ICC Note:

Despite a significant downturn in attacks on religious minorities, sectarian strife and religious intolerance remain major issues in Sri Lanka. Primarily led by radical nationalist who believe Sri Lanka is a nation for Sinhalese Buddhists, tensions against religious minorities and ethnic minorities remains high. Speeches and demonstrations by radical nationalists keep Christian and other religious minority communities fearful that attacks on their communities and places of worship could once again rise.   

11/28/2016 Sri Lanka (UCAN) – Despite the war between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil dying down in 2009, embers of sectarian and religious conflict remain, according to rights activists and church officials.

There are a number of groups who promote poisonous ideologies via poster campaigns, hate speeches and online, according to local media. It has flared up in several high profile incidents.

The chief Buddhist monk of the Mangalaramaya temple verbally abused a Tamil government official in front of a police officer but no action was taken, according to a video released on Nov.12.

Buddhism is the official religion in Sri Lanka and monks are revered, sometimes, as in this case, to the detriment of the rule of law. Indeed, 70 percent of the population are Buddhists.

In another incident, police arrested Abdul Razik, secretary of the hard-line Muslim organization, Thawheed Jamath on Nov. 16 on charges of inciting religious disharmony. He gave a speech slamming other faiths during a protest on Nov. 3.

Father Reid Shelton Fernando, coordinator of the Young Christian Workers Movement of Colombo Archdiocese, said that the government should safeguard the rights and freedom of all minorities.

“In recent years, some extremist elements have carried out a vilifying campaign in favor of nationalism. There was a video circulated on social media by a Buddhist monk who spoke against a government official claiming that he should be killed,” said Father Fernando.

…