On the 20th November 2012, a section of the media reported that Mr. Ajith Prasanna, a member of the Southern Provincial Council from the ruling alliance (UPFA), called for the legalization of sex-work (prostitution) to boost tourism in the country. While sex work as such is not criminalised in Sri Lanka, soliciting sex in public and maintaining of brothels are illegal. <\/p>\n
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If Mr. Prasanna was referring to legalising these issues, we want to make the point that legalization of all kinds of sex-work (while being a topic of debate) is a policy advocated not only by many organisations of sex workers and women\u2019s rights activists around the world, it is also the official policy of many countries. Yet measures such as legalization or decriminalization of sex-work have to be motivated by the aim of protecting the rights and security of women in sex work and enabling them to safeguard their own interests.<\/p>\n
Legalization driven by concerns such as boosting tourism or generating foreign exchange earnings are not just misguided but also fraught with the risk of jeopardizing the rights of those engaged in sex-work. We therefore strongly disagree with the instrumental approach to legalization of sex-work advocated by Mr. Ajith Prasanna because this only risks further objectifying and commoditizing women\u2019s bodies.<\/p>\n
Subsequently, on 20th November 2012, a women\u2019s rights activist from Eravur in Batticaloa, Sharmila Seyyid, during the course of an interview with the BBC (Tamil service) expressed the view that if sex work is legalised in Sri Lanka, it may protect sex-workers. <\/p>\n
Her comments have resulted in a backlash from some sections within the Muslim community, including threats and intimidation, which has forced her to go into hiding with her child. Her family in Eravur has also been threatened and intimidated, including through an attempt to burn down a montessori school run by Sharmila’s younger sister on 22nd November 2012.<\/p>\n
We strongly condemn the threats against and intimidation of Sharmila and her family, which undermine the right to express one\u2019s opinions freely concerning issues of public policy (a right which is recognised by the Constitution of Sri Lanka). While informed debate and disagreement are inevitable and to be welcomed on such a complex issue, intimidating or threatening people into silence because their opinions are contrary to the dominant point of view is unacceptable in a democracy.<\/p>\n
We especially decry efforts of some individuals and organisations to invoke religion and culture to condemn Sharmila, thus potentially inciting extra-legal action against her. Such opportunistic and instrumental use of religion and culture is a threat to meaningful and informed public discourse, and promotes chauvinism and intolerance for which our country has already paid dearly.<\/p>\n
We call on state authorities at the provincial and national level to ensure Sharmila\u2019s safety and well-being, for which they bear primary responsibility. We also call on all community leaders, in particular from within the Muslim community, to take measures to ensure that Sharmila and her family are not the subject of any further threats or intimidation.<\/p>\n
We also call on responsible authorities such as Provincial Councillors to refrain from calling for law reform based on commodification of women\u2019s bodies.<\/p>\n
Signed by: <\/p>\n Organisations: Names:
\n1.\tAffected Women’s Forum – Akkaraipattu
\n2.\tCentre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
\n3.\tCentre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Colombo
\n4.\tCentre for Women\u2019s Research (CENWOR), Colombo
\n5.\tEqual Ground
\n6.\tMannar Women\u2019s Development Federation (MWDF)
\n7.\tMullaitheevu Women\u2019s Development and Rehabilitation Federation
\n8.\tMuslim Women\u2019s Development Trust
\n9.\tVoluntary Service and Development Organization for Women
\n10.\tWomen\u2019s Action Network
\n11.\tWomen\u2019s Coalition for Disaster Management Batticaloa
\n12.\tWomen’s Education and Research Centre (WERC)<\/p>\n
\n13.\tA. Renu
\n14.\tA. U. Gunasekera.
\n15.\tBhavani Fonseka
\n16.\tCayathri Divakalala
\n17.\tChulani Kodikara, International Centre for Ethnic Studies
\n18.\tDeanne Uyangoda
\n19.\tFarah Haniffa
\n20.\tFrancis Solomantine
\n21.\tHerman Kumara
\n22.\tJ. Karunenthira, Third Eye Friends Circle
\n23.\tJanakie Seneviratne
\n24.\tJensila Majeed
\n25.\tJeyachitra Velayudan
\n26.\tJovita Arulanantham
\n27.\tJuwairiya Mohideen
\n28.\tK.S. Ratnavail
\n29.\tKuhanithi Kunachandran
\n30.\tKumudini Samuel
\n31.\tLakshan Dias (Attorney at law)
\n32.\tLakshman F. B. Gunasekara
\n33.\tM. Ganesan
\n34.\tMahalaxumi Kurushanthan
\n35.\tMaithree Wickramasinghe, Independent Researcher
\n36.\tMala Liyanage
\n37.\tMangala Shanker
\n38.\tMarisa de Silva
\n39.\tMelisha Yapa
\n40.\tMirak Raheem
\n41.\tMuttukrishna Sarvananthan
\n42.\tNavarangini Nadarajah
\n43.\tNimalka Fernando
\n44.\tP. P. Sivapragasam
\n45.\tP. N. Singham
\n46.\tPrema Gamage
\n47.\tPrema Gamage
\n48.\tPriya Thangarajah, Legal Researcher
\n49.\tRajani Chandrasekaran (GBV desk Jaffna)
\n50.\tRameeza Khan
\n51.\tRasika Mendis
\n52.\tRuki Fernando
\n53.\tS. Ithayarani
\n54.\tSachini Perera
\n55.\tSarala Emmanuel
\n56.\tSelvy Thiruchandran
\n57.\tSharmila Haniffa
\n58.\tSherine Xavier, Home for Human Rights
\n59.\tShreen Abdul Saroor
\n60.\tShyamala Gomez
\n61.\tShyamala Sivagurunathan
\n62.\tSitralega Maunaguru
\n63.\tSornalinham
\n64.\tSumathy Sivamohan
\n65.\tThushari Madahapola
\n66.\tVasuki Jeyasankar, Women’s Rights Activist, Batticaloa.<\/strong><\/p>\n