Sri Lanka (MNN) ― Sri Lanka hopes to hold together until the April 8 parliamentary vote, but unrest from within threatens to tear the country apart.
The latest tinder to the fire is the decision to have defeated Sri Lankan presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka stand in April's parliamentary polls, where sources say he will likely head up a new opposition alliance.
David Rice with India Gospel League explains, "Everything right now is unstable. There's a lot of fear, there's a lot of tension. It's created some very difficult situations for believers."
Aside from contested elections, there are human rights issues stemming from the civil war's messy end. Rice says there are camps for the Internally Displaced Persons, remnants from the war with the Tamil Tigers, that have been delayed in the resettlement efforts. The camps have been notorious for poor sanitation and food security problems.
In an effort to maintain order, especially after Fonseka's arrest, security has been beefed up.
The restrictions aren't so different for Christians who are already under close scrutiny. "In spite of all the persecution," notes Rice, "the church continues to thrive. It almost fuels the energy of the believers. I believe the Lord blesses them, but it does hamper the work."
Keep praying. While the Constitution contains a statement guarding freedom of religion, many Christian activities are seen to violate the special status awarded Buddhism.
Anti-conversion legislation is still in the works, and instability flare-ups can make outreach difficult. "The government has identified itself as basically being a Buddhist government, and so anybody that's different from them--be it Christian, Muslim or whatever--is going to have a very difficult time operating in Sri Lanka." Pray that the Gospel message will continue to grow and that many will come to Christ.
