Committee appointed to look into cremation issue

By Upali De Saram

The government has appointed a technical committee to make a final decision on the funeral rites of the COVID-19 victims from the Muslim community, government sources said.

The committee is expected to make a final decision on the matter soon, sources said

Cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that the matter was be taken at the Monday’s Cabinet meeting and there was a proposal to look for a remote island to bury Muslim COVID -19 victims.

Minister Rambukwella said that the proposal had not been given approval yet but it would be referred to the technical committee comprising health experts appointed to make a final decision.

The Minister said that the cabinet of Ministers had discussed the possibility of scouting for a remote island to bury the remains of COVID-19 victims.

Minister Rambukwella further said that the government’s stance with regard to the matter remains unchanged, but that did not mean the government was against burial.

The government was only adhering to the advice from the health authorities, he said.

The Cabinet Spokesman refuted allegations that the government was targeting a particular community in the country by cremating the remains of Covid-19 victims.