Rome (AsiaNews) – The Pope is among those who are concerned by the anti-conversion bill which will be debated tomorrow in Sri Lanka's parliament, Monsignor Joseph Vianney Fernando, Bishop of Kandy and President of the Sri Lankan Bishops' Conference,  told Asianews.   Msgr Fernando is directly engaged in the campaign against a law that, if passed, would justify discrimination against not only religious minorities, but also against the Buddhist majority.  He, along with 6 other Sri Lankan bishops, met with Benedict XVI during their ad limina visit in Rome last May 2nd.  "Each one of us spoke to the Pontiff about this terrible law and he assured us his prayers and called on us to keep up our campaign in favour of religious freedom."

Tomorrow, Sri Lanka's parliament will discuss the "Bill on the Prohibition of Forcible Conversions", which had been proposed last July by the Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) party.  Last August, the country's Supreme Court had ruled that two of the bill's articles were unconstitutional.  The law obliges individuals who convert to inform local authorities within a prescribed period of time and prohibits conversions "by fraudulent means."   Those who violate the law risk up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 150,000 rupees (1,508 dollars).

Msgr Fernando warns that "this law is a danger not only to Christians, but also to the Buddhist majority."  "It is detrimental to the basic right of each citizen to freedom of conscience and religion, guaranteed by the state's constitution."  "By labelling as proselytism the Church's social activity, such as orphanages and assistance to the poor," he adds, "the measure strikes even the weakest parts of society."

The Bishop explains that the Bill is the result of "of fundamentalist Christian groups who, over the past 20 years, have been engaged in an aggressive campaign of conversions by exploiting conditions of poverty and the population's needs."  "This has been a considerable nuisance to the Buddhist majority and a source of worry for the Church itself in that Catholics have been most affected."

Sri Lanka's Bishops' Conference has been determined and clear in its efforts to fight the Bill but also to stem Christian fundamentalist fringes.  "We have spoken out against conversions achieved with unethical means," Bishop Vianney explains, "We are certain that authentic conversion depends on an act of faith and a healthy search for the truth."

To give members of parliament, the majority of which are Buddhist, a clear idea of the "terrible dangers" that the Bill's approval would entail, the bishops sent to each member a letter that analyzes the proposed law in detail.  "Our letter also recalls the Supreme Court's first ruling of unconstitutionality with regard to JHU's proposal, which violates the religious freedom guaranteed by our Constitution."

In the campaign against the anti-conversion Bill, Catholics are working alongside other Christian leaders, but also Muslim and Hindu figures:  "We have also been in contact with Buddhist religious leaders."  The proposal put forward by the Bishops' Conference, the National Christian Council and the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka is for the "creation of a national inter-religious forum charged with examining cases of forced conversion and bringing those responsible before the law."

Msgr Fernando thinks there is a good chance that the proposed law will not pass: "The international community's attention on the matter is strong and the government cannot afford to irritate certain foreign states, mainly Christian, on which the economy and humanitarian assistance depend."