European Commission Demands Decriminalizing Homosexuality in Sri Lanka

[DarkSeid]

The government would not take measures to decriminalize homosexuality in Sri Lanka, State Minister Lakshman Yapa said.
He expressed this view while speaking at a press conference held in Colombo on Tuesday.
Yapa also went on to say the authorities have decided to remove several terms of the action plan with respect of receiving the GSP+ concession back to the country.
The State Minister noted a decision was made to entirely remove 6-1 to 6-8 points in the plan.
He also said the EC has not imposed any conditions to obtain the GSP+ tax concession. However, an action plan is in place, he added. -

See more at: http://www.adaderana.lk/news/38674/govt-comments-on-decriminalizing-homosexuality-in-sl

 

[DarkSeid]

GSP+: We rejected certain EU requests: Lakshman Yapa - See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/GSP-We-rejected-certain-EU-requests-Lakshman-Yapa-122308.html

The European Union (EU) had made certain requests to be met, which Sri Lanka could not agree under any circumstances-such as the enactment of right to engage in acts of homosexuality- when it considered the Sri Lanka’s application for GSP Plus, State Minister of Finance Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane said today.
He said the Sri Lankan government would meet the requests made by the EU in accordance with the law of the land and the Constitution and the EU must wait till Sri Lanka obtained Cabinet Approval and Parliament approval before proceeding with any action.
He told a news conference that it was unfair to make this kind of requests that directly affected the religious, social and cultural and sentiments of the people.
He said that Sri Lanka would implement only the requests she could carry out without harming the interests of any community.
“Some proposals made by the EU have not been met even in certain European countries. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for Sri Lanka to go ahead with them. That is why, the Cabinet decided to totally remove certain clauses in the proposals,” he added.
Minister Abeywardane said the EU had not made any demands or conditions as a prerequisite to renew GSP Plus as certain anti-national, anti-government elements and the Joint Opposition tried to make out, but only a few requests, which the Government rejected.

 

[DarkSeid]

Activists not so ‘gay’

A number of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) and human rights activists were critical of the Cabinet of ministers’ refusal to decriminalize homosexuality.
One of the leading LGBTQ rights activists and Executive Director of the Equal Ground, Rosanna Flamer-Caldera said the decision was absurd.
“This move only portrays that the government would rather continue to discriminate a community based on their sexual orientation and to marginalize them than repealing a 134-year old archaic laws imposed by the British,” she said.
She urged the government to fight for the rights of the discriminated people and challenged if there is anyone who says that decriminalizing homosexuality is against Dhamma, to prove it.
“Why we should embrace western Christian laws and not accept peace, acceptance and tolerance practiced in Buddhism. After all this is a Buddhist country not a Christian country,” she said.
Former Human Rights Commissioner and Rights Activist Prathiba Mahanamahewa said, though it was rejected, the proposal submitted by the government to decriminalize homosexuality by repealing section 365 and 365A of the Penal Code was brave and strong.
He criticized the government of having no proper mechanism to spread awareness of the issue and its lack of backing to commit to the issue.
“Though a proposal had been made, there is no one to take responsibility of the proposal. This attempt is not to legalise gay marriages or as such, it’s simply about decriminalizing homosexuality.
The government had clearly failed to send the message across,” he said. He said the Sri Lankan LGBTQ community was inactive compared with that of in India and Bangladesh and said even lawmakers were also silent about the issue.
“If there are any lawmakers who are gay or lesbian, they are not raising any voice for their rights. They are not even admitting to anything.
These people are simply worried about the next election and their voters’ base. They would rather have a larger voter base than fighting for human rights,” he said. He said cultural and social resistance could arise when repealing the penal code but it could be averted with awareness.
“The people should have a right to select their own partner. This is a human right issue which has been psychologically and scientifically proved,” he said.
Project Officer of Equal Ground Thushara Manoj said the words ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’ should be included in Constitution foremost before decriminalizing homosexuality.
“Once we have these words, we can gradually decriminalize. Decriminalizing homosexuality is not something we can do right away and Sri Lankan Gay Community is not asking for marriage rights. They simply want equal human rights and recognition,” he said.
He said it was wrong and unwise for the government to list GSP+ as causality to decriminalize homosexuality. Another activist Hans Billimoria simply said its time that we moved away from the dark ages. “It’s 2017, not 1800s anymore,” he said.
- See more at: http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Activists-not-so-gay--122389.html

 

[HeinzG]

It can be forgiven if done under their own accords. But instead this is done on the basis of the EU's condition for lifting the GSP + ban. Wonder how many conditions are being forced on us through this government. God save my mother land.

 

[Godman]

The government is dumb . Homosexuals aren't criminals and we are not Islamic or Christian