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| Sunday, 11 January 2004 |
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Committee ready with report by Shanika Sriyananda A sub committee of eight bhikkus and three eminent scholars appointed by the Buddhasasana Ministry will hand over a new draft on prevention of unethical conversions to the Minister W.J.M. Lokubandara within a fortnight. The members comprised 31 bhikkus. An official of the Ministry told the 'Sunday Observer' that the committee would study the draft bills already prepared by various Buddhist organisations in a bid to prevent unethical conversions. "The committee will prepare a new draft based on drafts prepared by these organisations", he said. The final draft would be prepared after consultations with the 31 member Ministerial committee on prevention of unethical conversions. Meanwhile, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, President of the Jathika Sanga Sammelanaya, said that the Sammelanaya had decided to continue with their protests until the Ministry appoints a new committee with more legal power to handle the issue. " The present committee do not have powers to prepare a bill", he said. "But, we give our fullest support to the Ministry to prepare the new Act", Ven. Medhananda Thera added. "We are not representatives of any political party or any other organisation, but frightened to save the Buddhism. Over 70 per cent of bhikkus including Maha Nayaka Theras and over 95 per cent of Sri Lankans are with us", he said. Draft legislation underway by Don Asoka Wijewardena Around 179 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) both foreign and local are alleged to have been converting people to various religions in Sri Lanka and the government has already taken action to enact stringent legislation to put an end to such unethical conversions. According to reports received by the National Bhikkhu Association, a large number of NGOs, especially the foreign ones were engaged in converting people with monetary assistance. Some religious dignitaries said that in accordance with the Constitution,any person can embrace any religion by conviction but not by conversion as that practice could be regarded as a fundamental human right of any person. They are also of the view that the introduction of draft legislation against conversions is a much-needed commitment of any government which should treat every religion alike. Moratuwa university elections: Independent students union lead in all faculties Independent Student Unions won power in all faculties in the University of Moratuwa at the student election concluded, last week. University sources however, would not say whether the 'Independent Unions' had any links with the JVP or whether last week's election saw JVP student unions edge out of the Moratuwa Campus. A University communique states: the Student Union elections concluded with the Independent Student Unions being elected uncontested in the Faculties of Architecture and Information Technology, while the Independent Students Union polled over eight times more than their rival group at the Engineering Faculty Students Union election. "The election was concluded in an excellent manner with strict guidelines and the students of both groups responded very positively and in a cordial manner" said Prof. Dayantha Wijeyesekera, Vice-Chancellor. He also said that these unions were free from political influence and outside politics was not encouraged within the campus. Prof. Wijeyesekara said this cordiality and peaceful environment had brought many benefits to the University. "This is the only campus that functioned continuously since 2000 and is also free from ragging. It has the highest employability of graduates", he added. |
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