U.S. Special Advisor calls for international pressure to limit religious discrimination in Sri Lanka

U.S. Special Advisor calls for international pressure to limit religious discrimination in Sri Lanka
Photo: Muslims in Sri Lanka under threat: Rights group, Anadolu Agency (https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/muslims-in-sri-lanka-under-threat-rights-group/1523710) 

14-11-2021

Malene Solheim

Sri Lanka and Human Rights Researcher, 

Global Human Rights Defense.

Knox Thames, the current Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South / Central Asia, wrote in The Diplomat that he encouraged international pressure to stop the religious persecution currently going on in Sri Lanka (The Diplomat, 2021). Recently Sri Lanka has seen increased discrimination against religious minorities in Sri Lanka, especially Muslims but also against Christians and Hinus. Recently, Hindu kovils (temples) have been changed into Buddhist temples, and a law is suggested to prohibit muslims to wear niqabs as well as Christian places of worship have been closed down (Tamil Guardian 2021). This limits the freedom for religion among Sri Lankans, and violates the prohibition of discrimination on religious  grounds. 

Today Buddhists make up more than 70% of the Sri Lanka population, making it by far the most common religion in the country (ohchr.org, 2019). With the increasing grip the government has on religious minorities in Sri Lanka, religious diversity might be limited and freedom of religious practises will be restricted. Mr. Thames argues that with international pressure on Sri Lanka, this trend might be reversed. 



Sources and further reading:

Tamil Guardian (2021, November 12). Sri Lankan President rejects resignation of Justice Minister. https://www.tamilguardian.com/content/former-us-envoy-urges-international-pressure-end-religious-persecution-sri-lanka 

The Diplomat (2021, October 25). Shrinking Space for Religious Minorities in Sri Lanka.

https://thediplomat.com/2021/10/shrinking-space-for-religious-minorities-in-sri-lanka/ 

United States Institute for Peace. Knox Thames. 

https://www.usip.org/people/knox-thames 

Ohchr.org (2019, August 26). Preliminary findings of Country Visit to Sri Lanka by the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24918&LangID=E