COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – A new law proposed in Sri Lanka requiring all churches to register has sparked concerns among Christian communities about potential violations of religious freedom. The legislation, which mandates registration for both new and existing places of worship, comes after the government introduced a similar requirement in early 2023.
Mike Gabriel, Chairman of the Religious Freedom Commission of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL), criticized the law, stating that it "undermines religious and belief freedom." Gabriel argued that the proposed legislation, along with a previous circular issued in 2022, creates uncertainty and potential infringements on the religious liberties of Christians, particularly evangelical churches.
"Churches, especially evangelical churches across Sri Lanka, have been facing uncertainty and potential infringements on their religious freedom due to the existing circular and the proposed mandatory registration," Gabriel said in a statement.
The mandatory registration process involves multiple government approvals and reviews of religious beliefs, according to Gabriel. International human rights organizations assert that registration for places of worship should be voluntary, allowing religious communities to obtain legal status for various operational and functional purposes. However, in Sri Lanka, Christians are now required to obtain government approval to practice their religion openly.
Gabriel argued that this requirement violates Sri Lanka's constitution, which guarantees religious freedom and prohibits discrimination. "This violates the constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and prohibition of discrimination as enshrined in Articles 10, 14(1)(e), and 12 of the Sri Lankan Constitution," he said.
The NCEASL has urged the Sri Lankan government to abandon the mandatory registration of places of worship. "If registration is deemed necessary, there should be a clear, efficient, and voluntary process that upholds 'freedom of religion' and 'non-discrimination'," Gabriel advised.
Sri Lanka's constitution designates Buddhism as the foremost religion of the country and requires the government to protect it. However, it does not establish Buddhism as the state religion. Despite this, the Supreme Court ruled in 2003 and 2017 that the right to propagate religion is not protected by the constitution.
The NCEASL has expressed concerns that the government's actions are discriminatory against minority religions, particularly Christianity. The alliance's report stated that the unequal implementation of the circular, especially against minority religious groups, raises concerns about potential misuse and abuse.
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