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Cabinet approves ban on full face coverings 

28 Apr 2021

  • Law enforcement authorities to be empowered to make on site arrests 

  • No dialogue even with Govt’s Muslim MP: Mujibur claims 

  • Will alienate SL among Arab allies: ACMC 

By Pamodi Waravita and Dinitha Rathnayake    In the face of opposition from the Parliamentary Opposition and sections of the civil society and the Muslim community, the Cabinet of Ministers approval was granted to ban all face coverings in public places due to national security reasons with the law enforcement authorities in parallel being authorised to arrest any individual whose attire as related to their face gives rise to a security hazard.  According to Cabinet Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella, who spoke at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, the particular Cabinet paper only highlights the facts related to a security hazard.  When a journalist queried about the ban on the burqa (the entire face is covered) and the niqab (only the eyes are visible), he said: “This will ban any face shield. The Cabinet paper hasn’t mentioned any specific diagrams. As long as the face covering causes a security hazard, the security forces will have the right to arrest them.”  Earlier, it was not allowed to uncover the burqa or the niqab, Rambukwella noted.  This will be implemented as a law after Parliamentary approval is obtained, Rambukwella further added.  Minister of Public Security Dr. Sarath Weerasekera signed the Cabinet paper on the ban on 11 March.  Releasing a statement, he said that the Cabinet approval was granted to ban all face coverings including the burqa and the niqab and that Cabinet approval was granted according to the prohibition on covering one’s entire face whilst in public places.  However, the Government had previously informed that the said ban does not extend to full face helmets and the anti-Covid-19 facemask.  When contacted, Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Parliamentarian Mujibur Rahman said that the ban would take away the rights of some sections of the society, on the guise of national security.  “This is discrimination. Even Easter Sunday mastermind Zahran Hashim’s wife did not wear a burqa. How can this be an issue of national security then?” questioned Rahman.  Rahman further said that since this is a sensitive, religious issue, dialogue should have been had with Muslim philosophers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and politicians prior to taking such a decision.  “According to my knowledge, they did not have a dialogue with their own Muslim MP from the Government either,” added Rahman.  Also speaking to The Morning regarding the ban, All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Senior Deputy Leader N. M. Shaheid questioned the necessity of implementing a face cover ban at a time when the entire population is wearing face masks.  “When Sri Lanka recently faced challenges from the international community, it was the Arab countries who spoke up for the country. Moves such as this would only increase the hatred towards our country,” said Shaheid.  Commenting on the ban to The Morning, women’s rights activist Shreen Abdul Saroor said that this was ethnic and religious politics being played out on women’s bodies.  “Why are Muslim women’s rights being slashed? This is an attempt at demonising the Muslim women in the country and an Islamophobic reaction. This is a fundamental rights violation of Muslim women who have chosen to wear a face covering,” said Abdul Saroor.  She further said that the choice to wear a face cover is an exercise of one’s religious practice, a right which is protected under Article 10 of the Constitution. Abdul Saroor added that a complaint has been filed at the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) by women who would be affected by the ban.  The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) was not available for comment.


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