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Persecution News - Sri Lanka

Pastor Killed in Ampara
(February 20, 2008)

Sri Lanka Profile

Total Area:
65,610 sq. km

Population:
21,128,773 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnicity:
Sinhalese 73.8%, Sri Lankan Moors 7.2%, Indian Tamil 4.6%, Sri Lankan Tamil 3.9%, Other 0.5%, Unspecified 10% (2001)

Language:
Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, Other 8%

Religion:
Buddhist 69.1%, Muslim 7.6%, Hindu 7.1%, Christian 6.2%, Unspecified 10% (2001)

Government Type:
Republic

Capital:
Colombo; Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte is the legislative capital

Population Below Poverty Line:
22% (2002)

Country Reports

Update on Widow of Martyred Pastor

March 26, 2008

The health of Mrs. Shiromi Edirisinghe, widow of the late Pastor Neil Edirisinghe, who sustained gunshot injuries in the attack that killed her husband on the February 17 (click here for more details), continues to improve. According to a March 24 update from the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, Shiromi is now able to breathe without the aid of a ventilator and is also able to eat and speak. She continues to be in need of prayer for recovery, however, as she is due to undergo a serious operation to remove a bullet that is lodged close to her spine. She has been transferred to the Kandy Hospital for the procedure. At present her left leg is immobile. Her left arm is also immobile and the bullet wound on it has not yet healed.

For more information on the persecution of Christians in Sri Lanka, go to the Sri Lanka Country Report.