US embassy cable - 04COLOMBO894

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 COLOMBO 000894 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR SA, SA/INS, SA/RA, DRL/IRL, DRL/CRA 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, KIRF, KSEP, CE, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT:  Sri Lanka:  Draft International Religious 
Freedom Report for 2004 
 
Refs:  (A) Colombo-DRL 05-28-04 unclass email 
-      (B) State 82752 
 
1.  (U) This is Senstive But Unclassified -- Please 
handle accordingly. 
 
2.  (U) Per Ref B, Mission submits below the draft 
Sri Lanka International Religious Freedom report for 
2004.  A Word document with tracked changes in the final 
2003 version of the Sri Lanka report has been sent to the 
Department via email (per Ref B instructions). 
 
3.  (SBU) Draft Sri Lanka International Religious Freedom 
Report for 2004: 
 
Begin Text: 
The Constitution accords Buddhism the "foremost place," 
but it is not recognized as the state religion. The 
Constitution also provides for the right of members of 
other faiths to practice their religion freely, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. 
 
Respect for religious freedom by the Government was 
generally unchanged during the period covered by this 
report. Due to the actions of extremists, however, there 
was a severe deterioration in religious freedom during 
the period covered by this report. In late 2003 and 
early 2004, Sri Lanka witnessed a serious spate of 
attacks on Christian churches, and sometimes pastors and 
congregants. Over one hundred attacks have been alleged, 
with several dozen confirmed by the Embassy. In 
response, major political and religious leaders publicly 
condemned the attacks and police arrested close to a 
dozen people in connection with the incidents. The 
government did not take action on a draft bill 
criminalizing the conversion of Hindus by "unethical" 
means. 
 
Embassy officials expressed USG concerns about the 
incidents of church attacks in meetings with Government 
leaders. Embassy officials also urged the Government to 
arrest and prosecute the perpetrators of the attacks. 
The U.S. Government continues to discuss general 
religious freedom issues with the Government in the 
context of its overall dialog and policy of promoting 
human rights. 
 
Section I. Religious Demography 
 
The country has a total area of 25,322 square miles and 
a population of approximately 18.5 million. Buddhism, 
Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity all are practiced in 
the country. Approximately 70 percent of the population 
are Buddhist, 15 percent are Hindu, 8 percent are 
Christian, and 7 percent are Muslim. Christians tend to 
be concentrated in the west, with much of the north 
almost exclusively Hindu. The other parts of the country 
have a mixture of religions, with Buddhism 
overwhelmingly present in the south. 
 
Most members of the majority Sinhalese community are 
Theravada Buddhists. Almost all Muslims are Sunnis, with 
a small minority of Shi'a, including members of the 
Borah community. Roman Catholics account for almost 90 
percent of the Christians, with Anglicans and other 
mainstream Protestant churches also present in the 
cities. The Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, 
and the Assemblies of God are present as well. 
Evangelical Christian groups have increased in 
membership in recent years, although the overall number 
of members in these groups still is small/ 
 
Section II. Status of Religious Freedom 
 
Legal/Policy Framework 
 
The Constitution gives Buddhism a "foremost position," 
but it also provides for the right of members of other 
faiths to practice their religions freely, and the 
Government generally respects this right in practice. 
There are separate ministries in the Government that 
address religious affairs. These include: The Ministry 
of Buddha Sasana, the Ministry of Muslim Religious 
Affairs, the Ministry of Hindu Affairs, and the Ministry 
of Christian Affairs. Each of these ministries has been 
empowered to deal with issues involving the religion in 
question. 
 
In January 2003, a bill intended to curb religious 
conversions of Hindus was drafted and presented to the 
Cabinet. The draft bill was still under review by the 
Attorney General's office in February when President 
Kumaratunga dissolved Parliament and announced that 
parliamentary elections would take place in April. With 
the dissolution of Parliament, all pending legislation 
was cancelled, including the draft "anti-conversion" 
bill. As of the end of this reporting period, the draft 
"anti-conversion" bill had not been re-introduced in the 
new Parliament. There continues to be some discussion 
that the draft bill might be re-introduced as a private 
member's motion (not by the government) and then voted 
on later this year. 
 
Some Christian denominations have resisted greater 
government involvement in their affairs; instead they 
are registered individually through acts of Parliament 
or as corporations under domestic law. Christian 
denominations must fill out and submit forms in order to 
be recognized as corporations. This gives them legal 
standing in Sri Lanka to be treated as corporate 
entities in their financial and real estate 
transactions. In July, the Sri Lanka Supreme Court ruled 
against an incorporation petition by the Teaching 
Sisters of the Holy Cross of the Third Order of Saint 
Francis.  The court denied the petition, claiming that 
the order could not be incorporated if it was involved 
in proselytization and providing material benefit. At 
present, the religious order is preparing an appeal to 
the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights. There is no 
tax exemption for religious organizations as such. 
However, churches and temples are allowed to register as 
charitable organizations and therefore are entitled to 
some tax exemptions. 
 
The Government has placed renewed emphasis on the work 
of national councils for interfaith understanding in the 
wake of the attacks on Christian churches and 
evangelical groups' property (see Section III). 
 
Despite the constitutional preference for Buddhism, a 
number of major religious festivals of other faiths are 
celebrated as national holidays. 
 
Restrictions on Religious Freedom 
 
Foreign clergy may work in the country, but for the last 
three decades, the Government has taken steps to limit 
the number of foreign Christian religious workers given 
temporary work permits. Permission usually is restricted 
to denominations that are registered formally with the 
Government. Most religious workers in the country, 
including most Christian clergy, are Sri Lankan in 
origin. 
 
During the period covered by this report, Christians, 
both mainstream denominations and evangelical groups, 
suffered from an increase in harassment and physical 
attacks by local Buddhist extremists who felt threatened 
by these groups (see Section III). Some Christian groups 
sometimes complain that the Government tacitly condones 
such harassment and violence, but there is little 
evidence to support this claim, although some local 
police officials were reportedly reluctant to take legal 
action against Buddhist monks involved in the attacks. 
 
Religion is a mandatory subject in the school 
curriculum. Parents and children may choose whether a 
child studies Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, or 
Christianity. Students of minority religions other than 
Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity must pursue religious 
instruction outside of the public school system. There 
are no separate syllabi provided for smaller religions. 
Religion is taught in schools from an academic point of 
view. 
 
Issues related to family law, including divorce, child 
custody, and inheritance are adjudicated by the 
customary law of each ethnic or religious group. The 
minimum age of marriage for women is 18 years, except in 
the case of Muslims, who continue to follow their 
customary religious practices. The application of 
different legal practices based on membership in a 
religious or ethnic group may result in discrimination 
against women. 
 
Abuses of Religious Freedom 
 
Since 1983 the Government (controlled by the Sinhalese, 
and predominantly Buddhist, majority) has fought the 
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), an insurgent 
organization fighting for a separate state for the 
country's Tamil (and predominantly Hindu) minority. 
However, in December 2001, the Government and the LTTE 
each announced unilateral cease fires and in February 
2002 a joint ceasefire accord was agreed to by the 
parties. The peace process is fragile; in April 2003, 
the LTTE pulled out of talks with the Government. 
Religion did not play a significant role in the 
conflict, which essentially is rooted in linguistic, 
ethnic, and political differences. Buddhists, Hindus, 
and Christians all have been affected by the conflict, 
which has claimed more than 60,000 lives. The military 
had issued warnings through public radio before 
commencing major operations, instructing civilians to 
congregate at safe zones around churches and temples; 
however, in the conflict areas in the north, the 
Government occasionally was accused of bombing and 
shelling Hindu temples and Christian churches. In 2003, 
some Buddhist clergy were allowed to visit shrines in 
LTTE-controlled areas for the first time in many years. 
In the past 12 months, some Christians also visited holy 
sites in LTTE-controlled areas which had not been 
accessible during the period of armed conflict. 
 
The LTTE targeted Buddhist sites, most notably the 
historic Dalada Maligawa or "Temple of the Tooth," the 
holiest Buddhist shrine in the country, in the town of 
Kandy in January 1998. Thirteen worshipers, including 
several children, were killed by the bombing. The 
Government still is attempting to locate and arrest the 
LTTE perpetrators of the attack. As a result, the 
Government has augmented security at a number of 
religious sites island-wide, including the Temple of the 
Tooth. In contrast to previous years, the LTTE did not 
target Buddhist sites during the period covered by this 
report; however, the LTTE has not indicated that it will 
abstain from attacking such targets in the future. 
 
There were no reports of religious prisoners or 
detainees. 
 
There were no reported public acts of anti-Semitism. 
 
Forced Religious Conversion 
 
There were no reports of forced religious conversion, 
including of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted 
or illegally removed from the United States, or of the 
Government's refusal to allow such citizens to be 
returned to the United States. 
 
Persecution by Terrorist Organizations 
 
The LTTE has been listed as a Foreign Terrorist 
Organization since 1997. Muslims, Tamils, and Sinhalese 
have all been victimized by the LTTE, but religious 
persecution has not played a major role in the conflict. 
 
In 1990, the LTTE expelled some 46,000 Muslim 
inhabitants-virtually the entire Muslim population-from 
their homes in the northern part of the island. Most of 
these persons remain displaced and live in or near 
welfare centers. Although some Muslims returned to the 
northern town of Jaffna in 1997, they did not remain 
there due to the continuing threat posed by the LTTE. 
There are credible reports that the LTTE has warned 
thousands of Muslims displaced from the Mannar area not 
to return to their homes until the conflict is over. It 
appears that the LTTE's actions against Muslims are not 
targeted against them due to their religious beliefs, 
but that they are rather a part of an overall strategy 
to clear the north and east of persons not sympathetic 
to the LTTE. The LTTE has made some conciliatory 
statements to the Muslim community, but the statements 
were viewed with skepticism by some Muslims. The LTTE 
continues to encourage Muslim IDPs to return home, 
asserting they will not be harmed. Although some Muslim 
IDPs have returned home, the vast majority have not and 
were instead waiting for a guarantee from the Government 
for their safety in LTTE-controlled areas. Since the 
peace process began in December 2001, the LTTE has also 
perpetrated a number of attacks in the east in which 
Muslims have been killed. No one has been arrested for 
perpetrating these attacks. The LTTE also commonly 
extorts money from Muslim families and businesses in the 
east. 
 
The LTTE has been accused in the past of using church 
and temple compounds, where civilians are instructed by 
the Government to congregate in the event of 
hostilities, as shields for the storage of munitions. 
 
Improvements and Positive Developments in Respect for 
Religious Freedom 
 
At the height of the attacks on Christian churches, 
Government leaders from the President to the then- 
Minister of Christian Affairs spoke out in public 
denouncing the attacks. President Kumaratunga 
specifically said that such attacks would not be 
tolerated and ordered the police to fully investigate 
each incident. Since the government crackdown began in 
late 2003, police have arrested almost a dozen people 
connected with the various attacks. Former Prime 
Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also convened regular 
meetings of the four ministers dealing with religious 
issues as part of their portfolio and established 
religious "amity" committees around the island. Leading 
Catholic and Buddhist clergy met in May to continue the 
dialogue on religious tolerance. 
 
Section III. Societal Attitudes 
 
Discrimination based on religious differences is much 
less common than discrimination based on ethnicity. In 
general, the members of the various faiths tend to be 
tolerant of each other's religious beliefs. However, Sri 
Lanka witnessed a severe increase in the harassment of 
Christians, especially evangelical groups, and attacks 
on their property and places of worship during the 
period covered by this report. The attacks were 
perpetrated by extremist Buddhists, who were opposed to 
attempts to convert Buddhists to another religion. 
Government officials and leaders of the different faiths 
all publicly condemned this spate of attacks. 
 
The police made attempts to investigate these incidents 
when complaints were made, but were often reluctant to 
pursue suspected perpetrators who were Buddhist monks. 
Law enforcement officials continue to believe that a 
majority of the attacks were conducted by a small number 
of extremist Buddhists. By early 2004, several alleged 
attackers had been arrested, and the intensity and 
frequency of the attacks had declined. 
 
The National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka 
reports that over one hundred attacks have taken place 
during the period covered by this report. Embassy has 
confirmed dozens of these attacks. Representative 
instances of such attacks are reviewed below: 
 
On April 11, the Christian Fellowship Church in Wadduwa 
was attacked by a mob led by a Buddhist monk. Attackers 
threw rocks at the church and tried to beat worshippers 
with sticks. Police are investigating the incident. Also 
on April 11, the residence of the pastor of the Assembly 
of God church in Ampara District was firebombed. No 
injuries were reported in the attack and the police are 
investigating. 
 
On February 24, an Apostolic church in the Boraluwewa 
District was attacked and the roof of the church was 
burnt. Seven men who were later arrested are free on 
bail. A court date is scheduled for July 2004. 
 
On February 7, the Kebithigollwa office of the Christian 
NGO, World Vision, was fire bombed and completely burnt. 
The following day, the police arrested several people, 
including Buddhist monks, in connection with the 
incident.  The investigation is continuing at present. 
 
On January 26, the Our Mother Most Pure Catholic shrine 
in Mattegoda was damaged in an arson attack.  A police 
investigation is ongoing. 
 
On December 9, three separate religious-based attacks 
occurred in Ratnapura. The local office of the Christian 
NGO, World Vision, was attacked and a security guard on 
the premise was injured.  The interior of St. 
Sebastian's Catholic Church and the evangelical Calvary 
Church also were damaged in the second and third 
attacks. Police do not have any suspects, but both cases 
remain under investigation. 
 
On December 5, two Korean protestant ministers were 
harassed at their residence in Colombo. Several personal 
items were stolen. Police are investigating the 
incident. 
 
On November 13, the staff at the Borella office of World 
Vision was threatened and harassed by Buddhist monks 
accusing the group of organizing "unethical 
conversions."  No one was injured. A Buddhist monk and 
several others were arrested in connection with the 
incident and a police investigation is ongoing. 
 
On September 25, there was an attack on the Assembly of 
God church in Kesbawa. The attack was allegedly led by 
an extremist Buddhist monk named Ven. Katuwella 
Chandrasiri. The church was seriously damaged but no one 
was injured.  A police investigation is ongoing. 
 
On September 17, four women connected with the Assembly 
of God church in Kotadeniyawa were assaulted.  The 
church was subsequently burnt on September 23. The 
police are investigating the incidents, but there have 
not been any arrests in the case. 
On August 2, a member of the Assembly of God church in 
Thanamalwila was attacked and chased by Buddhist monks. 
A complaint was filed with the police. 
 
On May 17, 2003, a group of laypersons associated with a 
local Buddhist temple visited Pastor Rozario at his home 
in the village of Neluwa, in the Galle District, and 
instructed him not to convert persons of other faiths to 
Christianity. Following the incident, Rozario made a 
complaint to police. On June 17, other persons attacked 
Pastor Rozario and set fire to items in his home. Three 
people have been charged with criminal trespass and 
intimidation. A court hearing is scheduled for October 
2004. 
On May 25, 2003, 500 Hindus broke into the Heavenly 
Harvest Church in Kaluvenkerni, beat church members, 
including children, and ransacked the building. The 
Hindu mob then set fire to the homes of all 25 Christian 
families in the village and tried to force two 
Christians to renounce their faith. The police who 
arrived on the scene were outnumbered but managed to 
drive the pastor to safety. The LTTE have asked 
Christian villagers to return and promised to look after 
their safety. As of the end of the period covered by 
this report, no arrests had been made. 
On June 3, a mob of 100 Buddhists surrounded St. 
Stephen's Lutheran Church at midnight and destroyed a 
small church hall still under construction. A Christian 
family next door was threatened with death if they 
reported the incident. Local authorities made one arrest 
after the attack but took no other action. Villagers 
subsequently threatened to bomb the church if the 
Christians attempted to rebuild it. 
 
In September 2002, a group of Christians vandalized a 
Jehovah's Witness hall in Negombo, breaking windows, 
destroying electrical systems, and burning equipment. 
Members of the congregation claimed that the police did 
not react to the disturbance until after the crowd 
dispersed. In November 2002, a Christian mob stormed the 
same meeting hall, assaulting Jehovah's Witnesses and 
again vandalizing the premises. In December 2002, an 
appeal was made for police action and cooperation. A 
police spokesman visited the site and submitted a report 
to the Inspector General of Police. The police 
investigation determined the fire was deliberately set. 
There are no suspects and no case has been filed. 
 
There are reports that members of various religious 
groups give preference in hiring in the private sector 
to members of their own group or denomination. This 
practice does not appear to be based principally on 
religion. There is no indication of preference in 
employment in the public sector on the basis of 
religion. 
 
Section IV. U.S. Government Policy 
 
The U.S. Embassy discusses religious freedom issues with 
the Government in the context of its overall dialog and 
policy of promoting human rights. Representatives of the 
Embassy regularly meet with representatives of all of 
the country's religious groups to review a wide range of 
human rights, ethnic, and religious freedom issues. 
During the period covered by this report, Embassy 
representatives met with Sri Lanka government officials 
at the highest level to express USG concern about the 
attacks on Christian churches. 
 
The U.S. is a strong supporter of the peace process 
launched by the Sri Lankan Government and the Embassy 
encourages the inter-faith efforts by religious leaders 
to promote a peaceful resolution of the conflict. 
 
Prisoner Lists and Issue Briefs 
 
There were no reports of religious detainees or 
prisoners. 
 
End Text. 
 
4.  (U) Minimize considered. 
 
LUNSTEAD