25 February 2021 12:00 am
BY Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
The Presidential Commission which probed the Easter Sunday attacks has recommended to enact a legislation similar to Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act which is in force in Singapore currently, to preserve religious harmony in Sri Lanka.
The report of the committee which was handed over to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene had recommended the providing of provisions under this act for the Minister of Home Affairs, to make a restraining order against a person who in a position of authority in any religious group or institution, if the Minister is satisfied, had committed or is attempting to commit any of the acts such as causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious groups; or promoting a political cause, carrying out subversive activities or inciting disaffection against the President or the Government under the guise of propagating or practising a religious belief.
It has also recommended provisions to obtain restraining order against a person who incites, instigates or encourages any religious leader or any religious group or institution to commit the above acts; or a person who is not a religious leader who causes or attempts to cause feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious groups.
The report had focused on the above details on the Singaporean legislation when making these recomendations.