Country Profile - Sri Lanka
Population: 20.2 million
Capital: Colombo
Government type: Republic
Religion: Buddhist 68.3%; Hindu 11.2%; Christian 9.5%; Muslim 9%; Other 2%
History
In this island paradise, violence and turmoil have become as much a part of the landscape as its idyllic palm-lined beaches.
Known as Ceylon under British rule (which lasted till 1948), it changed its name to Sri Lanka in 1972.
The majority Buddhist Sinhalese grew to resent the mainly Hindu Tamils under British rule because of perceived favouritism towards them.
Independence in 1948 strengthened the cause of Sinhala nationalists. By the 1980s the government was locked in a bitter civil war against Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels pressing for self-rule.
Though the fighting was concentrated in the north of Sri Lanka, it flared up across the country, reaching the capital Colombo.
Nearly two decades of conflict claimed tens of thousands of lives. Up to 600,000 people were displaced.
The conflict was effectively brought to an end militarily in May 2009 when the army launched a heavy offensive against the Tamil Tigers in the north, crushing the resistance.
Religious context
While the Sri Lankan constitution guarantees freedom of religion, the reality is very different.
Buddhism has been a part of Sri Lanka since the third century BC. It is officially protected and promoted as the majority religion.
Christianity, by contrast, was introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century. Many consider it to be a foreign religion imposed by European colonials.
The growth of evangelical Christianity in Sri Lanka since 1980 has met with violent opposition from militant Buddhists, including Buddhist monks.
Churches have been burned and Christians attacked, even murdered, particularly since the 1990's as a response to effective evangelical outreach.
After a lull from late-2008 to early-2009, there was a noticeable surge in anti-Christian violence after the end of the civil war.
In July 2009, Release partners reported a spate of attacks on Christians in six districts in western, central, northern and southern Sri Lanka.
In Kurunegala district, seven men wielding swords attacked a church caretaker and three other Christians from Vineyard Community Church, causing them serious injury. Their pastor and another church member had been attacked with a machete five months earlier - allegedly by the same man. Police had reportedly arrested the suspect but released him on bail.
Persecution
The main political wing of Sinhalese nationalism is the Jathika Hela Uramaya or JHU party.
The JHU is the main sponsor of a bill apparently aimed at curtailing Christian influence, the so-called Bill on Prohibition of Forcible Conversion. This Bill, which was first introduced in 2004 and then reintroduced in a slightly amended form in 2009, has yet to become law.
The bill states that 'no-one can convert or try to convert others from one religion by force or fraudulent means'. The church fears these loosely worded terms could easily be abused to limit its activities, including its charity work.
Following international pressure, the Sri Lankan Government referred the Bill for discussion to the Consultative Committee on Religious Affairs and Moral Upliftment in 2009. Since then, any further discussion of the Bill has been indefinitely postponed.
The devastating tsunami on Boxing Day 2004 added to Sri Lanka’s misery and nationalists saw the church's work in response to the tragedy as yet more reason to push for anti-conversion laws.
Release projects
Release projects in Sri Lanka include:
- Holding conferences to encourage pastors and their congregations in the face of persecution
- Providing a safe house for persecuted pastors and their families
- Support of education for the children of rural pastors
Sources: AsiaNews; BBC; International Christian Concern; Operation World; Release International; The World Factbook 2010; UNHCR; USCIRF; VOM Canada; World Christian Database
Updated January 2011
News Stories
| Date | Subject | ||
| 28-11-2011 | Sri Lanka: Hardliners make new push for anti-conversion laws | ||
| 09-11-2011 | Sri Lanka: Brutal attack on Release partners | ||
| 03-08-2011 | Sri-Lanka: Spate of attacks against Christians |