(UTV | TURKEY) – Turkey welcomed a decision by Sri Lankan Authorities to bury those who died from the Coronavirus in line with Muslim beliefs, a Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said Friday (26).
Hami Aksoy said the Muslim community was expecting the change in the practice of cremation for those who died, which has been applied because of special geological conditions.
He said certain officials in Sri Lanka expressed that there is no necessity for the cremation practice regarding the public’s health.
“We welcome this new decision which makes it possible again the conduct of burial ceremonies for all the deceased in line with their religious beliefs,” said Aksoy said.
The Extraordinary Gazette Notification allowing the burial of COVID-victims in Sri Lanka issued Thursday night (25).
“In the case of burial, the corpse of such person shall be buried in accordance with the directions issued by the Director General of Health Services at a cemetery or place approved by the proper authority under the supervision of such authority,” the Gazette Notification stated.
The decision had reportedly been taken following clearance given by a Technical Committee.
Sri Lanka’s controversial policy to cremate the bodies of COVID-victims has outraged Muslims, for whom cremation is forbidden. Experts pointed out that the decision is not based on scientific evidence and targets minorities.
Opposition to the policy has grown in recent weeks and sparked protests around the country and around the world.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) on 01 January 2021, stated that the COVID-19 cannot be transmitted by dead bodies, while the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka stated on 31 December that there is “No solid evidence” supporting the regulation.
Furthermore, the Expert Panel appointed by the Health Ministry of Sri Lanka recommended on 29 December that disposal of bodies could include burial as well as cremation, and the Buddhist, Christian, and Hindu Religious Leaders wrote in a joint-letter on 26 December that religious rights are protected by the Sri Lankan Constitution.
In November the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) along with the Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), World Health Organisation (WHO), and numerous other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) around the world condemned the policy as a violation of religious rights guaranteed by international law.
In April, 4 Special Rapporteurs attached to the United Nations (UN) appealed to the Sri Lankan Government, stating that the regulation violated the right to freedom of religion, and that the Government should combat attempts to instigate religious hatred and violence.
Several Fundamental Rights (FR) Petitions were filed against the regulation at the Supreme Court, which dismissed the cases without explanation.
Sri Lanka’s controversial policy to cremate the bodies of COVID-victims was also raised at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva during its forthcoming session.
DW
