Learn more about the crisis in Sri Lanka from the United Nations News Centre, the New York Times, and Human Rights Watch.
Here is a prayer for the people of Sri Lanka:
Loving God, who created the earth and all that is in it, we pray for the people who live in Sri Lanka, the tiny island in the Indian Ocean, who are your children and belong to you. Although people of same color, they are yet divided by language and religion, and have resorted to violence to solve their differences. We commit them to you O Lord, so that whether they be Sinhalese or Tamils, Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, or Muslims, they would be embraced by your Love, and realize that they can learn to co-exist, trust each other, and live peaceably, tending to each others’ needs in Love. Let there be new leadership among both Sinhalese and Tamils, who will be prepared to seek Peace and Justice through new negotiations for Peace, condemning violence. Let your Holy Spirit protect and guide those who are willing to stand up boldly for Peace in Sri Lanka, and throughout this world in which we all live. Heal those who are sick and injured, lift those who are in poverty, broken in spirit, and in despair, by the consequences of all forms of violence and war. Loving Creator, let your presence and power create an oasis of Peace, Love and Healing, within suffering Sri Lanka, and wherever there is suffering in this world.
In the name of your son and our savior, Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen.
This prayer was written by Chris Nicholas, who works for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and who has family in Sri Lanka.
Learn about Presbyterians at work in Sri Lanka.
Read a statement on the crisis in Sri Lanka from World Religions for Peace.
As critical as it is to address this crisis, the end of the war will not end injustice and strife for the people of Sri Lanka. Social inequities and systemic injustice rooted in racism will need to be addressed.