US embassy cable - 05COLOMBO1739

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001739 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, PGOV, KPAO, CE, Religious Freedom 
SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN DAILY REPORTS GOVERNMENT TO DROP 
ANTI-CONVERSION BILL AT US BEHEST 
 
REF: COLOMBO 1332 
 
Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD.  REASON:  1.5 (B,D). 
 
1.  (U) The headlines of the October 3 edition of the English 
language Daily Mirror, quoting an unnamed "top US State 
Department official," reported the Government of Sri Lanka 
(GSL) had agreed to hold off on anti-conversion legislation 
because of US pressure.  According to the article, written by 
a Sri Lankan journalist currently in the US on a visit 
sponsored by the Foreign Press Center, the source "said 
intensive discussions were held with the Sri Lankan 
Government to express US concerns before receiving a positive 
reply." 
 
2.  (C) Comment:  Sri Lankans are understandably sensitive to 
suggestions that their leaders succumb to western 
pressure--especially on a controversial matter of domestic 
policy like religious conversion.  (Indeed, those pushing 
anti-conversion legislation claim it is needed to protect 
home-grown Buddhism from the overweening influence of 
well-financed "foreign" imports like Christianity.)  Such 
sensitivities are heightened now that Sri Lanka is in the 
midst of a hotly contested presidential election, which, many 
observers have speculated, could be decided by a very narrow 
margin.  The conservative Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumayu (JHU) 
has been attempting to make religious conversion a campaign 
issue.  So far, however, neither incumbent Prime Minister and 
Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate Mahinda Rajapakse, whom the 
JHU is backing, nor opposition United National Party 
candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken up the topic.  This 
report, if accurate, will be counter-productive to our 
ongoing--but behind-the-scenes--efforts to discourage support 
for such legislation with government and opposition leaders. 
Government leaders, up to and including President 
Kumaratunga, have been responsive to our concerns and 
extraordinarily candid about their own intent to bury the 
bill.  They may not be as forthcoming in the future if they 
think their conversations will be splashed across the front 
pages. 
LUNSTEAD