SILMIYA YOUSUF
COLOMBO : The Liberation Movement organized a collective action on Monday to tie white cloths at the Borella Crematorium gates, joining the larger call to the Government of Sri Lanka to stop forced cremations of victims of COVID-19.
“ We are in solidarity with our Muslim and Christian brothers and sisters who have been peacefully protesting across the country. We reiterate that there is no scientific basis to cremating victims of COVID-19, as confirmed by the WHO and scientists the world over,” Marisa De Silva told Colombo Times while staging a peaceful protest before the Colombo Crematorium.
“We consider this to be yet another racist action taken by the Sri Lankan State to further oppress and deliberately deny the cultural and religious rights of ethnic minorities of Sri Lanka,” she added.
Shreen Saroor, one of the protesters said : “ We will keep protesting until the compulsory cremation policy for COVID bodies is cancelled. Freezing Muslim bodies in containers is not the solution. Now that everyone knows it is not science but a group of individuals gave into their prejudices, it is a must that the extraordinary Gazette is withdrawn. Because I know of many Christians and Catholics and others who want burial too.”
Swasthika Arulingham, a lawyer by profession told Colombo Times that she took part in the protest to espouse the cause of Muslim and Christian friends who believe in burial of their loved ones according to their respective faiths. “ We have to respect the religious values of all faiths and give every Lankan fulfil their rights in the event of the deaths of their loved ones. ” Local and international scientists have proved with evidence that the dead Covid bodies will not transmit infection to another party,” she added.
