COLOMBO – Former Western Province Governor and Leader of the National Unity Alliance (NUA) Azath Salley said here on Monday, that he had complained to the Human Rights Commission (HRC) that the Muslim community is aggrieved by the government’s decision to cremate the Covid infected remains against the WHO regulations.
He was speaking to reporters as soon after he met with the members of the HRC ,where he submitted a written petition against the mandatory cremation of Covid infected dead bodies.
“ We have filed a cases before the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka and we have also written to various organizations about the implementation of the cremation policy of the government,” he said, adding that on Monday a similar complaint has been made to the HRC detailing the sentiments of the Muslim community and about the current stand of the WHO in regard to this matter.
He said that more than 200 countries in the world follow the health guidelines of the WHO in the disposal of Covid infected dead bodies but unfortunately, he noted Sri Lanka claims to be following the WHO guidelines except the rule on the disposal of the Covid infected dead bodies. He said that the Muslim community would be happy if the mandatory cremation is annulled as soon as possible since the community members feel uncomfortable in their daily with the cremation rule in force.
