“We will continue to struggle for justice and the right to bury our dead”

Twenty civil society groups have issued the following press statement on the forced cremation of COVID dead as against respecting burial by people of certain faith. The statement said that of the 124 persons dead due to COVID-19 as at 3 December, 50 were Muslims. 

The faith the victims of forced cremation of COVID-19 or COVID-19 suspected dead had in the highest court in Sri Lanka has been shattered. Victims and communities are now left without a recourse in Sri Lanka for the continued injustice they suffer. 

“We placed greater hopes in the courts. However, for reasons unknown our applications have been rejected. Now we feel dejected, let down and abandoned,” said a son of one of the victims who challenged the offensive regulation in Court. 

On Tuesday the country’s Supreme Court, by a majority decision refused to grant leave to proceed to the 11 applications filed by petitioners belonging to Muslim, Christian and Catholic communities challenging the Sri Lankan Government’s forcible cremation policy on the grounds that it violates the right to freedom of religion and belief of some faiths and that the said regulation, in fact, violates the law under which the regulation has been made as the law itself permits either burial or cremation. 

Several eminent lawyers represented the petitioners and argued that the State had provided no evidence that the burial of COVID-19 or suspected COVID-19 dead is a danger to public health. Hence, they said the Government by imposing this new restriction violated the constitutionally protected and safeguarded the rights of religious beliefs and practice for whom burial is a critical religious practice, in addition to being a fundamental right. 

One of the judges had dissented probably on the basis that there were issues that required consideration. Given the sensitivities and importance of the issue, it was felt that the court could have granted leave to be heard in full or referred it to a larger bench.   

Some of the petitioners said on Tuesday that the distraught families of the victims have been asking them to explore the possibilities of how they could continue to fight for justice and hence would consider all options.  

“We fully understand that due to the pandemic there is public emergency under which certain rights can be limited including the manifestation of freedom of religion and belief. We also understand that Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Muslims and others have all been affected by these restrictions; but in all other cases where rights are limited there is evidence of the need to do so,” said one of the petitioners against the policy on forcible cremation. 

It was brought to attention that Catholics and Muslims in deliberations have agreed to all the restrictions including with regard to gathering, handling, washing, praying and specialised mode of burying and all they want was only to be buried adhering to all health conditions.   

Under international law limitations of rights such as the freedom to practice one’s religion has to be prescribed by law and the limitation must be necessary and proportionate.  

Restrictions and limitations on religious gatherings, congregational prayers and mass celebrations of religious festivals can be necessitated on the grounds that social distancing is vital to reduce the spread of the virus and are being adhered to and cooperated voluntarily.  

“Over and over again we have asked the Government to give us the reasoning for this policy and they have failed to provide any evidence that burial of COVID-19 dead can contribute to the spread of the virus or provide any health threat,” a son who did not consent for the cremation of his father and hence had to abandon the father’s remains said.  

There has been national and international criticism of the Government of Sri Lanka on its rare decision to cremate COVID-19 and COVID-19 suspected dead, in spite of clear guidelines by the World Health Organisation explaining that the burial of such victims poses no danger to public health. 

The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations office in Sri Lanka, United Nations special experts and regional human rights groups have separately written to the Government calling for the policy to be changed to ensure COVID-19 dead were handled with dignity and human rights of all are protected. 

Numerous national civil society organisations, religious groups and individual activists have also written letters and signed petitions to the Government calling for a change to the policy. 

Human rights groups have been warning that the ethno-centric position of the Government, in the context of the State’s failure to challenge hate campaigns and violence against Muslims, points to racism and discrimination targeting the country’s approximately 9% Muslim population. 

These measures affect more than one religious group, but it is particularly terrifying Muslims for whom the burial of dead is a non-negotiable religious practice. They feel targeted, bullied and threatened by the manner in which the Government is acting on this. 

As of 3 December, Sri Lanka had over 25,000 cases of COVID 19, 124 deaths, of which over 50 were Muslims. 

This press statement is released by:  

1. Centre for Policy Alternative  

2. International Centre for Ethnic Studies   

3. Law and Society Trust  

4. Women’s Action Network  

5. Alliance for Minorities  

6. Affected Women’s Forum  

7. Suriya Women’s Development Centre  

8. Sisterhood initiative  

9. Hashtag Generation 

10. Rural Development Foundation   

11. National Peace Council  

12. Mannar Women's Development Federation   

13. National Fisheries Solidarity Movement  

14. Human Elevation Organisation  

15. Eastern Social Development Foundation  

16. Islamic Women's Association for Research and Empowerment   

17. Association of the Parents and Family Members of the Disappeared  

18. Muslim Women's Development Trust  

19. Aalumai Women’s Group  

20. Nisha Development Centre