Sri Lanka’s Attorney General informed the Court of Appeal on February 10 that a letter issued by the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Board approving a proposed tourism promotion project targeting the homosexual community would be withdrawn, marking a significant development in a case that has sparked nationwide debate.
The announcement was made when a petition filed by Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, convener of the Patriotic National Movement, along with several others, was taken up before the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya. The petitioners are seeking to invalidate the letter that allegedly granted approval to implement and promote the tourism initiative. The court ordered that the matter be called again on March 4 to confirm the facts presented in the petition.
The respondents named in the case include the Attorney General, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam, and the Executive Director of Equal Ground, a non-governmental organization. According to the petitioners, they had received information that the Tourism Development Authority chairman had sent a letter to the NGO’s Executive Director consenting to a proposed project aimed at developing and promoting gay tourism in Sri Lanka.
The disclosure of the letter triggered public controversy and objections from prominent religious leaders, including members of the Maha Sangha and Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Ranjith. The petitioners also told the court that Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya had addressed the issue in Parliament, stating that the government had no intention of promoting a gay tourism industry in the country.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, Attorney Kanishka Vitarana informed the court that they intended to issue notices to the respondents and summon them to verify the claims outlined in the petition. The Court of Appeal subsequently directed the petitioners to proceed with issuing the relevant notices as part of the ongoing legal process.
