Reconsider overbroad laws targeting Muslim community and democracy at large; NPC

The National Peace Council (NPC) has called on the government to reconsider three recently proposed laws as they are overbroad and not in keeping with the ethos of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and plural society that Sri Lanka truly is. The full statement is as follows;

The country is facing difficult challenges due to internal and external pressures which are increasing the level of frustration within society.  The Covid-generated economic downturn, the fallout of the Easter bombing investigation, sugar tax scam and impending UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka needs to be dealt with sagaciously.  These challenges can best be met if the government is able to mobilise a consensus within the country that unites the people of all ethnic and religious communities in a common stance behind the government.  While the government came to power during a time of high ethnic and religious polarisation in which the further polarising of the ethnic and religious communities took place, the need now is for unity and togetherness for the common purpose of upgrading the life of all sections of the people.

We call on the government to reconsider all three proposed laws as overbroad and not in keeping with the ethos of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and plural society that Sri Lanka truly is, or for that matter any democratic country

In this context, the National Peace Council is relieved that the government has announced that proposed laws to ban the wearing of the burqa and closure of a thousand Muslim madrasas on the grounds of national security are being reconsidered.   We are concerned that the previously envisaged course of action would have polarised the country further rather than unite the people.  These proposed laws are overbroad and severely impact upon cultural and religious rights. The wearing of the burqa for instance can be regulated so that the identity of the wearer can be ascertained at security checkpoints and the madrasas can be required to register with the education authorities and undergo necessary supervision instead of being shut down.  There should be equivalent provisions for the non-discriminatory registration of Sunday schools of other religions as well.

The National Peace Council is also perturbed by the government’s proposed de-radicalisation law that will enable public officials to detain persons they suspect of preparing for violence or spreading of disaffection between communities and have them sent off to rehabilitation centres.  We are apprehensive that such a law could be misused heavily.  This would be akin to an arbitrary weapon given to public authorities which could undermine democracy and freedom of speech in the country.  We call on the government to reconsider all three proposed laws as overbroad and not in keeping with the ethos of a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and plural society that Sri Lanka truly is, or for that matter any democratic country.  We call on government spokespersons proposing legislative changes or making public statements to take care not to add to the polarisation of communities at political and religious levels and to empathise with the feelings and aspirations of minority communities in addition to that of the majority.

The National Peace Council is an independent and non-partisan organisation that works towards a negotiated political solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. It has a vision of a peaceful and prosperous Sri Lanka in which the freedom, human rights and democratic rights of all the communities are respected. The policy of the National Peace Council is determined by its Governing Council of 20 members who are drawn from diverse walks of life and belong to all the main ethnic and religious communities in the country.