Anti-Conversion Bill to be Re-Introduced in Sri Lanka
The Sri Lanka government has decided to introduce a new law restricting religious conversion, news agencies and religious persecution watchdogs reported Monday.
The Sri Lanka government has decided to introduce a new law restricting religious conversion, news agencies and religious persecution watchdogs reported Monday.
Although the immediate aftermath of the devastating tsunami that battered Sri Lanka saw a decrease in the acts of religious violence, the Mar. 18 editions of the locally-based Daily Mirror newspaper and Lakbima newspaper reported that the Bill would be presented in Parliament next month by Minister of Buddha Sasana Mr. Rathnasiri Wickramanayake. According to International Christian Concern (ICC), the government has decided to allow members to vote according to their conscience when the Bill is taken up for voting in Parliament, where traditionally party members vote "en-block."
Should the controversial Bill be made into law, "it will invariably affect efforts carried out by many religious groups, NGOs and others," ICC reported. "There is a great concern that genuine acts of charity and good will may be construed as enticement and attempts of unethical conversion."
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According to ICC, the offense carries heavy penalties ranging from fines of 100,000 - 500,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR)--or $1,000 - $5,000 (USD)--and prison terms up to 7 years.
Last year, a similar bill, titled the “Prohibition of Forcible Conversions of Religions Bill,” was struck down by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court in August after several months of debate. According to TamilNet News, the Court ruled that Sri Lanka's controversial anti-conversion bill could be made into law only if it received the support of two thirds of MPs in Parliament and is approved by the people at a referendum.
The ruling on the constitutionality of the bill came after Christians launched a legal challenge to the bill designed to ban religious conversions obtained by force or fraud. The bill had received much opposition from the Christian community since it was first proposed in May 2004. Christians suggested that the bill was an attempt by the Buddhist party to suppress the growth of Christianity following the notable decline of Buddhism and the growth of Christian churches in rural areas.
