Religious leaders from Sri Lanka’s four main faiths met at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo on Wednesday to coordinate efforts to secure the release of Sivarasa Anojan, the Sri Lankan worker under sentence of death in Saudi Arabia.
The meeting was convened under the leadership of Ven. Dr Kirinde Assaji Nayake Thera, the incumbent of Gangaramaya, Hiru News reported.
Participants said that Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim and Christian communities standing together for Anojan, across divisions of race, religion and caste, set an example of humanity and national unity. They expressed hope that the government’s diplomatic efforts would succeed and allow him to return to his family.
The Gangaramaya prelate and the other clergy urged the public to pray for Anojan’s freedom and safety according to their own beliefs, saying that while religions differ, humanity is one.
Who attended
The gathering drew members of the Sri Lankan National Inter-Religious Clergy Fellowship, among them Ven. Dr Kirinde Assaji Nayake Thera, Ven. Dr Shasthrapathi Galagama Dhammaransi Nayake Thera, Siva Sri Dr Khakusharma Kurukkal, Al-Haj Ash-Seyyid Dr Hassan Mawlana Al-Qadiri and Rev. Dr Thilakasuriya Jayawardena.
Separately, leading Hindu priests have held discussions with the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama in Maligawatte, seeking support and intervention in the case.
The case so far
Anojan was convicted under Saudi Arabia’s Anti-Cyber Crime Law over a social media post and initially sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and a fine. On 18 September Sri Lankan authorities were informed that an appellate court had accepted the prosecution’s appeal and raised the sentence to death, reclassifying the offence under Sharia law.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is to write to the King of Saudi Arabia seeking clemency, with a special parliamentary delegation under consideration. Two President’s Counsel have agreed to act without charge, and former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed has offered to assist on humanitarian grounds.
