Sri Lanka’s Press Council Attacks Lesbianism
BBC Online News, June 2,
2000
Sri Lanka’s Press Council has come out in support of a letter in a newspaper,
urging that convicted rapists should be unleashed on lesbians.
The Council said the letter, in the Island newspaper, was published in the interest of
the community.
It also imposed a fine of $28 on the man who brought the complaint, Sherman de Rose.
Mr. de Rose is a gay rights campaigner who complained that the letter, published last
August, promoted violence and hatred of lesbians.
In its ruling the Council said that lesbianism was an "act of sadism", and
was an offence under the country’s penal code.
"Salacious publication of any opinion against such activities does not amount to a
promotion of sadism or salacity," the Council ruled.
It added that Mr. de Rose and not the newspaper was guilty of promoting improper
values.
Mr. de Rose said the ruling clearly showed how gays were discriminated against in Sri
Lanka and he would try to appeal.
The letter to the newspaper was written in response to a report that Mr. de Rose’s
gay rights movement was helping to arrange an international conference of lesbians in the
capital, Colombo.
• On the web:
Sri Lanka Web Server: {Lots of useful links/news etc.} http://www.lanka.net/cgi-bin/index2.html
The Island {Newspaper} http://www.lanka.net/upali/island/
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