COLOMBO, Jan 12: With the controversial anti -conversion bill to be presented in the Parliament shortly, anti-Christian sentiments have re-surfaced with the main Buddhist representative party , the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) protesting against large amounts of Tsunami funds being allocated to Christian organisations.
The initial protests in this regard were directed at the international charity organisation, the Sri Lankan branch of the World Vision following funds generated from the Tsunami-aid cricket match being directed to the organisation for relief work.
The money earned from the Asia vs international cricket match were directed to World Vision Australia to be distributed among the countries affected by the walls of waters.
The main cohabitating party of President Kumaratunges Alliance government, the nationalistic Marxist party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP),l has joined in the accusations that the allocation of funds to World Vision Sri Lanka would make conversions from Buddhism to Christianity more rampant.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan country-director for World Vision , Yu Hwa Li dismissed the accusation as nonsense stating that it was ironic that a co-partner of President Kuamratunges government was against the allocation of funds when the aid relief centre directly under President Kumaratunge, the Centre for National Organisation was fully appreciative of the tsunami relief carried out by the Christians.
"We were the first NGO to back the Sri Lankan government with relief aid. The last thing we are thinking about right now is converting people. With nearly 40,000 deaths in Sri Lanka it is relief work we are focussing on," an angry World Vision Sri Lanka Country Manager claimed while the JHU and the JVP were insisting on a policy to be adopted with regard to relief work carried out by NGOs to ensure that unethical conversions do not take place.
"We are aware that certain fanatical religious groups are making the most of the disaster by attempting conversions. We want this stopped," JVP Publicity Secretary Wimal Weerawanse pledged as the Buddhist affairs ministry rejected an official statement.
Anti-Christian sentiment has been brewing in the country for over two years during which several churches have been burnt and Christian NGO representatives harassed.
