FAQ
The Harmony Act is intended to foster inter-ethnic, inter-cultural and inter-religious harmony and understanding among all religious, ethnic, racial and civil groups in Sri Lanka and to prevent causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious, ethnic, racial and civil groups in Sri Lanka.

At present there is no body such as the Harmony Council in Sri Lanka which oversees matters concerning religious, racial and civil harmony in Sri Lanka.

The Harmony Act will enable the Harmony Council to make recommendations to the Prime Minister who will therafter issue orders (morefully described above ) against individuals who are inciting and propagating hatred. Such orders will immediately stop the efforts made by individuals to incite disharmony and violence in the country . It would further serve as a deterrent to prevent people from participating in activities that spread hatred and ill will among the people of Sri Lanka .

(ii)The Prime Minister may and only upon the recommendation made by the Council in terms of Section 3(i) b)make a restraining order against any civilian, official, priest, pastor, monk, imam, pujari, office bearer or any other person who is in a position of authority in any public or private institution, organization, enterprise, religious group or any member thereof for the purposes specified in subsection (ii) where the Prime Minister is satisfied that the person or persons has committed or is attempting to commit any of the following acts:

a) causing feelings of enmity, hatred, ill-will or hostility between different religious, racial, ethnic and civil groups;

b) carrying out any subversive activity under the guise of propagating or practicing any religious belief, youth empowerment or community building movement or initiative.

(ii) An order made under subsection (i) may be made against the person named therein for the following purposes:

a) restraining any person from inciting, instigating or encouraging any religious, government, civil or private group, institution, organization or enterprise mentioned in subsection (i) of section 6 who are seen to be committing, planning to commit or propagating notions to commit any of the acts specified in that subsection;

b) restraining any person other than persons mentioned in subsection (i) of section 6, who are seen to be committing, planning to commit or propagating notions to commit any of the acts specified in that subsection;

c) restraining him/her from addressing orally or in writing any congregation, parish or group of worshippers or members of any religious group or institution on any subject, topic or theme as may be specified in the order without the prior written permission of the Prime Minister;

d) restraining him/her from printing, publishing, editing, distributing or in any way assisting or contributing to any publication produced by any religious group without the prior written permission of the Prime Minister;

e) restraining him/her from holding office in an editorial board or a committee of a publication of any religious group without the prior written permission of the Prime Minister.

The Harmony Council is to be established under the Harmony Act and the members are to be be appointed by the Constitutional Council of Sri Lanka. The composition of the Council is set out in the Act ( please see Section 2) and it aims to create an independent , balanced,fair, non political , educated , experienced and learned group of people with representation from the main four religions in Sri Lanka . The introduction of the Harmony Council with such a group of people will be an unique and welcome creation under the Harmony Act.

In accordance with Section 3 of the Act the main functions of the council will be to

a) to consider and report to the Prime Minister on matters affecting the maintenance of racial and religious harmony in Sri Lanka, which are referred to the Council by the Prime Minister or by Parliament; and

b) to consider and make recommendations to the Prime Minister on the orders to be issued under Section 6 subsection (i)