All Muslim Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka—spanning both Government and Opposition benches—have jointly appealed to Minister of Religious Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi to intervene in securing the immediate release of a consignment of Tamil-translated copies of the Holy Qur’an currently detained by Sri Lanka Customs.
In a strongly worded letter signed by all Muslim MPs, including Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, the lawmakers condemned the detention as a violation of the fundamental rights of Sri Lankan Muslims, protected under Chapter III of the Constitution. The shipment, identified as Container No. FSCU 8233306, was reportedly seized on 16 May 2024 following instructions from a former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, who allegedly acted on behalf of the Government.
The detained consignment was printed by the King Fahd Glorious Qur’an Printing Complex in Saudi Arabia, a globally recognized institution for Qur’anic publications. According to the MPs, identical Tamil translations from previous shipments have been cleared without objection and are widely available in Sri Lankan households and online platforms.
The MPs emphasized that the continued detention of the religious texts is not only unconstitutional but also discriminatory on the grounds of religion and language. They noted that no similar restrictions have been imposed on religious texts of other faiths, and that Arabic-language Qur’ans have consistently been permitted without interference. The targeting of Tamil translations alone, they argued, reflects an unjustified and selective scrutiny of Islamic materials.
Adding to the controversy, the MPs called for the immediate disbanding of the ad-hoc review committee established to examine Islamic publications, describing it as arbitrary, non-transparent, and discriminatory. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has also launched a probe into the matter, requesting a formal report from Customs following complaints from legal representatives of the Muslim community.
Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has reportedly requested a briefing from Customs officials, signaling growing concern at the highest levels of government.
This incident has sparked broader debates about religious freedom, linguistic equity, and institutional accountability in Sri Lanka. Muslim leaders and civil society groups warn that such actions risk undermining interfaith harmony and constitutional protections for minority communities.
with the inputs from
Daily FT
Newswire
Pulseline.lk
Daily Mirror