The Sri Lankan government insists on burning the dead bodies of Muslims due to Corona

The Sri Lankan government insisted on burning the corpses of Muslim dead people from the Corona virus, as it burned the bodies of two Muslim victims this week, although the burial of corpses according to the teachings of Islam meets the scientific and medical conditions and criteria set by the World Health Organization.

The Sri Lankan "Daily Financial Times" reported that the government confirmed its insistence on burning the bodies of Muslims regardless of the demands of religious and political Muslim leaders to allow the burying of their dead according to Islamic law and based on the Sri Lankan Freedom Law.

Strong dissatisfaction with Muslims
The newspaper pointed out that a meeting of political party leaders discussed this issue yesterday at the invitation of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajpaksa, where the Muslim leaders expressed their strong dissatisfaction with the health authorities' insistence on burning the corpses of Muslims without respecting the freedom of belief included in the Sri Lankan constitution and not looking at the guidelines issued by the Health Organization In this regard, they asked the Prime Minister to appoint a team of experts to review the circular issued by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health that stipulates the necessity of burning all the deceased with the epidemic.

The leaders of the "hard-line" political parties loyal to the government during the meeting expressed their strong opposition to the request of Muslims, insisting that all dead bodies, regardless of religious beliefs, should be burnt according to the instructions of the local health authorities.

Amend the law without justification
It is noteworthy that the first circular issued by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health on March 25th, approved the two options for the deceased in Coruna, either burial or cremation according to the World Health Organization guidelines, but the Sri Lankan authorities amended this circular and abruptly canceled the burial option.

The Islamic Association of Sri Lanka Scholars and the Islamic National Shura Council said that while the Sri Lankan Muslims support the steps required by the government to combat the Corona epidemic, they are afraid of the recent decision to compel the dead to burn, fearing the spread of the virus and the health risks it may cause .

Like other countries
The Assembly and Council pointed to the recent withdrawal of the British Parliament, after extensive consultations and demands from Muslims and Jews, from burning bodies, allowing burial in accordance with the religious teachings of each of them in respect of religious beliefs and sensitivities, and to allow the governments of Singapore, Malaysia, Iran and Italy to bury the bodies of those who were infected with the virus.

They said that there is no scientific evidence of the spread of the disease from the respiratory system or the digestive system after the body is closed in a bag, and therefore there is no difference in cremation or burial in relation to the spread of the virus.

Muslims, who account for about 10% of the total population, strongly urged the Sri Lankan government to formally amend the bill to allow Muslims to bury their dead rather than burn, adding that the current informal arrangements offered by the government in the form of individual exceptions whenever required are insufficient because those who live In remote areas of the capital, Colombo, they do not have the same opportunity to reach influential people as those who live in the capital and its vicinity.