Sri Lankan Church Expresses Grief Over Religious Unrest

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Following the religious unrest in Sri Lanka last week that had resulted in destruction of property, including mosques and some 200 Muslim-owned businesses, and loss of three lives and 20 injured in the district of Kandy, the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCS) has appealed to every citizen to not to destabilize the already fragile government but make every effort to bring back the atmosphere to normal.

After the brutal clashes, the Sri Lankan government declared a 10-day state of emergency.

The NCCS said is deeply distressed at the significant escalation in Inter-Religious tensions which have lead to the loss of life and damage to property.

"We appeal to all Peace-Loving Citizens in this country to take into consideration the heavy price we have paid for nearly three decades of war and violence and to work towards the peaceful resolution of the issues that are causing these acts of violence which are not in line with the righteous principles upon which this country is founded," it said in a statement.

"We appeal to all Political Parties and other formations to act with restraint and not to contribute further to the destabilization of an already fragile Government, causing greater harm to the economy of the country and ultimately negatively affecting the poorer sections of our people," it added.

The ecumenical body has also requested the law enforcement authorities to act without partiality.

The NCCS reiterated its ongoing commitment to work with any and all faith groups as "we seek to collectively restore peace and harmony for every citizen of this country," read the statement.