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Sri Lanka launches police team to tackle religious disputes

Unit aims to curb Buddhist and minorities in-fighting
Sri Lanka launches police team to tackle religious disputes

Prime Minister DM Jayaratne launches the new religious police unit at the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs in Colombo 

Published: April 28, 2014 10:12 AM GMT
Updated: April 28, 2014 06:16 PM GMT

Sri Lanka launched a special police unit on Monday, to address rising religious tensions between Christians, Muslims and the Buddhist majority.

The new department of 15 designated officers will work under the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs following an announcement by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Thursday.

“If people are not satisfied with the territorial police they will have an opportunity to complain regarding further investigation by this unit,” said SSP Ajith Rohana, a police spokesman.

Minority Christians and Muslims have reported rising instances of attacks by Buddhist extremists in recent years.

At least 30 Muslim centers and business, including mosques, were attacked in Sri Lanka last year. So far in 2014, 40 churches have been targeted, more than during the same period in 2013 when 120 churches came under attack over the course of the year, according to National Christian Alliance (NCA) based in Colombo.

“Many of the mobs have been led by Buddhist monks,” said NCA Chief Executive Godfrey Yogarajah.

Pastors have been beaten up and villagers warned against meeting with religious leaders, he added.

“It is rare for the police to recognize violence against religious minorities and their places of worship. Even more rare is police action against those who threaten and act violently,” said Yogarajah.

The NCA and the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka questioned the independence of the new religious police unit.

Both groups complained that still no action has been taken by police against Buddhist groups, which in turn accuse Christians of illegal conversions and Muslims of defaming Buddha.

The Sri Lankan government has come under pressure by Buddhist groups including Sinhala Ravaya, which in recent months has protested in Colombo against cattle slaughter and filed three legal complaints against Muslim group Thawheed Jamaath.

“According to the constitution, it is the responsibility of the government to protect Buddhism, not to allow all evangelical churches to function here and not allow them to convert our Buddhist brothers,” said Sinhala Ravaya Chairman Akmeemana Dayaratne Thero.

“We are not against all four major religions,” he added.

The UN Human Rights Commission noted in a hearing on Sri Lanka in Geneva last month that religious intolerance is growing as it called for greater investigation by authorities.

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