Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, general secretary of the Evangelical Fellowship of Asia (EFA) is a recipient of the international Pro Fide Award 2006 in recognition of his sacrificial service to the persecuted church. In an exclusive interview with Christian Today India, Rev. Yogarajah, who is also the general secretary of National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) expresses hope of seeing God's kingdom being established in the island nation and in Asia amid concerns of the ongoing ethnic conflict that has violated all norms of human rights.
Q. How has the ethnic conflict affected the civilians in Sri Lanka?
The present ethnic conflict has resulted in 800,000 internally displaced people, 75000 war widows and 25000 child soldiers according to conservative estimates. In this conflict, both the government and the opposing militant group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have committed gross violations of human rights. For instance, recently a pastor of our church was shot down, killed by security forces and now there is an attempt to frame him by saying that he was a terrorist. In fact, the violation of human rights has been a big concern for NCEASL because we have even our own staff who are being abducted in northeast Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, in the south, we daily see people being killed, people being abducted or people 'disappearing' without trace. Many of them are from minority communities – those most targeted are the civil and social activists, journalists and businessmen.
Unfortunately, the paramilitary forces in action seem to be operating with some kind of impunity…functioning without being answerable to any authority. Even in trouble–torn Jaffna, during curfew hours, there is looting which is going on. I think the government needs to come down very hard on these elements, otherwise people may lose confidence in the government and suspect that it is giving some kind of support to these paramilitary forces.
Situation now is very tense and people are living under a lot of fear. Human Rights Watch and other human rights groups have marked Sri Lanka as a country where human rights are not being respected at all – both by the government as well as the LTTE.
Q. Is EFA doing anything to end this conflict?
The EFA has always worked closely with NCEASL and is in consultation of what its stand should be in the ongoing ethnic conflict. EFA together with the NCEASL has issued many statements and has been very involved in the relief and rehabilitation process.
Society
Interview with Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah, general secretary, EFA
By: Jacob Chaterjee
Tuesday, 30 January 2007, 12:02 (IST)
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