Church of the American Ceylon Mission vehemently condemns recent violence

Church of the American Ceylon Mission Sri Lanka vehemently condemns the violence that broke out in the country on the 9th of May, 2022. We as a church believe in peace through Justice. We also believe that violence will close all avenues in finding everlasting solutions to the present economic and political crisis of our country. We all agree that our people of all levels are facing immense hardship due to the devaluation of our currency and the non-availability of the essential goods such as milk powder, gas, fuel, power, etc. While the prices of all goods have sky rocketed, the incomes of our citizens have not increased. It is obvious that these mess-ups are because of the vision-less government and its leaders. The youth of our country wanted a remedy for this crisis and they peacefully, for more than a month, requested the government to step down. But the government neither stepped down nor provided any remedies to the crisis.

Instead of providing relief to the crisis, the thugs, after a meeting with the Prime Minister in his official residence, engaged in a violent attack on ordinary peaceful protesters in front of the ‘Temple Trees’ and in front of the Presidential secretariat. They brutally attacked innocent protesters, including women and children. This act of violence boomeranged and spread throughout the country, resulting in severe damages to private and state properties.

We the Church of the American Ceylon Mission, being promoters of peace with justice, strongly condemn this act of pre-planned, politically-motivated, and instigated act of violence against ordinary peaceful demonstrators. We urge the government to bring the culprits before the law.

We also condemn the acts of violence by the demonstrators. We urge them to refrain from any form of violence, for violence will not bring any solution to the crisis. But continue your just protest through peaceful demonstrations. We the Church of the American Ceylon Mission is always in support of any peaceful and just demands of the people.