A group of 20 Muslim associations have written to Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchchi expressing serious concern on the continuation of the mandatory cremation of bodies of persons who succumb to COVID-19 and called on the Minister to rescind the Gazette notification issued on 31 March which made the practice mandatory.
“While congratulating you for the swift measures taken to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, we are compelled to express our serious concern of the continual practice of cremating deceased persons as a mandatory measure, which we believe is not consistent with the high level of social, ethical and medical standards and that that moral principles we Sri Lankans hold very high,” the associations said in a letter sent to the Minister.
They said there had been unanimous agreement and precedence among global health and medical authorities including the World Health Organisation (WHO) as well as in more than 185 countries permitting both burial and cremation of COVID-19 victims, adding that the MoH had changed the relevant guidelines without any proper consultation or reasoning.
The associations that sent the letter include the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), Supreme Council of Sufi Thareeqas (SCOT-SL), National Shoora Council (NSC), All Ceylon YMMA Conference (ACYMMAC), Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL), Memon Association of Sri Lanka (MASL), Conference of Sri Lankan Malays (COSLAM), Anjuman E Saifi (Sri Lanka ) Trust – Dawoodi Bohras, Markez Islamic Centre (MIC), Colombo District Masjids Federation (CDMF), Sri Lanka Jamaathe Islami (SLJI), Association of Muslim Youth of Sailan ( AMYS), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum (SLMMF), Sri Lanka Katheeb & Muazzin Welfare Organisation (SLKMWO), All Ceylon Union of Muslim League Youth Fronts (ACUMLYF), Zam Zam Foundation (ZZF), Federation of Sri Lanka Arabic Colleges (FSAC), Regain Peace Sri Lanka (RPSL), Intellectual Forum for National Unity and Development (IFNUD) and Kandy District Masjids Federation (KDMF).
(FT)