Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka tackle tsunami aftermath
-05/01/06
One year afte
Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka tackle tsunami aftermath
-05/01/06
One year after Sri Lanka was struck by the devastating tsunami that wreaked destruction throughout south and southeast Asia, churches in the island nation say their relief work has promoted better relations with the country’s Buddhist majority, reports Anto Akkara for Ecumenical News International.
“It [the tsunami] has given us an opportunity to work closely with the Buddhist people and win their confidence,” said the Rev Lesley Weerasinghe, Methodist pastor in the southern port city of Galle, where more than 4000 people were killed by the giant waves.
Initially, Weerasinghe recalled, local Buddhists staged demonstrations when he tried to start building houses for Buddhist tsunami victims at a plot purchased by the church at Pujadigama village.
“They thought we were going to build a church in their village. But when they realised that we were building houses for Buddhists, they started supporting us,” said the Methodist pastor.
Buddhists had been the major beneficiaries of Methodist relief work including houses, items such as boats and financial assistance to restart business destroyed in Galle, he noted.
“Before the tsunami, many Buddhists thought that Christians were trying to convert the Buddhists by our social service. But our tsunami relief work has started removing that fear,” said Weerasinghe.
Buddhists account for almost 70 per cent of Sri Lanka’s 20 million people, while Christians tally just over 6 per cent. The 26 December 2004 tsunami claimed more than 35 000 lives and displaced nearly one million people.
The Rev Kingsley Perera, chairperson of Sri Lanka’s National Christian Council and president of the Baptist Council of Sri Lanka, told ENI that the tsunami relief work has “certainly led to better harmony and understanding” with Buddhists.
When local Buddhists opposed construction of houses for tsunami victims by the Baptist church in Paraliya village, 70 kilometres south of the capital Colombo, church workers approached the chief Buddhist monk of the area, Perera noted.
“The monk went from house to house explaining our work to the people and got their consent for our work,” he said. The venerable Hedigalle Wimalasara, a leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, a political party formed by Buddhist monks, said, “The tsunami has brought the people and the religious leaders together.”
Wimalasara noted that when the tsunami struck, more than 1500 families including Christians and Muslims took shelter in his monastery 65 kilometres south of Colombo. The Buddhist monk said, “We are coming closer day by day.”
With grateful acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Civil war victims in Sri Lanka losing out to tsunami focus 03/01/06; Sri Lanka politician gunned down in Catholic cathedral 01/01/06; Millions mourn tsunami victims one year on; Sri Lankan bishops say peace process must be inclusive; Christians urged to stir up a storm in a tea cup]
Christians and Buddhists in Sri Lanka tackle tsunami aftermath
-05/01/06
One year after Sri Lanka was struck by the devastating tsunami that wreaked destruction throughout south and southeast Asia, churches in the island nation say their relief work has promoted better relations with the country’s Buddhist majority, reports Anto Akkara for Ecumenical News International.
“It [the tsunami] has given us an opportunity to work closely with the Buddhist people and win their confidence,” said the Rev Lesley Weerasinghe, Methodist pastor in the southern port city of Galle, where more than 4000 people were killed by the giant waves.
Initially, Weerasinghe recalled, local Buddhists staged demonstrations when he tried to start building houses for Buddhist tsunami victims at a plot purchased by the church at Pujadigama village.
“They thought we were going to build a church in their village. But when they realised that we were building houses for Buddhists, they started supporting us,” said the Methodist pastor.
Buddhists had been the major beneficiaries of Methodist relief work including houses, items such as boats and financial assistance to restart business destroyed in Galle, he noted.
“Before the tsunami, many Buddhists thought that Christians were trying to convert the Buddhists by our social service. But our tsunami relief work has started removing that fear,” said Weerasinghe.
Buddhists account for almost 70 per cent of Sri Lanka’s 20 million people, while Christians tally just over 6 per cent. The 26 December 2004 tsunami claimed more than 35 000 lives and displaced nearly one million people.
The Rev Kingsley Perera, chairperson of Sri Lanka’s National Christian Council and president of the Baptist Council of Sri Lanka, told ENI that the tsunami relief work has “certainly led to better harmony and understanding” with Buddhists.
When local Buddhists opposed construction of houses for tsunami victims by the Baptist church in Paraliya village, 70 kilometres south of the capital Colombo, church workers approached the chief Buddhist monk of the area, Perera noted.
“The monk went from house to house explaining our work to the people and got their consent for our work,” he said. The venerable Hedigalle Wimalasara, a leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, a political party formed by Buddhist monks, said, “The tsunami has brought the people and the religious leaders together.”
Wimalasara noted that when the tsunami struck, more than 1500 families including Christians and Muslims took shelter in his monastery 65 kilometres south of Colombo. The Buddhist monk said, “We are coming closer day by day.”
With grateful acknowledgements to ENI. Ecumenical News International is jointly sponsored by the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Conference of European Churches.
[Also on Ekklesia: Civil war victims in Sri Lanka losing out to tsunami focus 03/01/06; Sri Lanka politician gunned down in Catholic cathedral 01/01/06; Millions mourn tsunami victims one year on; Sri Lankan bishops say peace process must be inclusive; Christians urged to stir up a storm in a tea cup]