The Chief Prelates of all three Buddhist Chapters have in a joint letter to the President has raised concerns about new legislation and initiatives introduced by the Government could undermine cultural values and give rise to social issues. 

The Chief Prelates have – in the latter dated (30 September) – protested the proposed amendments to the Penal Code introducing an offence for corporal punishment which they stated will cause decay of morals and social norms. The religious leaders have warned while it is important to strengthen laws against child abuse, the Government’s enactment of the legislature regarding corporal punishment threaten the basis of morality in Sri Lanka and undermine the relationship between parents and children, and that of  teachers and students. 

The Prelates have also warned the Government that initiatives to promote tourism through LGBTQ-related activities, could undermine cultural values and give rise to serious social catastrophe in the future. 

These observations have been made in a joint letter issued with the signatures of Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangalabidhana Mahanayake Thero of the Malwatta chapter of Siam Nikaya, Warakagoda Dhammasiddhi Sri Pagghananda Gnanarathanabidhana Mahanayake Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter of the Siam Nikaya, Karagoda Uyangoda Maithree Moorthi Mahanayaka Thero of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya, and Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism yesterday (30) denied that the Government has run a specific tourism-promotion campaign targeting LGBTQ+ foreign tourists, while emphasising that any future initiatives will be carefully evaluated within the framework of national tourism priorities and social harmony.