Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Colombo (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka is closely following the legal process of the new anti-conversion law that has been presented in recent days to the country's Parliament.
It is a strong measure being taken by the political parties of Buddhist influence, which will now be up for debate in Parliament. The law, based on the model already approved in several states of India, would “impede the conversion of a person from one religion to the other, if carried out with the use of force, trickery, or fraudulent measures.”
The government's intention is to include all the areas of society, especially religious communities in the country, in the discussion and successive elaborations and modifications that the legislative assembly will carry out on the draft-bill, in order to “maintain religious harmony in the nation.” This is why a special Commission has been formed to evaluate the situation, examine its positive and negative implications, propose eventual corrections. Functioning as representative of one of Sri Lanka's religious communities is Archbishop Oswald Gomis of Colombo, who immediately demonstrated what is at stake if the document “violates the religious freedom guaranteed by the Sri Lankan Constitution.”
The Catholic Church looks with great care and concern at such a law, as this would infringe upon the freedom of conscience of an individual. And, given that its purpose is supposedly to impede any conversion “by use of force, trickery, or fraudulent measures,” it is very important to specify with detail what these expressions mean, to avoid any future misunderstandings or exploitations.
The document has already been examined by the Sri Lankan Supreme Court, which called for several changes, revealing the contrast of some passages of the text with the country's Constitution. It is now up to the Parliament to take up the Court's indications and open debate, making any changes needed to the text before it can become law.
The Bishops of Sri Lanka have reiterated on several occasions the fact that they are also strongly opposed to “non-ethical conversions,” and condemn any fraudulent means or use of proselytism through trickery or money. However, they also recall that authentic conversion concerns the relationship between man and God and that no law can undermine the highest freedom of conscience. Approving a law that outlaws conversions, according to the Bishops, will not resolve the problem: on the contrary, this could create difficulties, disharmony, conflict, violations of religious liberty, and even oppression of religious minorities in the countries, if it is misused. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 12/1/2009)
