In a special interview with Ada Derana, the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith today categorically rejected certain statements that a large number of Christian and Catholic places of worship have been attacked in the past. 

Recently during the ‘Aluth Parlimenthuwa’ programme on TV Derana, attorney-at-law Lakshan Dias had controversially claimed that a total of 166 Christian places of worship had been attacked in the country. 

However, Cardinal Ranjith stated that as the Archbishop of Colombo he is in close contact with the Diocese and Bishops of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka and that he has not heard of churches being harmed to such an extent. “I don’t know where those statistics came from.”

“I do not know whether fundamentalist Christian groups may have attempted to establish churches and such in certain places or attempted to gather members in places they do not have members and were aggrieved.”  

However, with regard to the Catholic Church as far as we know it is hard to say that there have been any such attacks or obstructions to worship in the recent past, he said.

He stated there have definitely been no reports of such incidents occurring at Catholic churches in the Western Province, of which he is in charge of.  

Cardinal Ranjith stated that there is no reason for clashes to occur between religions if the religion is worshipped correctly. He said that unfortunately political forces have attempted to use religion to create discord and seize power or stay in power throughout history. 

Meanwhile Minister of Justice and Buddhasasana Wijedasa Rajapaksa has said that Mr Lakshan Dias should make a public apology to the people of the country within 24 hours. 

Speaking during an event held in Kilinochchi earlier today (17), he warned that necessary steps would be taken for the disbarment of the attorney by Monday.