Second Anti-Conversion Bill Re-Surfaces

20 April 2005

While the government-sponsored "Act for Religious Freedom" is preparing to be introduced shortly, a bill previously rejected by Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has been revived. In August 2004, a bill introduced by the Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party was challenged before the Supreme Court which struck down two of the clauses as unconstitutional. Rather than re-writing the bill, the bill has been submitted for second reading, scheduled for May 6, without the changes required by the Court. For the bill to become law, it would require a constitutional amendment, which would need a two-third majority vote by the parliament and a national referendum.

^{Godfrey Yogarajah}

With this private member bill proceeding, the status of the government-sponsored legislation is uncertain and may be delayed while the JHU bill proceeds. International pressure on the Sri Lankan government has been intense. On April 5, Godfrey Yogarajah, General Secretary of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) made a presentation to a Parallel Session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva. Yogarajah condemned acts of violence against his country's Christian minority and explained the dangerous implications of the two proposed anti-conversion bills. Answering questions form various delegates Yogarajah stressed that such legislation will result in legitimized persecution and harassment of minority religious groups in Sri Lanka. Yogarajah also met with the UN Special Rapporteur for Religious Freedom, Asma Jahangir, who will be making an official visit to Sri Lanka in May to meet with government officials and leaders of the different religious communities.

To view the legislation currently before the Sri Lankan parliament, visit the website for SriLankanChristians.Com. The Voice of the Martyrs urges you to write to the following officials, protesting this information:

Her Excellency Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat,
Secretariat Building,
Colombo 1
Sri Lanka
Phone: 94-11-234801
Fax: 94-11-2433346 or 94-11-2333703
Email: for_This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Leader of the Opposition
Hon. Ranil Wickremesinhe
Office of the Leader of the Opposition
No 2, Cambridge Terrace,
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka
Phone: 94-11-2575183
Fax: 94-11-2575183
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa
Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
Temple Trees,
Colombo 3
Sri Lanka
Phone: 94-11-2575317 / 2575318
Fax: 94-11-2574143 / 2575454 / 2575310
Email: prime_This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hon. Ratnasiri Wickramanayake
Minister of Buddha Sasana
135, Anagarika Dharmapala Mawatha,
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka
Phone: 94-11-2326126 / 2326127
Fax: 94-11-2424726 / 2437997

Hon. Milroy Fernando, MP
Ministry of Christian Affairs
98, D. S. Senanayake Mawarha,
Colombo 08.
Tel : 094-011-2665584/5
Fax: 094-011-2665584
E-mail : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Voice of the Martyrs has produced a 35-minute documentary, "Faith Under Fire: Sri Lanka," filmed on location in Sri Lanka. The video can be purchased from our website (click here). Excerpts can be viewed in the Video section of our multimedia website, www.vomcanada.com.

Pray that the Sri Lankan government and courts will retain freedom of religion in Sri Lanka and that the proposed legislation will be rejected. Pray for the continuing efforts of the Sri Lankan Church to reach out with the love of Christ as the country continues to rebuild after December's tsunami.

For more information on the situation facing Christians in Sri Lanka, click here.

Sri Lanka

Current Ministry Projects
VOMC supports persecuted Christians in Sri Lanka as they witness for Christ in hostile environments through Biblical training, legal aid, and advocacy, as well as rehabilitation and emergency assistance.

Project Funds: Equipping the Saints, Legal Defence, Relief & Development, Families of Martyrs
Country Information
Population
23,326,272 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Sinhalese (74.9), Sri Lankan Tamil (11.2), Sri Lankan Moors (9.2), Indian Tamil (4.2), other (0.5)

Religion (%)
Buddhism (70.2), Hinduism (12.6), Islam (9.7), Roman Catholic (6.1), Evangelical Christianity (2.0)

Leader
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Sept 2024)

Government type
Presidential republic

Legal system
Mixed legal system of Roman-Dutch civil law, English common law, and Jaffna Tamil customary law

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Sri Lanka
Let's unite our hearts in prayer for those in Sri Lanka who are being persecuted for their faith, thanking God for what He is accomplishing despite the opposition. Ask that His people will be encouraged, strengthened and equipped by the promises of the Bible – the Sword of the Spirit – knowing that He is watching over His Word to perform it (Ephesians 6:17; Jeremiah 1:12). May they not only overcome the strategies of the enemy, but also serve as effective witnesses to those in need of eternal salvation and deliverance from spiritual captivity.

Sri Lanka News

Church Pressured to Halt Christian Activities

A congregation in Sri Lanka.
Photo: VOMC

Members of the Way to the Comfort Ministry Church in Seethwaka, Sri Lanka, are receiving ongoing demands to cease all Christian activities in their village. On January 26th, Buddhist monks approached the church leadership and insisted that the pastor stop holding worship services, claiming that only Buddhist practices are permitted within the village. They further accused the pastor of forcibly converting people to Christianity and receiving foreign aid.

Read more...
Church Services Restricted to Pastor's Family

Photo: VOMC

In July, a complaint against the Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in Polgahawela was issued by some villagers and Buddhist leaders who opposed the worship services that were taking place at the pastor's home. In response, police requested that the church restrict the number of people attending the gatherings, particularly by limiting participants who were visiting from outside of the community, until guidance was received from the authorities on how to handle the situation. For more information about this incident, go to this report.

Read more...
Church Building Pelted with Stones; Worshippers Restricted Access

A group of Christians praying together.
Photo: VOMC

The Jesus Jeewamanai Revival Church in the town of Polgahawela has been the target of attacks perpetrated by disgruntled members of the community who oppose their place of worship. On July 7th and 11th, stones were thrown at the church building. Then, on July 14th, before the Christians' Sunday services were scheduled to begin, villagers blocked the road leading to the building in order to prevent the congregants and their pastor from accessing the facility.

Read more...
Arrests During House Church Construction

On June 13th, the pastor of God's Kingdom Gospel Church in Kandapola, Sri Lanka, was constructing a house church building, together with the support of other pastors and church leaders, when he was approached by a junior manager. The pastor was questioned by the manager as to whether or not the Christians had permission to build a church.

Read more...