Sample letter for Advocacy regarding Sri Lanka

Dear friends,

Further to the information sent to you, may we urge you to write to the Sri Lankan President and the Leader of the Opposition voicing your protest and concern.

A sample letter is found on the next page. You may also write to your embassy in Sri Lanka, or the Sri Lankan embassy in your country.

Encourage your Church / organization / friends to write in.

Please keep in mind that correct form of address and politeness are important in our culture, so may I gently remind you to use proper titles, correct spelling of names of officials and use polite language.




Post / Fax / e-mail your letters to:


H. E. Mahinda Rajapaksa
President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat,
Secretariat Building,
Colombo 1
Sri Lanka

Fax  94-1-2333703 or 94-1-2777204
E-mail – (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)




Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe
Leader of the Opposition
Office of the Opposition Leader
Cambridge Place,
Colombo 7
Sri Lanka

Fax - 94-1-2777257
E-mail – (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)




Please see below for sample letter

(Sample letter)



Your Excellency

We understand that a bill titled ‘Prohibition of forcible conversions’ aimed at restricting religious conversion and religious activity, is to be presented for debate and voting in the Parliament of Sri Lanka very soon.
 
Such legislation, however well intended, will only succeed in creating a climate of religious disharmony.  ‘Unethical conversions’ are, at best, materialistic enterprises and not genuine conversions. Such acts are a matter of concern to people of all religions and we do not condone such acts.

However, we believe that this proposed legislation is not an effective method of safeguarding individual freedom of religion of the Sri Lankan people, since such legislation can be easily abused and used to harass and persecute minority religious groups or settle petty personal disputes.

We also believe that the majority of Sri Lankan Christians are law abiding, upright citizens who contribute to society and your nation in many spheres and do not engage in unethical practices. They are also one of the smallest religious minority groups in Sri Lanka.

We respectfully call upon your Excellency’s government to desist from the use of legislation as a weapon against the exercise of freewill and religious freedom of all citizens.

We are indeed aware of the difficult task that you and your Government are called to, in resolving the ethnic conflict and ushering in peace and prosperity in Sri Lanka. We are confident that you and your government will attach equal weight and importance to the rights of religious minorities and ensure that the fundamental rights of all citizens will be ensured.

May we thank you in advance for your attention to our request and wish you and your government well in the difficult task of fair administration.


Yours sincerely and respectfully,


……………………………..
(your name)