JHU appeals: support Anti-Conversion Bill
ICC Note: This story is alarming news for Christians, as the Anti-Conversion Bill is a well-disguised effort to stop missionary activity.
By Kelum Bandara
01/08/09 Sri Lanka (Daily Mirror) – The JHU appealed to all the political parties yesterday, to help pass the Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Bill in Parliament. The Bill was presented in the House on Tuesday. It is expected to be taken up for debate next month.
The JHU leader, the Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, told journalists yesterday that this Bill was aimed at protecting all the major religions in the country from fundamentalist forces. The Ven. thera said that the views of dignitaries of all religions in the country had been incorporated when drafting the Bill, and, therefore, there should be no reason for anyone to oppose it.
“Earlier, it was challenged in the Supreme Court. Subsequently, we redrafted it in conformity with the court ruling. People expected us to fulfil two goals: one was to end unethical conversions and the other was to liberate the country from the LTTE. That is why we entered politics,” he said.
He said that the JHU had teamed up with the government, which was successfully liberating the country from terrorism today.
