• Writes to Malwathu Chapter Chief Prelate against the UNHCHR’s advocating for decriminalising same-sex relations  

A civil society organisation (CSO) has sought Buddhist monks’ intervention against the efforts to decriminalise same-sex relationships in Sri Lanka.

This is in a context where the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Volker Türk, following his visit to Sri Lanka, said that he welcomes efforts to decriminalise same-sex relationships through legislation tabled before the last Parliament. However, recent media reports said that in response to Türk’s statement, Justice Minister, attorney Harshana Nanayakkara had said that at present time, the Justice Ministry has no related Bill under active consideration or scheduled with a confirmed timeline.

Addressed to the Siam Sect’s Malwathu Chapter’s Mahanayaka Thera (Chief Prelate) Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera by the Citizens of the People’s Struggle, the request read that Türk’s statement poses a risk as there is a duty to be fulfiled to protect Sri Lankan heritage, customs and culture for future generations. The organisation further said in its letter that the ruling National People’s Power Party, when it was in the Opposition, expressed support to the said legal reforms proposed by former Parliamentarian, attorney Premnath C. Dolawatte in 2023, and that the present President (Anura Kumara Dissanayake) is the only Presidential candidate who promised to end inequalities based on gender identity and sexual orientation. The organisation alleged that there is a connection between the present Government’s stance regarding the matter and Türk’s statement. In this context, the Citizens of the People’s Struggle claimed that Buddhist monks should oppose all parties seeking to support homosexuality.