Former Health Minister Dr. Channa Jayasumana has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to immediately suspend a Sri Lanka Tourism–endorsed initiative to promote LGBTIQ tourism, citing concerns over public health, cultural integrity, and national values.

In a letter addressed to the President, Dr. Jayasumana said his objection was not directed at individuals but at the “public health and national implications” of the project. He argued that tourism should reflect Sri Lanka’s moral and spiritual image to the world rather than compromise it for short-term economic gain.

He warned that the initiative could undermine Sri Lanka’s identity, which he said is rooted in Buddhist principles as well as values drawn from Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam.

“If we project an image inconsistent with our moral and religious foundations, we risk sending a message that Sri Lanka is prepared to compromise its dignity,” he wrote.

Dr. Jayasumana also highlighted public health concerns, pointing to rising HIV cases among youth aged 15 to 24, which he said had climbed from 13 in 2010 to more than 100 in both 2023 and 2024. He warned that Sri Lanka’s strained health system, already grappling with high levels of non-communicable diseases, could be further burdened by “sexuality-linked tourism.”

The former minister also raised concerns about substance abuse and mental health challenges in marginalised groups, arguing the project could exacerbate them. Instead, he proposed prioritising wellness, eco-tourism, spirituality, and traditional medicine, which he said align more closely with both Sri Lankan values and global demand.

He questioned whether the initiative had political backing, hinting at possible ministerial involvement in what he described as “a coordinated promotion of adolescent sex.”

Concluding his letter, Dr. Jayasumana said: “Tourism should enrich Sri Lanka and strengthen its identity, not compromise its health security, cultural integrity, or global image.”