Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual hearing on religious freedom in Sri Lanka and suggested policy options for the U.S. government.
Fifteen years after the decades-long civil war ended, Sri Lanka continues to reconcile with its history of religious and ethnic violence. Religious freedom conditions in Sri Lanka are on a worrying trajectory. Discrimination and periodic violence against religious minorities–particularly the Tamil Christians, Tamil Hindus, and Muslims–have exacerbated religious tensions. The Sri Lankan government has implemented and enforced a number of policies that have disproportionately targeted religious minorities, including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) Act, and the Online Safety Bill. Recent efforts to expropriate places of worship, such as temples and mosques in the North and East, have echoed and intensified tensions.
In 2023, USCIRF traveled to Sri Lanka to meet with faith communities, religious freedom advocates, and government officials. In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State place Sri Lanka on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
Witnesses will discuss Sri Lanka’s legal framework, including from the firsthand experience of those detained and persecuted because of their religious freedom advocacy. They will also explore policy options for the U.S. government to engage with Sri Lankan officials to advance freedom of religion or belief.
Opening Remarks
Frederick A. Davie, Vice Chair, USCIRF
David Curry, Commissioner, USCIRF
Stephen Schneck, Commissioner, USCIRF
Panel
Hejaaz Hizbullah, Human Rights Lawyer; Former Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) detainee
Madura Rasaratnam, Executive Director, People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL)
Mike Gabriel, Head of Religious Liberty Commission, National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL)
Shreen Abdul Saroor, Co-Founder, Women’s Action Network
Alan Keenan, Senior Consultant, International Crisis Group (ICC)
This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
