Activists request Govt. to consider WHO guidelines on COVID-19 deceased

• 164 activists and 17 organisations appeal for reconsideration of disposal of bodies
• Calls on President to “address country’s distressed Muslims and put to rest their fears”

In a letter, 164 activists and 17 organisations have called on the Government to consider World Health Organization (WHO) Interim Guidance dated 24 March on the disposal of bodies of those who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are suspected of being infected.

The signatories addressed the letter to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as well as other Government and non-Government officials, including Health and Indigenous Medical Services Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Health Services Director General Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Sudath Samaraweera, Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Chairperson Dr. Deepika Udagama, and World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Sri Lanka Dr. Razia Pendse.

The request, which was dated 4 April, follows the Government’s decision to cremate the body of a patient of Muslim faith on 30 March, which pushed the community to speak up on the matter.

While expressing gratitude to the public officials of the country for their contribution towards preventing and dealing with COVID-19, the letter stated that they were pleased to see that the Ministry of Health Provisional Clinical Practice Guidelines on COVID 19 Suspected and Confirmed Patients dated 27 March allowed for burial under certain conditions.

“We were, however, concerned to learn that an individual of the Muslim faith who died due to COVID-19 was cremated on 30 March in contravention of the said Ministry of Health Guidelines and against the wishes of the family,” the letter stated.

The signatories went on to explain that the Guidelines were amended on 31 March to state that all COVID-19 victims were to be cremated and commented on contradictory comments made by Cabinet Spokesperson Bandula Gunawardena on 2 April, where he said that the Government would adhere to WHO guidelines on the disposal of bodies.

“In the Muslim faith, it is required that the dead be buried and cremation is not permitted. The possibility of compulsory cremation therefore is a matter of great distress to practicing Muslims,” the letter went on to state, adding that this would adversely impact the mental health of the community. The signatories added, “We have seen outpourings of vitriol and hate speech against Muslims for their actions or inactions in not preventing or causing the spread of COVID-19,” highlighting that decisions made regarding burial should not be not perceived as punitive measures against the perceived irresponsibility by infected persons and that decisions regarding matters of public health did not result in the persecution or marginalisation of the Muslim population.

The signatories also called upon the President to “address the country’s greatly distressed Muslims and put to rest their fears that they are somehow being punished or that the country has little respect for their concerns”. The letter also stated, “We recognise that the option of burial might not be available in certain instances due to legitimate public health requirements such as the depth of graves. To address these concerns, the State could identify suitable burial grounds that meet WHO standards in all districts and request the particular community’s religious authorities to prepare themselves to adhere to those standards.”

They also highlighted the need to ensure dignity in death, mentioning the fact that media coverage of cremations were permitted without any consideration of the wishes of the families.

The letter also highlighted the need to not stigmatise or criminalise patients as this would discourage others from reporting possible exposure and seeking medical advice. In addition to this, the signatories asked that public information be made available in all three languages.

The signatories of the letter included a number of academics, religious heads, legal professionals, and activists, as well as organisations like the Sisterhood Initiatives, National Peace Council, Centre for Policy Alternative, Islamic Women’s Association for Research and Empowerment, and the Law and Human Rights Centre, Jaffna.