Investigation of pastor's shooting death sought

Investigation of pastor's shooting death sought
Government forces gun down Tamil Mission Church leader
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Posted: February 3, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com

Church officials who oversee the work of Christian ministers in Sri Lanka are calling for international intervention in that nation, after a church pastor was gunned down by Sri Lankan government security forces.

The report comes from Assist News Service.

It identifies the victim of the government-forces shooting as Rev. Nallathamby Gnanaseelan, the pastor of Tamil Mission Church Jaffna, and the father of four children, ages 1 to 7.

ASSIST reported that the bishop of Colombo noted the pastor had taken his wife Serena and his daughter to the hospital on his bike.

"The killing took place at Chapel Street when Rev. Gnanaseelan was returning, after dropping his wife and daughter at the hospital. He was heading to his church to conduct a fasting and prayer event," the bishop said.

Reports reaching the bishop's office from the Clergy Fellowship of Jaffna indicate that Rev. Gnanaseelan was shot in the stomach and then as he lay on the street, shot in the head and killed. "His Bible, bag, identity card and motorcycle were taken away and he was left lying on the road," the report said.

"The security forces reports initially indicated that Rev. Ghanaseelan was carrying explosives. Subsequently it was said that he was shot as he did not stop when challenged to do so. This is a deliberate attempt to frame Rev. Gnanaseelan," according to the bishop's report on the Jan. 13 death.

Lanka Nesiah, personal assistant to the bishop of Colombo, told ASSIST: "Rev. Gnanaseelan was a member of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance Clergy Fellowship in Jaffna and was not involved in any political activity. He was a law abiding citizen and a pastor to his congregation. His death is not an isolated incident, but one of many, which takes place in the North East of Sri Lanka, daily."

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