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Sri Lanka: Christian group says persecution of religious minorities is on the rise

March 12, 2020

Persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka: The failure of authorities to act decisively in the wake of attacks such as the Easter bombings only encourages more persecution of Christians. After the bombings last year, many Christians in Sri Lanka were afraid to go to church. That situation has not improved; this article makes that clear. The Order hopes that the Sri Lankan government will begin to be more proactive than it has been up to now, and act to provide protection for that nation’s Christians. Indifference, however, seems to be the international order of the day when it comes to Christians suffering persecution.

For previous coverage of the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka at ChristianPersecution.com, see here.

“Persecution increasing in Sri Lanka, says Christian group,” UCA News, March 11, 2020:

A Christian group has hailed the significance of the findings of a UN special rapporteur’s report on violations of freedom of religion in Sri Lanka.

The report, which was recently presented to the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), details how religious minorities including Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jehovah’s Witnesses have suffered from extreme violations of freedom of religion or belief since Sri Lanka’s civil war ended in 2009….

“Assurances made for change made by the government of Sri Lanka never came to fruition and known perpetrators of war crimes have thus far escaped justice.

“By withdrawing from the UNHRC co-sponsored resolution [to undertake accountability and reconciliation after the civil war], the Sri Lankan government has exhibited little or no passion to correct the wrongs of the past and it has been a devastating blow to campaigners.

“Moreover, societal divisions have persisted and persecution in the country is evidently increasing, leaving minority people’s hopes for sustainable peace at its lowest ebb. We continue to pray for Christians in Sri Lanka and within the whole of the South Asian subcontinent.”…