UN's Visit to Sri Lanka Strengthens Evangelicals against Anti-Conversion Bills

The controversial anti-conversion bill is to be put forward to the Sri Lankan parliament for a second reading tomorrow. However, the visit of the special rapporteur on freedom of religion of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) to Sri Lanka also coincides with this crucial time.

The UN’s intervention in the religious freedom issue in Sri Lanka has strengthened the evangelicals’ voice against the government’s restrictive legislation which many see as aimed at Christians.

The UN special envoy Asma Jahangir has been invited by the Government of Sri Lanka to analyse the situation of freedom of religion in Sri Lanka and will submit a report to the UNCHR. She arrived in Sri Lanka on 3rd May.

Compass Direct reported that Jahangir met with members of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) on 4th May. According to an NCEASL press release, the meeting addressed imminent anti-conversion bills proposed by the Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party and the Minister of Buddhist Affairs. Participants discussed a wide range of other issues related to possible solutions to the violent persecution of Christians and grievances by the Buddhist community.

The NCEASL emphasised on its commitment to work for an effective and just solution to these problems through "dialogue and mutual understanding".

Later that day, Jahangir met with several Christians who have suffered persecution, and received data on several acts of violence that have not been addressed by the police or judicial system.

Her visit appears to be a continuous effort of the UNCHR in monitoring the human rights violations in Sri Lanka. According to the Compass Direct, members of the World Evangelical Alliance and the Becket Fund met with Jahangir to share their concerns about proposed anti-conversion legislation in Sri Lanka during last month’s UNCHR. They said the law was a deliberate attempt to restrict freedom of religion, thereby violating international human rights agreements.

In response to the call by worldwide evangelicals, Jahangir was prompted to visit Sri Lanka and meet with state and religious officials at this crucial time as the anti-conversion bill is going to have its second reading in the parliament.

During her visit, she has been holding meetings regarding the religious freedom issue in Colombo with governmental officials, representatives of religious communities, political parties and members of the civil society.

The appointment of a special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism is a very important step made in the UNCHR, and this issue was finalised on 22nd April. An UN envoy’s mandate consists in examining incidents and governmental actions in all parts of the world which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, according to the UN Information Centre.

Compass Direct said that Protestant and Catholic Christians are planning an unprecedented combined rally on 7th May to protest anti-conversion legislation and violence against the Christian minority in Sri Lanka.