Update: Sri Lanka defers anti-conversion bill debate
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VOMC was pleased to learn that the debate on a religious-conversion bill in Sri Lanka's parliament (read the story) has been deferred amid opposition from Christians. According to UCANews, a parliamentary committee comprised of Christian parliamentarians and leaders of political parties examined the bill on February 18 and agreed that it could have serious consequences on religious activities, spark interreligious conflict and possibly violate the country's constitution.
Pandu Bandaranayake, the Minister of Religious Affairs, confirmed Christians have called for more clarity on some words in the bill and so, despite opposition from the Buddhist-led party, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the bill will be re-examined by the Ministry's religious consultative committee.
Continue to pray for Christians in Sri Lanka, as it is believed that this relief will be only temporary and that there will be considerable pressure by the JHU to bring back the bill virtually unchanged for debate.
The March edition of The Voice of the Martyrs Newsletter has several articles featuring the persecution facing Christians in Sri Lanka. Subscribe to the Newsletter today. To learn more about the opposition facing Christians in Sri Lanka, click here.
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.
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 Gotabaya Rajapaksa (2019)
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.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Andreas Schwarzkopf (cc)
As the nation of Sri Lanka faces its worst political and economic crisis in recent years, life for the common people has been severely impacted. Anti-government protests have led to a crackdown by authorities, introducing restrictive measures to
On March 6th, a large mob forced their way into the Mercy Gate Chapel in Amalgama, Sri Lanka, demanding that all religious activities cease immediately. Thankfully, police were able to disperse the crowd without further incident, though Buddhist monks continued to declare that the place
Ask God to make His comforting presence known to Sri Lankan believers. Photo: VOMC
In the late afternoon of Sunday, March 6th, a large mob consisting of approximately 600 people, including about 60 Buddhist monks, forced their way into the Mercy Gate Chapel in Amalgama, Sri Lanka. The mob demanded t
Ask God to grant believers opportunities to safely join in the fellowship of prayer.
On the afternoon of November 20th, the pastor of the Gospel Tabernacle Church in Polgolla, Sri Lanka, went to visit a Christian family with another member of his congregation for a time of prayer. As they were conclu
VOMC was pleased to learn that the debate on a religious-conversion bill in Sri Lanka's parliament (read the story) has been deferred amid opposition from Christians. According to UCANews, a parliamentary committee comprised of Christian parliamentarians and leaders of political parties examined the bill on February 18 and agreed that it could have serious consequences on religious activities, spark interreligious conflict and possibly violate the country's constitution.
Population
