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Sri Lanka: Funeral held for murdered Christian pastor

According to a news release from Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSI), over 1,000 Sri Lankan church leaders gathered for the funeral of Pastor Neil Edirisinghe on 21 February 2008 in Ampara, Sri Lanka – four days after he was murdered by two gunmen outside his home, reports Dan Wooding, founder of ASSIST Ministries. The pastor was shot in the chest and his wife in the stomach in what is believed to be a religiously motivated attack.

“Two men on a motorcycle shot the 37-year-old pastor and his wife, Shiromi, at around 9pm on 17 February as the family returned home from a meal with friends. 31-year-old Shiromi remains unconscious in the Intensive Care Unit at Ampara Base Hospital,” said the CSI release. “The couple’s one-and-a-half-year-old son is also reported to be suffering from minor injuries and severe trauma. The funeral was organized by the Pastors Fellowship of Ampara.”

Police have reportedly arrested four people in connection with the murder. Two of those arrested are members of the Home Guards, who were established by the government to assist the police and military in security and other duties. Reports suggest that this was a contract killing arising from Pastor Edirisinghe’s role in religious conversions, but it is not known exactly who ordered the murder. Pastor Edirisinghe worked at the House Church Foundations and had been involved in church ministry in Ampara for many years. He was also the victim of an attempted arson attack on his home in November 2007.

The CSI released said, “Anti-Christian propaganda has increased as part of a coordinated campaign in recent years. This atmosphere has led to a series of violent attacks on churches nationwide, with some of the perpetrators never being convicted. In 2004 a political party, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (Buddhist Heritage Party), was formed to promote so called ‘anti-conversion’ legislation in an effort to prevent the conversions to Christianity.”

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) Chief Executive, Mervyn Thomas, said: “We are saddened and outraged at the news of the murder of this innocent Pastor. Our thoughts are with Pastor Edirisinghe’s family, and we can only hope and pray his wife and son will make a full recovery. We urge the Sri Lankan Government to take necessary measures to ensure the freedom and protection of Christians in Sri Lanka and implore that justice is served in this case.”

[02/28/2008]

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