ICC Note:

The rise in attacks on religious minorities in Sri Lanka and their places of worship has led the Sri Lankan government to “take action” to insure religious harmony. Attacks by Buddhist nationalist groups on Christians and Muslims in Sri Lanka has skyrocketed over the past two years. The government has launched a new police unit specially tasked with investigating instances  of religious violence. The government has also placed a cap on the number of places of worship allowed each faith practiced in Sri Lanka. The Christian community has criticized both of these moves by the Sri Lankan government, calling them “useless” and “misguiding.” Given the connection between the Sri Lankan government and the Buddhist nationalist groups perpetrating the violence, these new steps taken by the government are nothing but for show.

5/11/2014 Sri Lanka (Barnabas Fund) – Sri Lanka has launched a special police unit to address religious disputes and has put a cap on building places of worship, in controversial moves made in response to a rising number of attacks by Buddhist extremists against Christian and Muslim groups.

Last year, hundreds of attacks were recorded against churches, pastors, mosques and other Muslim institutions.

On 28 April, the Religious Disputes Unit came into force to address conflicts between different groups. The Sri Lankan president said that he will not allow any individual or organisation to take the law into their own hands and create religious discord in the country.

But many Christians and Muslims in Sri Lanka feel that Buddhist extremists are allowed to operate with impunity and that the launch of the new unit is therefore somewhat disingenuous. It is answerable to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana (Buddhist) and Religious Affairs, which is tasked with furthering Buddhism.

Emmanuel Sebamalai, a church leader in the north of the country, told Asia News:
“The special unit will not solve the crisis we are experiencing. Its creation proves that there is a problem between Buddhism and other religions. However, the government supports Buddhists and helps their radical elements when they attack minorities with impunity.”

The Religious Disputes Unit has also been criticised by Buddhists, who have called for its removal.

The general secretary of Buddhist Rawana Balaya said that there were no religious disputes that the normal police cannot solve, adding, “If there were problems, the Christians could not go to church and Muslims could not go to the mosque.”

A cap on the building of places of worship has also been announced, in another move ostensibly intended to reduce religious tensions. But it seems to serve the Sinhalese Buddhist lobby, which is opposed to expanding Christian and Muslim activity in the country.

Buddhist extremists have already destroyed or forced the closure of numerous churches, especially Evangelical and Pentecostal ones, which are viewed as a particular threat because of their successful evangelistic activity.

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