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 Sri Lanka Rejects U.N. Order to Stop Religious ApartheidSep 22, 2006 The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has struck yet another blow to religious liberty by defying a decision by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights ("UNCHR"). The Sri Lankan government declared in a statement that in the UNCHR ruling of Sisters of the Holy
Cross in Menzingen, there was "no remedy that could be
afforded by the government of Sri Lanka." It further made known its intention to flout international standards by declaring unenforceable the UNHRC's decision in the case of Nallaratnam Sinharasa. The UNHRC ruled that Sinharasa was denied a fair trial because of the use of a confession based on distress.
In The Sisters of the Holy Cross, the Sri Lanka Supreme Court denied the Sisters the right to incorporate a convent and school because the expression of their faith was deemed "a threat to the very existence of Buddhism." The high court's decision essentially demoted non-Buddhists to second-class citizens. After the high court's ruling came down, the Sisters appealed to the UNHRC, which issued the ruling in favor of the Sisters in 2005.
"Sri Lanka has a practice of restricting minority religious freedom and defying the U.N.," said Angela C. Wu, International Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. "The Sri Lankan Government is obligated under international law to provide equal opportunities to persons and organizations regardless of religious beliefs."
"The Sisters have the right under international law to be free of legal discrimination and to practice their faith peacefully and as they see fit," Wu said. "We can only hope the government of Sri Lanka realizes the grave consequences of its actions and chooses to rejoin the international family of nations by complying with the treaties it has ratified."
Earlier this month the U.S. State Department condemned Sri Lanka as a "significant violator of religious freedom" due to proposed anti-conversion legislation and continued attacks by militant Buddhists on Christian churches throughout the country.Resources & Documents
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