gampaha and Batticaloa Supported through the Kids Ed Programme Evangel Care Scholarship Programme Extended Its Support to 220 Children Over 350 Bibles Distributed in Northern, North Central and Eastern Provinces Legal Aid for 10 Pastors in Mathugama, Kandy, Balangoda, Meegoda, Mannar, Gampaha, Alawwa, Anuradhapura and Ratnapura Legal Intervention on Behalf of 6 Pastors Persecuted for Their Faith and Ministry Livelihood Assistance for 6 Families in Trincomalee, Anuradhapura and Puttalam

RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT A Volleyball Competition for 36 Children and 25 Adults in Galle A Medical Examination for 185 Children and 170 Adults in Galle A Leadership Training Programme for 7 Leaders of the Change Makers Club in Ratmalana A Volunteer Training Programme for 24 Volunteers from Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya and Anuradhapura

Page 8 Alliance News January-March 2016