COLOMBO : Civil societies that met to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the agony of Forced Cremation urged the government on Sunday April 6 in Colombo urged the government called upon the government to investigate and deliver justice for depriving COVID-19 victims of their right to a dignified burial.
Outlining the declaration made at the meeting , a press statement issued for the occasion recalled that the first Muslim to be forcibly cremated in Sri Lanka due to COVID-19 was Mohammed Jamal from Negombo. He passed away on March 30, 2020, and his body was cremated without the consent of his family, despite guidelines released on March 27 permitting burials. At that time, no other country had mandated such a policy, and it contradicted World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, which permitted both burial and cremation for COVID-19 victims. The following day, the Ministry of Health issued regulations making cremation the only method for disposing of COVID-19 victims in Sri Lanka. This directive particularly affected the Muslim community, for whom cremation is against their religious beliefs. The policy was met with significant national and international criticism, as it lacked scientific justification and contravened WHO recommendations.
“In Islam, cremation is strictly prohibited and is considered haram (forbidden). The religion mandates that the deceased be treated with the same respect and dignity as the living, which includes specific rites such as washing, shrouding, performing the funeral prayer (Salat al-Janazah), and burial in the ground. The prohibition of cremation is rooted in the belief that burning the body violates its sanctity. Islamic teachings emphasize the importance of preserving the body for the afterlife, and cremation is viewed as a transgression against this principle.
The forced cremation policy in Sri Lanka was also addressed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Operative Paragraph 8 of Resolution No. 46/1 adopted in 2021, expressing concern that:
“The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on freedom of religion or belief and exacerbated the prevailing marginalization and discrimination against the Muslim community, and that cremations for those deceased from COVID-19 have prevented Muslims and members of other religions from practicing their own burial religious rites, and has disproportionately affected religious minorities and exacerbated distress and tensions.”
Despite public outcry in Sri Lanka and internationally, and clear guidance from the WHO that burial of COVID-19 victims posed no contamination or public health risk, the government refused to permit burials. This stance persisted even after several medical experts and organizations, including the Sri Lanka Medical Association and the College of Community Physicians, confirmed that burials entailed no public health risk.
In February 2021, the Sri Lankan government ended the forced cremation policy, allowing burials for COVID-19 victims. However, the policy had already caused considerable distress among minority communities. In July 2024, the government formally apologized to the Muslim community for enforcing cremations against their religious practices and announced plans to ensure that such actions would not recur in the future.
We, the undersigned, comprising Muslim Civil Society, Religious leaders, Community Leaders, Activists, and Family Members affected by the compulsory “Forced Cremations” imposed on victims of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Sri Lanka—express our profound disgust at the violations of fundamental human rights perpetrated during this period. This policy led to nearly 300 individuals, including a newborn baby, being cremated against the wishes and without the consent of their families, violating fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka. On this fifth anniversary of the implementation of forced cremations, we solemnly recall the pain and suffering endured by all Sri Lankans throughout 2020.
We, therefore, urge the Government of Sri Lanka to take the following actions:
Conduct an independent, credible investigation into how and why, contrary to law, the forced cremations were enforced. This investigation must address all aspects of justice, including guarantees of non-recurrence, and attribute clear responsibility and accountability to those responsible for the violations.
Identify and bring to justice those responsible for implementing and enforcing this inhumane policy, including officials and decision-makers who ignored scientific evidence and human rights.
Declare March 31st as a National Day of Mourning for Muslims in memory of the victims and as a commitment to prevent such injustices in the future.
Erect a national memorial inscribed with the names of the victims to honor their memory and acknowledge the suffering of their families, accessible to all communities in Sri Lanka.
We resolve that this Declaration serves as a solemn commitment to justice, dignity, and the protection of fundamental rights in Sri Lanka. We extend our sincerest gratitude to all conscientious individuals and the international community who stood with the victimized community in Sri Lanka.
While we urge the Government to take action, we affirm our commitment to continue engaging on this concern and look forward to their understanding and cooperation.”
Signatories:
All Ceylon Jammiyyathul Ulama – ACJU
Association of Muslim Youth of Sailan – AMY
Memon Associaon of Sri Lanka
National Shoorah Council – NSC
Council of Community Initiatives – CCI
All Ceylon YMMA Conference
Sri Lanka Muslim Civil Society Foundation
Muslim Council of Sri Lanka – MCSL
All Ceylon Union Of Muslim League
Conference Of Sri Lankan Malays – COSLAM
RPSL Consortium
COSLAM
Conference Of Sri Lankan Malays
SCOT
Supreme Council of Sufi Thareeqas
Sri Lanka Jama’athe Islami
Salamah Society
Sufi Council of Thareeqas – SCOT
Colombo District Masjids Federation – CDMF
