Unethical Conversions:

Commission Report handed over

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

The Commission Report on Unethical Conversions of Buddhists was handed over yesterday to Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka by All Ceylon Buddhist Congress ' President Jagath Sumathipala at the Prime Minister's Office, Colombo.

The All Ceylon Buddhist Congress (ACBC) appointed the Commission to investigate the conversions of Buddhists into other religions by unethical means and ruses, inspired by the Buddhist Commission Report inquiring into matters relating to Buddha Sasana, which was presented on February 4, 1956.

The Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya (The National Sangha Federation)) and several other Buddhist organisations have reportedly assisted the Commission appointed by the ACBC to prepare the report.

The founder of the Sangha Sammelanaya and the Chief Advisor to the Commission , Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera said, according to their findings over 400 NGOs operating in the country are responsible for unethical conversions.

"Several Christian fundamentalist and evangelical groups have been carrying out these conversions mainly in poverty stricken villages where people are easy prey for their conversion methods such as giving food items and by promising them to heal their wounds or to cure them with various religious rituals they conduct in small houses and huts," he pointed out.

"A considerable number of Tamil speaking people have become their victims," the Thera said.

These groups have infiltrated into Sri Lanka under the guise of NGOs . We have detailed information about these goups and their activities, he said.