ICC Note:
Christians persecution in Sri Lanka has been dramatically rising over the past year. Fueled by Buddhist nationalists, mobs of radicals have attacked churches and pastors over 65 times in 2013 alone. As Christians look forward to 2014, many are preparing for a continued increase in persecution. Please pray for these persecuted brothers and sisters. 
12/25/2013 Sri Lanka (World Magazine) – Christmas is a time of joy, but also of fear for Christians in rural areas of Sri Lanka.
Yamini Ravindran, National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka’s (NCEASL) advocacy officer, said, “Christmas is commercialized for the Christians residing in the main city areas; however, for most Christians in the rural or Buddhist-dominant villages it is a completely different scenario. It is an event filled with joy and fear for them. Joy to remember the birth of Christ—fear to conduct services boldly and fear of attacks against churches, pastors, or Christian members.”
Open Doors warned that Sri Lankan Christians may be under increasing persecution as Christmas nears in the mostly Buddhist nation. Citing recent reports from NCEASL, Open Doors said in a Dec. 19 email that “Christians in Sri Lanka are likely to take extra precautions as they hold their Christmas gatherings and celebrations this month.” The NCEASL noted several recent instances of persecution, including the Dec. 5 visit from authorities who told a pastor to “stop all religious worship activities taking place on his premises” in southern Sri Lanka, according to Open Doors.
“Most Christians who share the message of Christ face serious intimidation, threats or attacks,” Ravindran said, noting that as recently as Dec. 22 a pastor’s home was attacked with petrol bombs.
Persecution has been growing in the island nation throughout 2013 as Buddhist extremists attacked many churches and gatherings of Christians in the country.
Open Doors recently interviewed a persecuted Sri Lankan Christian who said, “The presence of Buddhist extremists in eastern and southern Sri Lanka usher in a new wave of attacks against believers this 2013. These include threats to pastors with growing ministries, harassment of congregations attending Sunday worship, destruction of church buildings, and shutdown of Christian ministries.”
Persecution has also come from officials. The World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) said in a November prayer update that on Oct. 1 a Christian woman in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka, was forced to stop holding prayer meetings in her home after a mob of people, including several Buddhist monks, attacked and made threats.
“During the police inquiry on the incident, the authorities threatened her with arrest if she continued to hold prayer meetings in her home,” WEA wrote. “The woman was also forced to sign a document stating that she would discontinue the prayer meetings with immediate effect.”
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