Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR, France
Email : tchrgs@tchr.net / tchrdip@tchr.net
Christian Churches attacked/destroyed/damaged and assaults
by mobs led by Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka
(2003 - January 2004)
No. Name of Church/person/ Address District Date of Damage caused
  Incident     incident    
1 (Un known) Homagama Homagama 04/01/04 Church was withdrawn temporarily
after threats were issued to vacate
2 Anti-Christian Demonstration Embilipitiya Ratnapura 09/12/03 Speakers in the rally exhorted the
public to attack and smash
Christian churches
3 Anti-Christian Demonstration Homagama Homagama 11/01/04 5000 Buddists monks marched in
an anti-Christian demonstration rally
4 Apostolic Church Padhaviya, Siripura Anuradhapura 16/12/03 Protest rally demanding closure
of the Church
5 Apostolic Church Padhaviya, Siripura Anuradhapura 27/03/03 Church was set on fire
6 Apostolic Church Wadduwa Wadduwa 27/12/03 House of a parishioner was attacked
by mob
7 Apostolic Church Wadduwa Wadduwa 28/12/03 Mob demanded that Church
meetings should be stopped
8 Aroma Church Aluthgama Aluthgama 29/12/03 Church has stopped all services
because of threat from mob
9 Aroma Church-Children'sHome Buruthakeie Chilaw 30/12/03 Church was set on fire
10 Assembley of God Neluwa Neluwa 13/06/03 Pastor's residence was attacked
and set on fire
11 Assembly of God Church Balapitiya Ambalangoda ??/10/03 Mob demanded the closure of the
Church within one month
12 Assembly of God Church Ambanpola Ambanpola 24/12/03 Mob demanded the Church to
close down
13 Assembly of God Church Anuradhapura Anuradhapura 26/12/03 Church was stoned by mob
14 Assembly of God Church Bollatte Batuwatte 19/10/03 Mobs disrupted the service and
threateaned the worshippers
15 Assembly of God Church Embilipitiya Embilipitiya 12/10/03 Church service was disrupted and
the Pastor and the worshipers forced
to leave the bulding
16 Assembly of God Church Weliweriya Gampha 15/01/04 A Church member denied burial at
public cemetery by mob. Later body
was buried in disused family garden
17 Assembly of God Church Ganemulla Ganemulla ??/08/03 AOG workshipers homes attacked
18 Assembly of God Church Hikkaduwa Hikkaduwa 02/08/03 Mob demanded the closure of the
Church within a week.
19 Assembly of God Church Deraniyagala Kegalle 07/12/03 Church was attacked and Bibles
were set on fire
20 Assembly of God Church Bulathkokupitiya Kegalle 07/12/03 Church was stormed,Church workers
were beaten and belongings were
set on fire
21 Assembly of God Church Kesbewa Kesbewa 07/08/03 Church was stoned
22 Assembly of God Church Kesbewa Kesbewa 08/09/02 Pastor and worshippers were
threatened with death
23 Assembly of God Church Kesbewa Kesbewa 14/08/03 Church was attacked with bomb
24 Assembly of God Church Kesbewa Kesbewa 25/09/03 Church was completely destroyed
by mob
25 Assembly of God Church Kotadeniyawa Kotadeniyawa 17/09/03 Church women workers were
brutally attacked
26 Assembly of God Church Kotedeniya Kotadeniyawa 23/09/03 Church was burned down
27 Assembly of God Church Kotadeniyawa Kotadeniyawa 23/09/03 Church was set on fire
28 Assembly of God Church Kotadeniyawa Kotadeniyawa 17/09/03 Four women working in the Church
beaten and attempted rape by mob
29 Assembly of God Church Vankalai Mannar 05/10/03 Worshippers beaten up by mobs
30 Assembly of God Church Vankalai Mannar 12/10/03 Worshippers beaten up by mob
31 Assembly of God Church Mirigama Mirigama 04/01/04 Pastor was threatened stop services
32 Assembly of God Church Kirimatiyana Negombo 04/01/04 Church storage was burned down
33 Assembly of God Church Embilipitiya Ratnapura 09/12/03 Mob threatened to burn the Church
34 Assembly of God Church Udawalawe Ratnapura 09/12/03 Church and Pastors's residence
attacked by mob
35 Assembly of God Church Thanamalwila Thanamalwila 02/08/03 Church worker was beaten
36 Calvary Church Hikkaduwa Hikkaduwa 02/08/03 Church was attacked and a church
worker was beaten
37 Calvary Church Thalapathpitiya Thalapathpitiya 24/12/03 House of a parishioner was attacked
by mob
38 Calvary Church Wattegedara Wattegedara 13/01/04 Church was attacked by mob
39 Calvary Church Thalapathpitiya Thalapathpitiya 13/01/04 A trishaw parked in the Church
premises was set on fire
40 Catholic Church Hokandara Hokandara 18/01/04 Church was attacked causing serious
damage to Church belongings
41 Catholic Church Homagama Homagama 15/01/04 Church was set on fire
42 Catholic Church Homagama Homagama 30/11/03 Church was attacked
43 Catholic Church Meegoda Meegoda 28/12/03 Church was attacked causing
serious damage to belongings
44 Catholic Church Embilipitiya Ratnapura 09/12/03 Church was set fire in the presence
of Army soldiers
45 Christian Centre Meegoda Meegoda 28/12/03 Church was demolished by mob
46 Christian Fellowship Church Thalapitiya Panandura 28/12/03 Mob thrown stones at the Church
and demanded the closure
47 Christian Fellowship Church Wadduwa Wadduwa 28/12/03 Church was attacked and a copy of
the Church registration was taken
away by Buddhist Monk
48 Christian homes Kotadeniyawa Kotadeniyawa 08/12/03 Christian homes were stoned
during night
49 Christmas Eve 24/12/03 Christian community was accused
of a conspiracy to murder.Ven Soma
Thero, who dided in Russia following
a heart disease.
50 Christmas Eve 24/12/03 Christmas Eve midnight services
were cancelled in most of the
Churches in Sri Lanka
51 Eternal Church Kadawatha Kadawatha 12/10/03 Pastor and the worshippers were
beaten and Church belongings were
set on fire
52 Eternal Church Kadawatha Kadawatha 19/07/03 Mob attempted to set fire to the
Church
53 Foursquare Gospel Church Anamaduwa Anamaduwa 04/01/04 Pastor was accosted and assaulted
54 Foursquare Gospel Church Pita Kotte Pita Kotte 03/01/04 Pastor's residence was stoned at
midnight
55 Foursquare Gospel Church Pugoda Pugoda 10/01/04 Church members received death
threat from mob
56 Gethsemana Prayer Centre Kandy Kandy 05/10/03 Church and the worshippers were
attacked by the mob
57 Gethsemana Prayer Centre Marandagahamula Peliyagoda 28/09/03 Church new building was set on fire
and worshippers were beaten
58 Good News Central Church Thennekumbura Thennekumbura 10/01/04 Church was attacked and belongings
were set on fire
59 Harvest Ministries Church Peralanda Kandana 29/12/03 Church was set on fire
60 Heavenly Harvest Church Kaluvenkerni Batticaloa 22/05/03 Mobs threatened the worshippers
with death if they continue
Church activities
61 Heavenly Harvest Church Kaluvenkerni Batticaloa 25/05/03 Church was attacked and looted.
Pastor and the worshippers were
beaten. 30 people injured.
62 Independent Church Maharanugegoda Kadawatha 28/12/03 Pastor was threatened to close
down the Church
63 Independent Church Kaduwela Kaduwela 28/12/03 (Incident not yet confirmed)
64 Independent Church Bulathkokupitiya Kegalle 07/12/03 Mob looted the Church
65 Independent Church Polgasowita, Halpita Polgasowita, Halpita 15/03/03 Protest rally demanding closure
of the Church
66 Independent Church Polgasowita, Halpita Polgasowita, Halpita 06/04/03 Sr.Amarasinghe's son was attacked
and damanded closure of this
Church
67 Independent Church Wadduwa Wadduwa 04/01/04 Church was stoned and threatened
to close down the Church
68 Independent Prayer Centre Homagama Homagama 10/01/04 Mob demanded the closure of the
Church with a week
69 Kings Revival Church Maharagama Maharagama 07/01/04 Mob demanded the Church to
close down within a week
70 Kings Revival Church Maharagama Maharagama 28/12/03 Church was attacked causing
serious damage to belongings
71 King's Revival Church Maharagama Maharagama 24/12/03 December 24-26 the Church was
stoned by mob
72 King's Revival Church Maharagama Maharagama 28/12/03 Church was attacked by mob
73 Kithuhimi Sevana Homagama Homagama 07/01/04 Mob demanded the closure of the
Church
74 Margaya Felloship Church Aandigama Aandigama ??/01/04 Pastor was threatened with death, if
he continued with Church activity.
75 Margaya Felloship Church Bulathkokupitiya Kegalle 07/12/03 Church was set on fire
76 Margaya Felloship Church Matugama Matugama 11/01/04 Church was attacked causing
serious damage to the belongings
77 Margaya Felloship Church Kumarakattuwa Puttalam ??/01/04 Pastor was threatened with death.
78 Massive Buddhist rally Homagama Homagama 25/01/04 Protest rally against Christian
Churches in Sri Lanka
79 Methodist Church Rathgama Rathgama 27/07/03 Mobs attempted to attack the
Church averted by the Police
80 Methodist Church Rathgama Rathgama 02/08/03 Church was attacked and workers
were beaten
81 Pastor - Lutheron Church Emmanuel Lutheran Church Horana ??/07/03 Pastor threatened with death
82 Pastor and worshipers Ampegama, Baddegama Balapitiya 03/12/03 Pastor and worshippers were beaten
by mobs
83 Pastor Ranjith Assembly of God Church Lunugamvehera 02/08/03 Pastor was beaten and demanded
closure of the Church
84 Pastor Sumith Gunasekera Margaya Church, Embilipitiya Ratnapura 18/03/03 Pastor was abducted and stabbed
with knife
85 Philadeelphia Church Obeyasekerapura Rajagiriya 26/10/03 7th year anniversary celebration
was disrupted by the mobs
86 St.Stepphen'sLutheran Church Orutota Gampha 03/06/03 Church was attacked and looted
87 World Vision Head office Borella, Colombo Colombo 13/11/03 Office was stormed by mobs
and demanded closure
88 World Vision office Embilipitiya Ratnapura 09/12/03 Office was attacked causing
serious damaged to blongings
89 World Vision office Anuradhapura Anuradhapura 09/02/04 Mobs hurled petrol bombs setting it
ablaze