Male’, Maldives – Sri Lanka has abandoned the suggestion to bury Sri Lankan Muslims who passes away from the Covid-19 virus and is now preparing to bury the deceases in their own country in concrete tombs.
Over the past week, President of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressed a letter to President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, requesting him to assist in burying the deceased Muslims under proper burial proceedings as Sri Lanka has difficulties in arranging the proceedings for Muslims who were passing away from the Covid-19 virus.
This is why, to help the neighboring country, President Solih discussed with concerning authorities to find a way to solve the difficulties and if possible, to bury the bodies in Maldives.
However, the spokesperson of Sri Lanka cabinet, Keheliya Rambukwella informed that the country has abandoned the suggestion of sending deceased Sri Lankan Muslim Covid-19 victims to Maldives for burial.
While the Sri Lankan government had initially decided to cremate all the Muslim Covid-19 victims who passes away from the virus and has already cremated multiple bodies against family consent, the Muslims in Sri Lanka have raised their voice against the government following a strong backlash in the country.
Due to this, the Sri Lankan government had immediately halted the cremation of Muslim deceased victims and are now preparing to bury the deceased Muslims in concrete tombs.
Sri Lanka informed that with the consent and instructions given by Islamic scholars in Sri Lanka, they will be designing proper concrete tombs for the deceased to be buried in. The designs will be finalized within this week according to local news outlets.
While Muslims account for approximately 10 percent of Sri Lanka’s 21 million population, the Sri Lankan government had decided to cremate all the Muslim Covid-19 victims who passes away from the virus despite being aware that the Islamic religion does not support cremation.
