SRI LANKAN DAILY REPORTS GOVERNMENT TO DROP

C O N F I D E N T I A L COLOMBO 001739 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/02/2015 TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KPAO CE SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN DAILY REPORTS GOVERNMENT TO DROP ANTI-CONVERSION BILL AT US BEHEST REF: COLOMBO 1332 Classified By: AMB. JEFFREY J. LUNSTEAD. REASON: 1.5 (B,D). ¶1. (U) The headlines of the October 3 edition of the English language Daily Mirror, quoting an unnamed "top US State Department official," reported the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) had agreed to hold off on anti-conversion legislation because of US pressure. According to the article, written by a Sri Lankan journalist currently in the US on a visit sponsored by the Foreign Press Center, the source "said intensive discussions were held with the Sri Lankan Government to express US concerns before receiving a positive reply." ¶2. (C) Comment: Sri Lankans are understandably sensitive to suggestions that their leaders succumb to western pressure--especially on a controversial matter of domestic policy like religious conversion. (Indeed, those pushing anti-conversion legislation claim it is needed to protect home-grown Buddhism from the overweening influence of well-financed "foreign" imports like Christianity.) Such sensitivities are heightened now that Sri Lanka is in the midst of a hotly contested presidential election, which, many observers have speculated, could be decided by a very narrow margin. The conservative Buddhist Jathika Hela Urumayu (JHU) has been attempting to make religious conversion a campaign issue. So far, however, neither incumbent Prime Minister and Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate Mahinda Rajapakse, whom the JHU is backing, nor opposition United National Party candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken up the topic. This report, if accurate, will be counter-productive to our ongoing--but behind-the-scenes--efforts to discourage support for such legislation with government and opposition leaders. Government leaders, up to and including President Kumaratunga, have been responsive to our concerns and extraordinarily candid about their own intent to bury the bill. They may not be as forthcoming in the future if they think their conversations will be splashed across the front pages. LUNSTEAD