President denounces the burning of Quran in Sweden

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the country will support the resolution presented by Pakistan at the Human Rights Council in Geneva tomorrow(13) against burning of the Quran in Sweden. 

The President denounced the burning of the Islam’s holy book in Sweden, describing it as a violation of the Freedom of Worship. 

“Burning of a holy text is an offensive and disrespectful act and a clear provocation. But the West is in the belief that constitutionally protected right of freedom and speech, assembly and expression should be safeguarded. You can’t bring everything under the freedom of expression. There has to be limitations,” he said. 

President Wickremesinghe questioned the silence by the Human Right Council in Geneva and the failure by the Commissioner to make a statement. 

“Western countries are trying to expand the concept of Freedom of Expression to cover disorder,” he said. 

The President also urged Western nations to respect the Global South’s value system and not allow the spread of disorder under the pretense of Freedom of Expression. 

He said the Foreign Ministry has been instructed to oppose any attempt by the West to change it in Geneva tomorrow. 

“It is not a question of the East or West. It is about the Right of Worship. I’m not an adherent of the Prophet Muhammad but there are useful items in the Quran we all can make use of it. Similarly, there are valuable teachings in the Bhagavad Gita, the Rig Veda and the Bible. There are non Buddhists who find useful passages in the Dhammapada and Thripitakaya,” Mr. Wickremesinghe said.