Catholic clergy in Sri Lanka staged a silent protest in Negombo after a Catholic priest was allegedly beaten by police officers while returning from a church service on Jan. 24.
The priest, Milan Priyadarshana, an assistant manager of a church-run farm in Kotadeniyawa, was attacked in Gampaha, northeast of Colombo, while riding a motorcycle and wearing his clerical habit, according to AsiaNews.
Father Milan said the suspects allegedly beat him and later abandoned him on the side of the road. He was admitted to Negombo Hospital for treatment.
Six police officers accused of involvement were taken into pre-trial detention following a complaint. They were held until Jan. 29, when a court ordered them to appear before the priest for identification. The officers have since been suspended from duty.
On the morning of the protest, priests and religious from the Negombo area of the Archdiocese of Colombo gathered in front of the Negombo Municipal Council building along the Colombo-Puttalama road. The silent demonstration lasted about an hour.
Participants recited the Rosary while holding placards reading, “We condemn physical and mental abuse” and “Father Milan, we are with you.”
“We have gathered here to affirm that the police have no right to inflict physical or mental violence on any citizen of our country, in any way,” said Fr. Jude Krishantha, communications director for the Archdiocese of Colombo.
“We see that the investigation is proceeding properly, and we are satisfied. But if a priest faced such a serious incident today, imagine what the citizens of the country might face in the future. That’s why we expressed our outrage through a silent protest,” the priest added.
“As religious leaders,” he said, “we appeal to the president and all those who administer the law to ensure that the police do not permit physical or mental violence against any citizen, not just against a religious leader. Such abuses must end if our country is to move forward on the right path.”
Sister Malathi Dassanayake also condemned the attack in remarks to AsiaNews.
“We firmly condemn this attack against one of our brother priests,” she said. “To show our solidarity, we are protesting in silence. We condemn any attack on human life, against an unarmed person, whether consecrated or lay.”
