HATTON – Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, Jeevan Thondaman has tendered his apologies to the Muslim community for the mandatory cremation policy enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic under the previous Government of Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
According to local reports,the apology was made during an Iftar held in Hatton town on Tuesday (Apr 02), hosted by Minister Thondaman. Some 300 Muslim bodies , including infants were cremated against the wishes of the Muslims during the COVID period.
In his welcome speech, the minister admitted the mental pain caused for members of the community during the mandatory cremation period.
Minister Thondaman added that he will be submitting a Cabinet paper together with the findings of the study to seek a formal apology from the Government for the harm and hurt caused to especially the Muslim community by the forced cremation policy.
According to a communique from Minister Jeevan Thondaman’s Office, the forced creation policy under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was driven by concerns that the burial of COVID-19 victims could contaminate water supplies. This was despite several scientific opinions, including that of the World Health Organisation, refuting that claim.
The previous Government’s position has now been challenged and refuted by new scientific findings of a study led by experts from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and an update to it by the Joint Research and Demonstration Centre for Water Technology (JRDC) at the University of Peradeniya, a centre under the Ministry of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development, he said. The update to the original study was done on the instructions of Minister Thondaman after becoming the subject Minister last year.
