Sri Lanka

Twenty-six years of civil war pitted Sri Lanka’s government forces, representing the Buddhist Sinhala majority, against Hindu Tamil separatists. The conflict resulted in upwards of 100,000 deaths. Although the conflict ended in 2009, tensions and accusations remain and promised truth and reconciliation commissions have not been forthcoming, and perhaps now seem even less likely.

Sri Lanka has the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any predominately Buddhist nation. Extreme Buddhism combined with nationalism results in a surge of violent persecution toward all who are not Buddhist.