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Christians in Sri Lanka Await Vote on Anti-Conversion Bill

This month, the Sri Lankan parliament is expected to vote on a bill that would restrict the freedom to proselytize and convert

This month, the Sri Lankan parliament is expected to vote on a bill that would restrict the freedom to proselytize and convert, reported a U.K.-based ministry to the persecuted Church.

The bill, which has drawn concern from both Protestant Christians as well as Catholic Christians, was struck down last year by the Supreme Court - which ruled two clauses of the bill as being unconstitutional.

“The legislation contravenes the three major UN declarations and covenants that concern freedom of religion: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Declaration on the Elimination of all forms of Intolerance and Discrimination based on Religion or Belief,” stated the Barnabas Fund.

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“All three affirm the right to manifest a religion publicly, which includes missionary activity. They also affirm the right to freely convert from one religion to another,” the group added. “The legislation has been of such concern to the UN that they sent their Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief to investigate the situation at the beginning of May.”

The bill, presented to the Parliament by the Buddhist nationalist party Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), states "No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any person from one religion to another by the use of force or by allurement".

According to the Barnabas Fund, the reference to "allurement" is of particular concern to faith-based aid agencies helping tsunami victims and involved in other development projects. In one example, the Barnabas Fund said a Christian aid agency may be providing care and support of a physical and material nature only; however, if a recipient of these measures is so moved by the love shown by these Christians that he himself subsequently turns to Christ, that agency could be accused of luring him to Christianity.

To show the effect this law may have, the Barnabase Fund reported that of the 67 American agencies involved in Tsunami relief 30 are faith based and may be forced to leave the country.

The group says that the maximum penalty for breaking this law will be five years in prison or a fine of Rs 150,000 (about $1500), rising to seven years in prison or Rs 500,000 ($5000) if the offence is committed against minors or women.

The bill is now in Committee Stage and is expected to go to a vote sometime in the latter half of June.

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