Banning burqas and madrasas would have impacted rights – NPC

National Peace Council (NPC) yesterday welcomed the government’s announcement that proposed laws to ban the wearing of the burqa and closure of a thousand Muslim madrasas on the grounds of national security were being reconsidered.

Issuing a press release, the NPC said that it was worried that such moves would have polarised the country further.

“These proposed laws are overbroad and severely impacted upon cultural and religious rights. The wearing of the burqa for instance can be regulated so that the identity of the wearer can be ascertained at security checkpoints and the madrasas would be required to register with the education authorities and undergo necessary supervision instead of being shut down. There should be equivalent provisions for the non-discriminatory registration of Sunday schools of other religions as well,” the NPC said.

The NPC added that were perturbed by the government’s proposed de-radicalisation law that will enable public officials to detain persons they suspect of preparing for violence or spreading of disaffection between communities and have them sent off to rehabilitation centres. Such a law could be misused heavily as it would be akin to an arbitrary weapon given to public authorities which could undermine democracy and freedom of speech in the country.

” We call on the government to reconsider all three proposed laws as overbroad and not in keeping with the ethos of a multi ethnic, multi religious and plural society that Sri Lanka truly is, or for that matter any democratic country. We call on government spokespersons proposing legislative changes or making public statements to take care not to add to the polarization of communities at political and religious levels and to empathise with the feelings and aspirations of minority communities in addition to that of the majority,” NPC said,

The NPC added that the country is facing difficult challenges due to internal and external pressures which is increasing the level of frustration within the society and issues such as Covid-generated economic downturn, fallout of the Easter bombing investigation, sugar tax scam and impending UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka need to be dealt with sagaciously.

“These challenges can best be met if the government is able to mobilise a consensus within the country that unites the people of all ethnic and religious communities in a common stance behind the government,” NPC said.