In an unprecedented turn of events, Sri Lankan Police have launched a crackdown on suspected lesbians across the country says Asian Mirror.
According to the news report a suspected lesbian couple had been arrested in Avissawella by Police recently, after a trishaw driver tipped off the Police station. The couple, according to media reports, were waiting near the bus station. Police had detained and interrogated the couple on their alleged “lesbian relationship”.
The Police Media Unit has confirmed with the Asian Mirror that the arrest hs taken place and had said that there were sufficient provisions in the country’s legal system to take action against those who behave “indecently” in public. The police spokesperson has said that suspected lesbian couple was taken into custody on those grounds.
A human rights lawyer told Sri Lanka Brief that police do not have any right to interfere in adults personal sexual choices but in cases this victims do not come forward to complaint because of social stigma attached to same sex relationships.
Sri Lanka has not taken any legal action against Gay – Lesbian persons in recent times. In June last year Sri Lanka voted against a Russion resolution to stop marital benefits to lesbian and gay employees of the UN. Few Sinhala Natioanlist members of the parliament launched a attack against the Foreign Minister for voting against the resolution but it soon died down.
Sex between men is widely prevalent in Sri Lanka Buddhist temples as well as among young males.