Briefing highlights threat of Sinhala nationalists

CSW has released a new briefing, highlighting the risk posed by Sinhala Buddhist nationalism to religious freedom in Sri Lanka. It warns that the level of anti-Christian violence has risen since the end of the civil war in May 2009, and that an “anti-conversion” bill proposed by the JHU, a party of Buddhist monks, remains on the political agenda in 2010.

Alexa Papadouris, CSW Advocacy Director, said, “It is important that the victorious candidate in next week’s presidential election seeks to uphold strongly the rights of all who fall outside Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhist majority. Protecting religious freedom must be an important dimension of this”.

Notes to editors:

Sri Lanka’s presidential election takes place on 26 January.