Buddhist Party Launches International Campaign

01 September 2004

^{Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera of the JHU Party}

Sri Lanka's JHU party, made up entirely of Buddhist monks, has apparently begun an international campaign to gain support from embassies and governments around the world for their anti-conversion bill. According to VOM sources in Sri Lanka, members of the JHU have met with numerous foreign embassies in Sri Lanka. Some JHU members of parliament are currently in Canada as part of the Sri Lankan delegation to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Summit in Ottawa on September 1-9. There is concern that they may use this summit to gain international sympathy for their proposed religiously discriminatory legislation.

The world needs to be aware of the dangers of anti-conversion legislation, such as that being proposed by the JHU. To view two proposed bills before the Sri Lankan parliament, as well as articles analyzing the legislation, go to SriLankanChristians.Com. We encourage Canadians and Christians around the world to express their concerns to government leaders. Canadians are urged to contact the federal Minister of Foreign Affairs at the following:

Hon. Pierre Pettigrew
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Phone: (613) 995-8872
Fax: (613) 995-9926
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Other contact information is available through our website (click here).

Continue to remember Sri Lanka in your prayers, as the government deals with the rising demand for anti-conversion legislation by militant organizations. Pray for wisdom for the church in Sri Lanka during this time.

A news report from 2002 on the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka produced by VOM for Faith in Focus (a program of Trinity Television in Winnipeg, MB), is available on our multimedia website PersecutionTV.

For more information on persecution in Sri Lanka, click here.

Sri Lanka

Current Ministry Projects
VOMC supports persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka as they witness for Christ in hostile environments through Biblical training, legal aid, and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and emergency assistance.

Project Funds: Equipping the Saints, Legal Defence, Relief & Development, Families of Martyrs
Country Information
Population
23,326,272 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Sinhalese (74.9), Sri Lankan Tamil (11.2), Sri Lankan Moors (9.2), Indian Tamil (4.2), other (0.5)

Religion (%)
Buddhism (70.2), Hinduism (12.6), Islam (9.7), Roman Catholic (6.1), Evangelical Christianity (2.0)

Leader
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Sept 2024)

Government type
Presidential republic

Legal system
Mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Sri Lanka
Let's unite our hearts in prayer for those in Sri Lanka who are being persecuted for their faith, thanking God for what He is accomplishing despite the opposition. Ask that His people will be encouraged, strengthened and equipped by the promises of the Bible – the Sword of the Spirit – knowing that He is watching over His Word to perform it (Ephesians 6:17; Jeremiah 1:12). May they not only overcome the strategies of the enemy, but also serve as effective witnesses to those in need of eternal salvation and deliverance from spiritual captivity.

Sri Lanka News

Church Pressured to Halt Christian Activities

A congregation in Sri Lanka.
Photo: VOMC

Members of the Way to the Comfort Ministry Church in Seethwaka, Sri Lanka, are receiving ongoing demands to cease all Christian activities in their village. On January 26th, Buddhist monks approached the church leadership and insisted that the pastor stop holding worship services, claiming that only Buddhist practices are permitted within the village. They further accused the pastor of forcibly converting people to Christianity and receiving foreign aid.

Read more...
Church Services Restricted to Pastor's Family

Photo: VOMC

In July, a complaint against the Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in Polgahawela was issued by some villagers and Buddhist leaders who opposed the worship services that were taking place at the pastor's home. In response, police requested that the church restrict the number of people attending the gatherings, particularly by limiting participants who were visiting from outside of the community, until guidance was received from the authorities on how to handle the situation. For more information about this incident, go to this report.

Read more...
Church Building Pelted with Stones; Worshippers Restricted Access

A group of Christians praying together.
Photo: VOMC

The Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in the town of Polgahawela has been the target of attacks perpetrated by disgruntled members of the community who oppose their place of worship. On July 7th and 11th, stones were thrown at the church building. Then, on July 14th, before the Christians' Sunday services were scheduled to begin, villagers blocked the road leading to the building in order to prevent the congregants and their pastor from accessing the facility.

Read more...
Arrests During House Church Construction

On June 13th, the pastor of God's Kingdom Gospel Church in Kandapola, Sri Lanka, was constructing a house church building, together with the support of other pastors and church leaders, when he was approached by a junior manager. The pastor was questioned by the manager as to whether or not the Christians had permission to build a church.

Read more...