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Wednesday 16 September 2015

Legalising Sex-Work Debate: Ensure Sharmila’s Safety

“We especially decry efforts of some individuals and organisations to invoke religion and culture to condemn Sharmila, thus potentially inciting extra-legal action against her. Such opportunistic and instrumental use of religion and culture is a threat to meaningful and informed public discourse, and promotes chauvinism and intolerance for which  our country has already paid dearly. We call on state authorities at the provincial and national level to ensure Sharmila’s safety and well-being, for which they bear primary responsibility. We also call on all community leaders, in particular from within the Muslim community, to take measures to ensure that Sharmila and her family are not the subject of any further threats or intimidation.” say Civil Society activists.
Sharmila Seyyid
Sharmila Seyyid

They issued a statement condemning the attack on Sharmila Seyyid on her opinion on Legalising sex-work.

We publish below the full text of  the statement;
On the 20th November 2012, a section of the media reported that Mr. Ajith Prasanna, a member of the Southern Provincial Council from the ruling alliance (UPFA), called for the legalization of sex-work (prostitution) to boost tourism in the country. While sex work as such is not criminalised in Sri Lanka, soliciting sex in public and maintaining of brothels are illegal. If Mr. Prasanna was referring to legalising these issues, we want to make the point that legalization of all kinds of sex-work (while being a topic of debate) is a policy advocated not only by many organisations of sex workers and women’s rights activists around the world, it is also the official policy of many countries. Yet measures such as legalization or decriminalization of sex-work have to be motivated by the aim of protecting the rights and security of women in sex work and enabling them to safeguard their own interests. Legalization driven by concerns such as boosting tourism or generating foreign exchange earnings are not just misguided but also fraught with the risk of jeopardizing the rights of those engaged in sex-work. We therefore strongly disagree with the instrumental approach to legalization of sex-work advocated by Mr. Ajith Prasanna because this only risks further objectifying and commoditizing women’s bodies.
Subsequently, on 20th November 2012, a women’s rights activist from Eravur in Batticaloa, Sharmila Seyyid, during the course of an interview with the BBC (Tamil service) expressed the view that if sex work is legalised in Sri Lanka, it may protect sex-workers. Her comments have resulted in a backlash from some sections within the Muslim community, including threats and intimidation, which has forced her to go into hiding with her child. Her family in Eravur has also been threatened and intimidated, including through an attempt to burn down a montessori school run by Sharmila’s younger sister on 22nd November 2012. We strongly condemn the threats against and intimidation of Sharmila and her family, which undermine the right to express one’s opinions freely concerning issues of public policy (a right which is recognised by the Constitution of Sri Lanka). While informed debate and disagreement are inevitable and to be welcomed on such a complex issue, intimidating or threatening people into silence because their opinions are contrary to the dominant point of view is unacceptable in a democracy. We especially decry efforts of some individuals and organisations to invoke religion and culture to condemn Sharmila, thus potentially inciting extra-legal action against her. Such opportunistic and instrumental use of religion and culture is a threat to meaningful and informed public discourse, and promotes chauvinism and intolerance for which  our country has already paid dearly.
We call on state authorities at the provincial and national level to ensure Sharmila’s safety and well-being, for which they bear primary responsibility. We also call on all community leaders, in particular from within the Muslim community, to take measures to ensure that Sharmila and her family are not the subject of any further threats or intimidation.
We also call on responsible authorities such as Provincial Councillors to refrain from calling for law reform based on commodification of women’s bodies.
Signed by:
Organisations:
1.      Affected Women’s Forum – Akkaraipattu
2.      Centre for Human Rights and Development (CHRD)
3.      Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Colombo
4.      Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR), Colombo
5.      Equal Ground
6.      Mannar Women’s Development Federation (MWDF)
7.      Mullaitheevu Women’s Development and Rehabilitation Federation
8.      Muslim Women’s Development Trust
9.      Voluntary Service and Development Organization for Women
10.  Women’s Action Network
11.  Women’s Coalition for Disaster Management Batticaloa
12.  Women’s Education and Research Centre (WERC)
Names:
13.  A. Renu
14.  A. U. Gunasekera.
15.  Bhavani Fonseka
16.  Cayathri Divakalala
17.  Chulani Kodikara, International Centre for Ethnic Studies
18.  Deanne Uyangoda
19.  Farah Haniffa
20.  Francis Solomantine
21.  Herman Kumara
22. J. Karunenthira, Third Eye Friends Circle
23.  Janakie Seneviratne
24.  Jensila Majeed
25.  Jeyachitra Velayudan
26.  Jovita Arulanantham
27.  Juwairiya Mohideen
28.  K.S. Ratnavail
29.  Kuhanithi Kunachandran
30.  Kumudini Samuel
31.  Lakshan Dias (Attorney at law)
32.  Lakshman F. B. Gunasekara
33.  M. Ganesan
34.  Mahalaxumi Kurushanthan
35.  Maithree Wickramasinghe, Independent Researcher
36.  Mala Liyanage
37.  Mangala Shanker
38.  Marisa de Silva
39.  Melisha Yapa
40.  Mirak Raheem
41.  Muttukrishna Sarvananthan
42.  Navarangini Nadarajah
43.  Nimalka Fernando
44.  P.  P. Sivapragasam
45.  P. N. Singham
46.  Prema Gamage
47.  Prema Gamage
48.  Priya Thangarajah, Legal Researcher
49.  Rajani Chandrasekaran (GBV desk Jaffna)
50.  Rameeza Khan
51.  Rasika Mendis
52.  Ruki Fernando
53.  S. Ithayarani
54.  Sachini Perera
55.  Sarala Emmanuel
56.  Selvy Thiruchandran
57.  Sharmila Haniffa
58.  Sherine Xavier, Home for Human Rights
59.  Shreen Abdul Saroor
60.  Shyamala Gomez
61.  Shyamala Sivagurunathan
62.  Sitralega Maunaguru
63.  Sornalinham
64.  Sumathy Sivamohan
65.  Thushari Madahapola
66.  Vasuki Jeyasankar, Women’s Rights Activist, Batticaloa.

More reading of sex works, click from here>>>

(Colombotelegraph)

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Sri Lankan Muslim Journalist Sharmila Seyyid & Sex Workers’ Rights

'' Sex workers may be better protected if prostitution was legalized. Sharmila Seyyid said on BBC Tamil. "
Muslim Civil Society activists have urged the Sri Lankan authorities to bring to book those who have been harassing and intimidating journalist and social worker Sharmila Seyyid for her opinion on rights of the sex workers.

Sharmila Seyyid
Sharmila Seyyid

Giving an interview to the BBC Tamil radio she said that sex workers may be better protected if prostitution was legalized.

“This drew a significant backlash from a section of the Muslim community in the area and elsewhere prompting her to issue a clarification, in which she emphasized that she was ‘…only highlighting a social reality and did not intend to defy Islamic tenets’. She also expressed ‘regret if she had unwittingly hurt anyone’s sentiments’.” activists say.

We publish below the statement in full;

Statement on the continued harassment of Ms. Sharmila Seyyid and her family

We, the undersigned would like to express our extreme distress and dismay at the incidents of harassment against Ms. Sharmila Seyyid and her family through a variety of means including social media.

In November 2012, the Tamil Radio Service of the BBC interviewed Ms. Sharmila Seyyid, a journalist and social worker from the Eastern Province. In response to a question from the BBC reporter, Ms. Seyyid had voiced the opinion that sex workers may be better protected if prostitution was legalized. This drew a significant backlash from a section of the Muslim community in the area and elsewhere prompting her to issue a clarification, in which she emphasized that she was “…only highlighting a social reality and did not intend to defy Islamic tenets”. She also expressed “regret if she had unwittingly hurt anyone’s sentiments”.

The harassment and intimidation that began in the aftermath of the 2012 interview has resulted in her having to leave the country, and continues to this day, impacting other family members as well. An article reproduced in both the Sunday Observer and the Sunday Times of Sri Lanka on the 19th of April 2015 recorded several more recent truly horrifying actions against her on the internet and also recorded renewed calls by some to condemn her for insulting and offending Islamic teachings.
While we acknowledge that prostitution is prohibited in Islam (as in many other religions), we nevertheless uphold that Ms. Seyyid is within her rights and freedoms to express her personal views; and condemn all forms of harassment, intimidation and hatred by vigilante groups and individuals that are justified based on claims to the above. While we acknowledge and respect that feelings may have been hurt and sensibilities offended, we also categorically state that defaming, harassing and inciting violence against a person for holding a different opinion, in this case a woman, is unacceptable and not within the spirit of the faith, and can also be deemed a contravention of the law. If people feel themselves to have been wronged, due process should be followed to seek redress.
This event highlights the critical need within the Muslim community, and also in the country at large, for developing processes to respond to critical issues, not through vilification, harassment or violence but through a process of dialogue that is in keeping with the law and norms of a democratic society and respectful of different faiths and ethics.

We urge the authorities to ensure that a thorough and fair investigation is conducted with regard to the complaints received by the aggrieved parties and hold those responsible for misconduct accountable. We also request that community religious leaders such as the Jamiathul Ulema take steps to halt the targeting of fellow Muslims based on spurious religious justifications. We also call upon all community leaders and civil society actors of the Muslim community to continue to play an active role in upholding the rights of every citizen.
Signatories
  1. Sharm Aboosally
  2. Azra Abdul Cader
  3. Fathima Razik Cader
  4. Zahabia Adamaly
  5. Hilmy Ahamed
  6. Silma Ahamed
  7. Ferial Ashraff
  8. Abdul Halik Azeez
  9. Fathima Hasanah Cegu Isadeen -Lawyer
  10. Ameer Faaiz
  11. M.B.M.Fairooz- Editor, Vidivelli.
  12. Mushtaq Fuad
  13. Anberiya Hanifa
  14. Dr. Farzana Haniffa
  15. Faiza Haniffa
  16. Prof. Shahul. H. Hasbullah
  17. Ali Hassan
  18. Shafinaz Hassendeen
  19. Zeenath Hidaya
  20. M.H. Mohamed Hisham
  21. Ameena Hussein
  22. Hafsa Husain
  23. Hana Ibrahim
  24. Zainab Ibrahim
  25. Prof. Qadri Ismail
  26. M.C.M. Iqbal
  27. Ameen Izzadeen, Deputy Editor, Sunday Times.
  28. Nisreen Jafferjee
  29. Riyaz Jafferjee
  30. Zaffar Jeevunjee
  31. Hamthun Jumana – Mullaitheevu Women Rehabilitation and Development Federation
  32. M.S.L. Madani
  33. Mohamad Mahuruf
  34. Jensila Majeed – Women’s Action Network
  35. Juwairiya Mohideen – Muslim Women Development Trust
  36. Mr. M.L. Buhary Mohamed – Eastern Social Development Foundation
  37. Zamruth Jahan Mufazlin – Lawyer
  38. Mohamed S.R. Nisthar
  39. Feroze Nihar
  40. Prof. M. A. Nuhman
  41. Nuzreth Rasheed
  42. M. M. Rahman
  43. Rajabdeen Rashika – MWRDF
  44. Prof. Louiqa Raschid
  45. Dr. Romola Rasool
  46. A.S. Mohamed Rayees
  47. Amjad Saleem.
  48. Shreen Saroor – Mannar Women’s Development Federation
49. Ermiza Tegal
50. Minna Thahir
51. S.M.M. Yaseen
52. Hanif Yusoof
53. Hela Mohammed Zakariya – Women’s Action Network 54. Faizun Zackariya – Citizens’ Voice for Justice and Peace. 55. A.J.M. Zaneer
56. Y.L.M. Zawahir
57. Dr. L. M. Zubair – University of Peradeniya

(Colombotelegraph)


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