ICC Note:
Religious intolerance continues to rise on the island nation of Sri Lanka for the third year in a row. Buddhist nationalism continues to fuel violence against religious minorities including Christian, Muslims and Hindus. In 2013 alone, there were over 65 reported violent attacks on Christians. Many estimate the actual number of attacks and instances of intimidation much higher. Please pray that in 2014, Christian persecution and religious intolerance decrease.
12/21/2013 Sri Lanka (Colombo Gazette) – The United States has noted that in Sri Lanka, religious tensions continue to be a problem, and Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist communities often distrust one another.
In a report submitted to the Congress on the estimated number of refugees the US will seek to assist next year, the US Government says incidents such as sporadic attacks against the Christian community and the destruction of a Muslim shrine by Buddhist monks in late 2011 exacerbate religious tensions in Sri Lanka.
The report says with the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka, approximately 6,000 refugees have returned. However it notes that the number of Tamils seeking to return from India has decreased.
So far in 2013, UNHCR assisted in the voluntary return of 245 Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka.
“Sri Lankan refugees in India do not receive work authorization from the central government but are unofficially allowed to work on the informal economy,” the report added.
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