Local Issues

The Maldives Government, last week sent an official communiqué to the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, stepping in to bury COVID-19 victims following serious concerns raised by the Muslim community here over the mandatory cremation only policy in Sri Lanka. Dr Hemantha Herath, the Deputy Director-general of Public Health Services told Daily Mirror that following the communiqué received by the Foreign …

The stigma associated with COVID-19 and the fear of being cremated is now forcing some sectors of the community to avoid PCR/antigen testing. This could lead to uncontrolled eruption of new clusters – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara In the last few months, considerable scientific evidence has been published in international peer reviewed journals about the novel coronavirus and its environmental impact, …

In Sri Lanka, the families of some Muslim coronavirus victims are refusing to claim the remains of their loved ones. They are protesting against the government’s forced cremation policy as it goes against their religious beliefs. On Tuesday the Supreme Court dismissed 11 petitions challenging forced cremations. The health minister says burials cannot be allowed until a committee of technical …

Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, Consultant Epidimiologist.Former director of epidemiology,Epid.unit Colombo.Member of the NPP. Chamuditha Samarawickrama®

The Supreme Court (SC) today rejected the examining of 12 Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the gazette notification regarding the cremation of COVID19 victims belonging to Muslim and Catholic communities. The three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, justices Murdu Fernando and Preethi Padman Surasena commenced hearings on November 30. All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Leader MP Rishad Bathiudeen, …