ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s anticipated fallout with the Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva is critical. The Authorities is on the lookout for a scapegoat responsible the fallout on somebody, and this 12 months it’s more likely to be blamed on the Muslims due to the cremation controversy. The Authorities might sail by means of the subsequent two years with this rhetoric, making the person on the road overlook the opposite points that weigh him down.
It’s anticipated that the Group of Islamic Nations will vote in opposition to the decision introduced in by the core group at OHCHR and can favour Sri Lanka. Many civil activists see this as a repeat of the treachery to democracy by the six MPs from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the All Ceylon Makkal Congress. This notorious six who’re seen as betrayers of Democracy for casting their vote for the twentieth Modification to the Structure are at present just like the Areca nut, caught between the blades of its cutter.
Paradoxically, geopolitics between India, Pakistan and China would be the deciding issue and never faith, which is able to decide burial rights for Sri Lankan residents. Imran Khan is anticipated at present twenty third and the Muslim group pinned on him their hopes on gaining their legit proper to bury their Covid useless. Imran Khan’s loud rhetoric on Islamophobia by the West is being put to the take a look at in Sri Lanka, and his stand on Muslim burial rights will expose him to the world when his Islamic stand could also be compromised for geopolitical causes. There is no such thing as a doubt about his capacity to garner the assist of the Group of Islamic Nations and it’s believed that his go to is to debate the technique in Geneva this February and March 2021. Muslims and even Christians wait with bated breath to see if his go to would end in them with the ability to bury their family members, or their hope can be cremated. Will the Rajapaksa Authorities supply him a Muslim burial on a bouquet or a wreath. That’s a million-dollar query for Muslims in Sri Lanka.
There may be completely no science behind the denial of burial and even the Prime Minister needed to eat humble pie after he introduced in Parliament that burial rights can be granted. The Technical Committee appointed by the Ministry of Well being and headed by Dr Channa Perera appears to extra highly effective than the Prime Minister and the Parliament. What an insult to the illustrious political profession of President Mahinda Rajapaksa spanning over fifty years.
Absolutely the majority of the 6.9 million who voted for the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) did so solely due to the skilled campaigner President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The nation anticipated him to retire after the disastrous defeat in 2015 when he contested the presidential elections, however the admirable warrior bounced again and led his social gathering to victory by successful the elections for his youthful sibling President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The nineteenth Modification to the Structure introduced in by the Maithri-Ranil Authorities disadvantaged him to contest the presidential election for the third time. He proved his recognition and political acumen by re-entering Parliament as a Member and taking up as Prime Minister. Nevertheless, one wonders if he kicked himself by introducing the twentieth Modification which stripped the ability the Parliament had after the nineteenth Modification.
Muslim bashing has been the modus operandi of political powers that held sway in Sri Lanka post-2009, ranging from the Digana riots to the aftermath of the April twenty first bombing in 2019. The final two elections noticed most likely the worst racist campaigns in Sri Lanka’s historical past. Muslims had been barred from nominations besides one who was near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. This technique labored, with 6.9 million voting them to energy, influenced by racist ‘save the nation’ rhetoric spewed by sure politicians, monks and media, who had their very own agenda to fulfil. The phobia of 21/4 was apportioned totally on your entire Muslim group with the supposed hyperlinks to ISIS by the bombers who had referred to as themselves Muslim. The Muslims have by no means had any battle with the Catholics and Christians on this nation, and there was completely no Islamic trigger for any terror by Muslims. The Muslim group even refused Islamic burial rites for the terrorists as Islam completely forbids killing innocents even throughout a battle. They had been buried by the authorities with no non secular rites by the Muslim Group.
With the Muslim bashing that was orchestrated, they rode to a snug victory on the Presidential elections, cashing in on the unfounded worry the election rhetoric whipped up, that Muslims will take over Sri Lanka if a powerful authorities doesn’t maintain the reins of energy.
With a powerful victory of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the Muslim bashing continued with campaigns for one nation one legislation, depriving not solely Muslims, but in addition different minorities of their private legal guidelines which affected solely their private lives, and which didn’t impede on the Widespread Legislation which overrides all private legal guidelines anyway.
With the COVID pandemic bringing the entire world to its knees, the racists discovered a brand new subject to assault the Muslims and Christians by denying the burial of Covid useless or suspected deaths on account of Covid. Islam forbids cremation and insists {that a} physique needs to be dealt with very gently and buried. With the compelled cremation coverage, practically 300 Muslims have been denied their non secular proper of burial. All engagement with Authorities authorities by Muslim civil, non secular and enterprise teams have completely failed.
The primary Muslim COVID dying occurred on the thirtieth March 2020, and the Quarantine Act in pressure allowed burial or cremation. Some racist components denied burial claiming that the Coronavirus can contaminate groundwater sources. Despite the dearth of scientific proof for this unfounded perception and 1000’s dying of contagious illnesses being buried all through historical past, compelled cremation nonetheless continues. Nearly 300 Muslims have died of Covid to this point, of over 350 plus Covid deaths within the nation. The disproportionate numbers in relation to the demographics within the nation point out the necessity for analysis on one other social subject that could be looming to hang-out Sri Lanka.
The COVID 19 virus was first recognized in December 2019 and all of the international locations of the world allowed the burial of those that died of COVID-19 an infection. The Ministry of Well being Provisional Scientific Observe Pointers on COVID-19 Suspected and Confirmed Sufferers dated twenty seventh March 2020 allowed for the burial of useless our bodies below sure situations.
4 days later, on thirty first March this was modified, disallowing burial and requiring that every one COVID-19 victims be cremated. (The Extraordinary Gazette notification no. 2170/8 of eleventh April 2020.)
This denied the correct for Muslims and Christians (and a few from the Buddhist/Tamil communities) to bury their useless in accordance with their non secular teachings, cultural practices or private needs. This place of the Authorities is unscientific and completely unsuitable because of the following causes.
The WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION in its pointers dated twenty fourth March 2020 concerning the disposal of COVID-19 contaminated our bodies have clearly said burial as one of many secure strategies of disposal. The doc states the claims that the virus unfold immediately by means of groundwater haven’t been scientifically substantiated and there’s no indication that the virus may very well be transmitted by means of ingesting water.
The World Well being Group (WHO), Middle for Illness Management and Prevention of United States (CDC) and the European Middle for Illness Prevention and Management (ECDPC) have issued clear and intensive pointers on dealing with useless our bodies for cremation or burial.
On twenty fourth December 2020, the Secretary to the Ministry of Well being of the Sri Lanka Authorities appointed an EXPERTS TEAM of the nation’s lead Immunologists, Virologists and Microbiologists to offer their suggestions on whether or not burial will be allowed.
The Consultants Crew of their report clearly said that the virus can’t replicate in a useless physique and the remaining virus would die over a time period. It said that the virus an infection isn’t a water-borne illness, and subsequently contamination of water may be very distant. The Consultants Crew really useful cremation or burial with pointers. In addition they emphasised that the dignity of the useless and their households needs to be revered and guarded.
The COLLEGE OF COMMUNITY PHYSICIANS OF SRI LANKA (CCPSL), one of many main medical establishments of their positional paper, voiced their specialist opinion. It said that with greater than 80 million world an infection circumstances and 1.7 million deaths, there is no such thing as a proof within the practically 85,000 printed scientific literature on COVID-19 that the virus was transmitted by means of a useless physique. Additional, the unfold of the virus immediately by means of groundwater has not been scientifically substantiated. They concluded that cremation or burial needs to be allowed throughout the strict pointers really useful by the Ministry of Well being. Every citizen of Sri Lanka needs to be allowed to be cremated or buried as per their want and the household’s want throughout the strict pointers really useful by the Ministry of Well being.
The virus might unfold first, if in any respect, by means of hospital sewage, waste from isolation and quarantine centres, and faecal-oral transmission, if it was to unfold from useless our bodies.
The SRI LANKA MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (SLMA) one other main medical establishment of their response to the difficulty of COVID 19 dying administration in Sri Lanka had expressed their views in favour of burial.
There aren’t any stories of the virus being infective through groundwater. Even within the case of extreme waterborne illnesses like Cholera, the burial of contaminated useless our bodies was allowed. It’s unlikely that the virus might stay infectious inside a useless physique for any vital time period. The Council of the Sri Lanka Medical Affiliation is of the view that the burial of COVID-19 useless our bodies may very well be permitted in Sri Lanka.
Additional, it said that the disposal of COVID-19 useless our bodies has affected ethnic concord in Sri Lanka. In view of the cultural variety of Sri Lanka, it’s important to have a correct coverage for the disposal of the useless which is suitable to all. Nearly 200 international locations on the earth have buried the COVID-19 contaminated useless our bodies and are persevering with to take action. There may be not a single proof that groundwater has been contaminated to this point on account of burying Covid useless.
UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (OHCHR)
The Workplace of the United Nations Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in its newest report dated 27 January 2021, titled ‘Sri Lanka on the alarming path in direction of a recurrence of grave human rights violations, stories as follows:
“The UN Excessive Commissioner is deeply involved by the developments rising over the previous 12 months, which can characterize early warning indicators of a deteriorating human rights scenario. With regard to burial, the Excessive Commissioner notes that WHO steerage stresses that “cremation is a cultural selection.”
As said above, the World Well being Group in its pointers dated 24 March 2020 concerning the disposal of COVID-19 contaminated our bodies have clearly laid down that burial as one of many secure strategies of disposal.
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEURS – The next 4 UN Particular Rapporteurs:
(i) Particular Rapporteur on freedom of faith or perception;
(ii) the Particular Rapporteur on the correct of everybody to the enjoyment of the very best attainable commonplace of bodily and psychological well being;
(iii) the Particular Rapporteur on minority points; and,
(iv) the Particular Rapporteur on the promotion and safety of human rights and elementary freedoms whereas countering terrorism
Their communication to the President of Sri Lanka said as follows:
“We’re involved that the modification is inconsistent with the An infection Prevention and Management for the secure administration of a useless physique within the context of COVID-19 guideline offered by the World Well being Group (WHO Guideline). Moreover, we’re involved in regards to the lack of consideration offered and the dearth of sensitivity within the MoH Guideline to totally different communities and their non secular and cultural practices.” The Particular Rapporteurs reiterated the purpose that WHO Guideline supplies that individuals who have died from COVID-19 will be buried or cremated. (Annexure 9).
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA
The Fee on 20 November 2020, highlighted that any restriction on a elementary proper, even at a time of disaster, have to be imposed below strict justifications. It really useful allowing the burial of our bodies of individuals who succumb to the Covid-19 virus whereas adhering to required well being pointers. It additionally urged the Authorities to make sure compliance with the Structure of Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s worldwide obligations. (Annexure 10).
CIVIL SOCIETY, RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND CIVIL ORGANISATIONS
Acknowledged people consisting of execs, lecturers, attorneys, specialists, intellects, reverend clergymen and 29 civil society organizations issued an announcement urging the Authorities to allow the burial of the COVID-19 useless our bodies.
They stated that the Authorities’s ongoing forcible cremation coverage with out correct scientific proof has brought about a lot struggling and grievance to sure non secular teams. The assertion referred to as upon the Authorities to allow these from non secular minorities to bury their useless.
The above supplies a synopsis of the continued human rights violation by the compelled cremation coverage of the Sri Lanka Authorities which isn’t based mostly on science, hurting the emotions of Muslims, Christians and different residents who select to bury their family members, and dangerously hindering peaceable coexistence in Sri Lanka. (Colombo, February 23, 2021)
By Hilmy Ahamed
