Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, what assessment his Department has made of the situation of Hindus in Sri Lanka after the recent arrest and assault of Tamil Hindu worshippers.

Promoting Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is a UK priority in Sri Lanka.  The UK Government regularly raises human rights, including the importance of religious tolerance and protecting the rights of all Sri Lankans to practise their faith. Through UK funded programmes, we support Sri Lankan youth to advocate for FoRB and improve religious harmony.

We continue to be concerned by increasing tensions around land in Sri Lanka, including at the Vedukkunaari Aadhi Sivan temple in Vavuniya. We welcome the release of the eight arrested Hindu worshippers but note that this incident has troubling implications for FoRB.