CSI urges High Commissioner for Human Rights to address harassment and discrimination concerns
Christians face severe restrictions on building churches. csi
MEDIA RELEASE
Yesterday, Christian Solidarity International (CSI) urged the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the government of Sri Lanka to address the ongoing discrimination against religious minorities in Sri Lanka.
In a statement delivered at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on September 8, CSI’s Abi McDougal highlighted the harassment of Christians in the country, including from Buddhist monks.
CSI’s partners in Sri Lanka report that Christians who attempt to report harassment often face bias from police, McDougal told an interactive dialogue on the OHCHR report into the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. Examples of police bias include a refusal to register cases and alterations to case reports that diminish the severity of incidents.
McDougal also drew attention to Sri Lanka’s new, severe restrictions on places of worship.
“Since 2022, the government has added vague and complex requirements for registering places of worship, which have forced some churches to discontinue worship services, and have left Christians exposed to violence without legal recourse,” McDougal said.
Discrimination is also experienced by other non-Buddhist minorities. Muslims are often targeted based on their attire or appearance, and Hindus are frequently aggressed during their religious festivals or denied access to sacred sites.
“So long as the constitution, Supreme Court rulings, and laws privilege Buddhism over other religions, religious liberty will not be realized,” McDougal warned.
“CSI calls on the High Commissioner to address these concerns explicitly and assist the Sri Lankan government in implementing laws that will ensure the protection of religious minorities.”
