media-specialprocedures@ohchr.org
Sri Lanka: Simmering
ethno-religious tensions must not be ignored, says UN rights expert
GENEVA / COLOMBO (26 August 2019) –
Simmering ethno-religious tensions in Sri Lanka require urgent action by the
authorities to strengthen respect for freedom of religion or belief in Sri
Lanka, says UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief Ahmed
Shaheed.
“There is a serious deficit of
trust among ethno-religious communities in Sri Lanka following the deadly
Easter Sunday bomb blasts and subsequent mob violence this year, and these
tensions must not be ignored,” Shaheed said, presenting a report at the end of
a 12-day mission to the country.
“While the Government promptly
brought the situation more or less under control after the bomb blasts, many
religious communities remain very concerned about their security because of
incitement to hatred and violence by some religious extremists.
“The Government must take action
against the hate propaganda targeting Muslim communities that is being spread
through unregulated media and is instigating ethno-religious tension for
political gain.
“Failure by the State to take
action to address incitement to hatred and violence will allow extremism to
escalate and pose serious challenges to peace-building. The ethno-religious
tension must not be treated as mere sporadic incidents; the underlying unease
and hostility existed long before the Easter attacks and subsequent violence.”
Shaheed said the long-standing
traditions of religious harmony and co-existence in Sri Lanka, as well as
tolerance and sustainable peace were at risk from religious and political
violence, lack of accountability, distrust of institutions and resentment
against perceived majoritarian privilege.
“It is time for Sri Lanka to
vigorously adopt measures to protect the rights of all people and to hold
perpetrators accountable, regardless of their ethno-religious background,” said
the expert.
“Women’s experiences of
ethno-religious hostility including violence, displacement and stereotyping
must also be effectively addressed.
“There is a need for sustainable
intercommunal and interreligious dialogue for trust and peacebuilding as well
as reconciliation. Space must be provided for moderate voices, for concerns to
be flagged and for grievances to be addressed,” the UN expert said.
“I have seen encouraging
initiatives by different State institutions, civil society organisations and
religious leaders on the issues of reconciliation and promotion of peaceful
coexistence.
“However, freedom of religion or
belief is not about religious tolerance alone, it is about the right of each
individual to be treated equally in their choice to believe or not to believe,
and whether to manifest it in private or in public.”
The UN expert said resilience
against religious extremism could be built by a range of measures including
strengthening the rule of law, addressing root causes, improving education for
all and protecting religious diversity.
“I call on the Government and all
others to create an enabling environment for the exercise of fundamental
freedoms, in the lead-up to elections and not to use ethno-religious tensions
for electoral gain,” Shaheed said.
During his mission, Shaheed met
Government officials and local authorities. He visited the north, east, central
and northwest parts of the country and also held meetings with representatives
of ethnic and religious or belief communities, civil society organisations, and
the UN.
The Special Rapporteur will present
a report containing his conclusions and recommendations to the UN Human Rights
Council in March 2020.
ENDS
Mr. Ahmed Shaheed (the Maldives)
was appointed as Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief by the UN
Human Rights Council in 2016. Mr. Shaheed is Deputy Director of the Human
Rights Centre at the University of Essex, UK and Senior Fellow of the Raoul
Wallenberg Human Rights Centre in Canada. He was Foreign Minister of the
Maldives from 2005 to 2007 and from 2008 to 2010. He led the country’s efforts
to sign and ratify all nine international human rights Conventions and to
implement them in law and practice. Mr. Shaheed is the former Special
Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran.
The Special Rapporteurs are part of
what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special
Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights
system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and
monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or
thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on
a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their
work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in
their individual capacity.
An e-Digest on Freedom of Religionor Belief – 25 years of thought by four UN Special Rapporteurs (download your
copy)
Check the Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion
or Belief:
UN Human Rights, Country Page – SriLanka
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