|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 14 July 2004 |
 |
|
 |
News | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
Secretary General of the Liberal Party Kamal Nissanka in a press release states that the anti conversion legislation is an equivalent to the Prevention of Terrorism Act and urges the parliamentarians not to support the bill. The statement is as follows: The Liberal Party feels that the Anti Conversion legislation would bring lot of problems in the sphere of individual rights and individual autonomy and therefore urges parliamentarians to rethink on its passing. Liberals believe that the majority view on certain issues is not always correct and some erroneous decisions of the majority in the past have ultimately led to an unwanted bloodbath. The Sinhala Only Act that was introduced in 1956 resulted in bringing disintegrating tendencies to the Sri Lankan polity and society. Later considerable political pressure was mounted to bring legislation to make Tamil a national langauge. Liberals believe that the Sinhala Only Act increased and enhanced the privileges and benefits of the few who were English educated depriving the masses of many opportunities in selected employment where English is necessary. Today the younger generation from rural areas striving to learn the English langauge as they feel that it is a must in modern world affairs. Another example of bad deliberate legislation is the 6th amendment to the constitution that deprived Tamil politicians of their right of conscience. Liberals believe that any person may have his own political thinking even to form a separate state within the boundaries of an existing state. But we liberals strongly oppose the use of violence and terrorism to achieve that objective by any individual or group because terrorism violates individual and human rights. All legislation with penal effects related to the Tamil national question including the use of emergency rules and regulations have brought us closer to a defacto Tamil state in the northern province. Was the Sinhala Only Act of Mr. S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike able to assimilate the Tamils into the Sinhala society? Did the Prevention of Terrorism act prevent terrorism? Liberals feel that the Anti Conversion legislation is an equivalent to the Prevention of Terrorism Act of Mr. J.R. Jayawardene. Likewise anti conversion legislation will not bring forth any fruitful results. Christian tradition with regard to propaganda of their faith has always been a great sacrifice. Not only Jesus Christ but also many of his disciples and followers sacrificed their lives in the name of their faith. Liberals believe in individual autonomy, human rights and secular state. All religions have their own myths as well as their valuable moral and philosophical explanations. All religious leaders did conversions and they cannot be termed as ethical or unethical because something ethical to one person may be unethical to another person. The proposed legislation is going contrary to the principle of non-malfeasance, a major area in Modern Ethics. Liberals believe that the ruling parties should distinguish "law" from "legislation". According to the liberals "law" is not man made but a gradual development of a set of rules that control the conduct of human beings and the common observance by them of those set of rules (Common Law). Contrary to this view "legislation" is deliberate making of law by people's representatives, totalitarians or dictators and this power if wielded by bad men or men of low intelligence, would bring disaster to the society. Liberals affirm that the Anti Conversion bill which is in the pipeline to pass would be a very bad and unrealistic piece of legislation that would suppress the individual and human rights and urge the government not be a party to endorse the whims and fancies of religious fanatics and extremists. Liberals are confident that Anti Conversion legislation cannot stop the choice of change of religious beliefs and warn the political parties not to take an official line with regard to the proposed legislation. The proposed legislation if enacted would further disintegrate and alienate the paralysed Sri Lankan polity and society. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
