Decisions on disposal of bodies of COVID-19 victims should be based on scientific evidence – JVP

JVP propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath addressing a press conference held at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte on Thursday

By Saman Indrajith

The JVP, on Thursday, urged the government to solve the issue of cremating the bodies of Muslim victims of COVID-19 pandemic without further delay to prevent the issue developing into a crisis.

Addressing the media at the JVP Headquarters in Pelawatte, party propaganda Secretary MP Vijitha Herath said that the government should take a decision on the burial of COVID-19 victims on the basis of scientific facts. “The government sticks to its policy of cremating the bodies of Muslim COVID-19 victims despite the World Health Organisation (WHO) approving burials. The Muslim community’s coronavirus victims are being forcefully cremated against their religious belief. The process of cremation is forbidden in Islam, which requires members of the faiths to be buried. This is an extremely sensitive issue.”

Herath said that cremations were consistent with the Buddhist and Hindu traditions, but the Islamic traditions required burial of the dead. “In April, the government made cremations compulsory for all victims of the pandemic. That decision resulted in criticism from rights groups and international organizations. It is reported that this is the only country in the world to have forced cremations during the pandemic, ignoring advice that permits burials from the WHO.”

“World renowned Sri Lankan pathologist and virologist Dr Malik Peiris has stated clearly that there is no scientific basis for the claim that the coronavirus spreads if the COVID-19 victims are buried. Former epidemiologist of the Health Ministry and WHO Regional Advisor on vaccine-preventable diseases in the South East Asia region Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe, too, has confirmed this. Former Deputy Director of Health Services also holds the same view. Therefore, the government should change its unreasonable stance and look into the scientific facts and make a decision quickly. Now, the issue has got politicised.