Sri Lanka – cremation of Muslim corona dead
By
Islamiq, 14 April
2020, English translation by Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. Despite the protests
by the Muslim minority, the majority Buddhist Sri Lanka ordered the cremation
of all citizens who had died due to coronavirus.
Islamiq, 14 April
2020, English translation by Milena Rampoldi, ProMosaik. Despite the protests
by the Muslim minority, the majority Buddhist Sri Lanka ordered the cremation
of all citizens who had died due to coronavirus.
Despite the
protests by the Muslim minority, the majority Buddhist Sri Lanka ordered the
cremation of all citizens who had died due to coronavirus. In Islam, burning
corpses is prohibited. On Monday, the Sri Lankan Minister of Health Pavithra
Wanniarachchi stated that the duty to cremate applies even if Covid-19 was only
suspected to be the cause of the death.
protests by the Muslim minority, the majority Buddhist Sri Lanka ordered the
cremation of all citizens who had died due to coronavirus. In Islam, burning
corpses is prohibited. On Monday, the Sri Lankan Minister of Health Pavithra
Wanniarachchi stated that the duty to cremate applies even if Covid-19 was only
suspected to be the cause of the death.
The cremation is an act of discrimination against
Muslims
Muslims
Muslims are
an oppressed minority in Sri Lanka. The country is repeatedly the target of
hatred and violence by radical Buddhist monks. Human rights activists
criticised the cremation order.
an oppressed minority in Sri Lanka. The country is repeatedly the target of
hatred and violence by radical Buddhist monks. Human rights activists
criticised the cremation order.
“In this
difficult time, the authorities should bring the (religious) communities
together instead of deepening the divisions existing between them,”
commented Biraj Patnaik, the South Asia director of Amnesty International, a
few days ago. “Mourning relatives of people who died of Covid-19 should be able
to say goodbye to their beloved ones as they wish.’ According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), the bodies of Covid-19 dead can be safely buried in
graves.
difficult time, the authorities should bring the (religious) communities
together instead of deepening the divisions existing between them,”
commented Biraj Patnaik, the South Asia director of Amnesty International, a
few days ago. “Mourning relatives of people who died of Covid-19 should be able
to say goodbye to their beloved ones as they wish.’ According to the World
Health Organization (WHO), the bodies of Covid-19 dead can be safely buried in
graves.
The Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh
After 2017,
the majority of the Rohingya Muslims had fled to the neighbouring country
Bangladesh before the persecution in Buddhist Myanmar. Aid organizations warn
of an outbreak of the Covid-19 in one of the largest refugee camps in the
world, where people live under crowded conditions. According to the UN refugee
agency UNHCR, in Cox’s Bazar, there are only very limited options for treating
intensive care patients.
the majority of the Rohingya Muslims had fled to the neighbouring country
Bangladesh before the persecution in Buddhist Myanmar. Aid organizations warn
of an outbreak of the Covid-19 in one of the largest refugee camps in the
world, where people live under crowded conditions. According to the UN refugee
agency UNHCR, in Cox’s Bazar, there are only very limited options for treating
intensive care patients.
The
Citizenship Act in India had caused massive negative reactions from minorities
during the last months. Iti s a discrimination against Muslims who mainly come from neighbouring Muslim countries of
India. They are excluded from a faster naturalization procedure because they
are Muslims. The spread of the corona virus in India has exacerbated the
agitation against Muslims. Hashtags such as #CoronaJihad or #MuslimVirus spread
on Twitter. The authorities accuse Muslims who have entered from abroad of
having brought the virus to the country. (KNA/iQ)
Citizenship Act in India had caused massive negative reactions from minorities
during the last months. Iti s a discrimination against Muslims who mainly come from neighbouring Muslim countries of
India. They are excluded from a faster naturalization procedure because they
are Muslims. The spread of the corona virus in India has exacerbated the
agitation against Muslims. Hashtags such as #CoronaJihad or #MuslimVirus spread
on Twitter. The authorities accuse Muslims who have entered from abroad of
having brought the virus to the country. (KNA/iQ)
