COLOMBO, SRI LANKA, August 13, 2003: Buddhist organizations in Sri Lanka have welcomed a Supreme Court decision to prevent proselytizing or religious conversions and to deny legal status to two Christian organizations. A three-judge bench held in two judgements that while the Sri Lankan constitution upheld a citizen’s right to worship and practice his or her religion, it did not recognize a fundamental right to propagate a religion. The court was hearing two petitions against two bills presented in parliament seeking legal status for two Christian organizations. The All Ceylon Buddhist Women’s Congress (ACWBC) challenged the bills. “The ACWBC has scored a tremendous legal victory over fundamentalist cults trying to subvert poor Buddhists and Hindus by offering financial and other allurements,” said Buddhist activist Senaka Weeraratne. NJC secretary Piyasena Dissanayake said, “We respect the right of an individual to change his or her religion, but it should not be as a result of financial or other material inducements.” Buddhist organizations have been agitating against Christian groups and cults which they say are active in rural areas and offer people money, clothing and books in exchange for converting. Other benefits include medical facilities, child education and providing care for infants, the elderly, orphans, the destitute and the sick.
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