Sri Lanka Consulatela

News Updates Sri Lanka

Ramadan under high tension in Sri Lanka

Still shaken by the attacks of April 21, the Sri Lankan authorities are on the alert.

As Ramadan begins, hundreds of police have been deployed near mosques.

On this island of 22 million inhabitants, mainly Buddhists, 10% are Muslims. They fear violence against them.

“We will continue our fast as usual, but we are not going to have a big party.” assures a Colombo resident

In the seaside town of Negombo, bruised by the attack, clashes between Christians and Muslims already took place a few days ago.

The Catholic Church has joined with several Muslim clerics in calling for calm and peace. Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo called on his Catholic brothers and sisters ” not to raise their hands against our Muslim brothers and sisters.”

If strict security measures have been imposed since the attacks, some Muslim women have given up wearing the veil for fear of reprisals.