On 24 February, after the Interactive Dialogue on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), when the burial issue dominated the discussion on Sri Lanka’s respect for minority rights, the Government of Sri Lanka quickly announced the lifting of the ban on the burial of Covid-19 victims. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who visited Sri Lanka last month (February), was bowled a gentle full toss, enabling him to effortlessly clear the ropes and play the master stroke maker, enhancing his wooing of the Islamic countries for their votes on 22 or 23 March at the UNHRC. But the structural racism that took centre stage in cremating the Muslim deceased cannot easily be put back in its place, because it is now part of our State.
For many families of victims, it is still a nightmare – running from pillar to post trying to prevent the cremation of their loved ones’ bodies. Once again, the infamous Technical Committee has raised its ugly head in delaying the burial guidelines, reiterating its fictitious argument of groundwater contamination.
To get their right to burial back, it seems the Muslim community must say goodbye to another right they had enjoyed. Minister of Justice President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry is the arbiter of this rights exchange, and it seems once again that it will be Muslim women who will have to pay. Their right to wear the niqab (face veil) is on the chopping board at a time when wearing masks is compulsory for everyone. Apparently, for security reasons, Muslim women should remove their niqab.
The burial issue is still a nightmare, and it is part of a continuity of attacks on minority communities. We are now asked to settle to bury the bodies in Iranaitheevu, a small island off the north-west coast with no land access. This island was originally inhabited by Tamil Catholics who were displaced due to the war. After a 25-year-long struggle, they returned to the island in 2018. Still, the Navy occupies part of this island and only certain parts of the coast are open to residents to do their fishing activities.
Covid-19 burial means that the authorities are going to control this Island, depriving the returning Tamil Catholics of their one and only livelihood: Fishing. Remember that Technical Committee Head Consultant Judicial Medical Officer/forensic pathologist Dr. Channa Perera told the BBC that Covid-19 bodies can be used as biological weapons. Burials can now be used as an excuse to intensify Navy occupation on Iranaitheevu. We Muslims do not want our burial rights at the cost of a very poor community being unable to fish and live a dignified life.
This is also a move to once again pitch the Muslims against the Catholic community. Chair of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Colombo and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine senior Prof. Jennifer Perera’s committee clearly said that in each district, there can be identified burial sites. Why should the community pay for all of these spiteful decisions of a few whose thirst for cruelty has not yet been quenched, even after forcefully cremating over 250 Muslims bodies?
Remember that Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena wrote to Minister Sabry for freezer containers not so long ago and the community paid and bought them all. Later, the health authorities, by obtaining a court order to cremate, cleared up the strain created by the victims’ families by not consenting to the cremation and leaving the bodies behind. Within a week since the bodies were kept in the freezers, they cremated all the bodies without any shame. Here too, the authorities made the Muslim community’s rich men pay to defuse the poor victims’ families’ resilience.
This is all now a political drama. They have already contracted parts of three Islands off Jaffna to China for electricity generation, and now Iranaitheevu is going to accommodate burial rights to satisfy Pakistan for its support at the UNHRC. At the informal dialogue on the draft resolution, Pakistan kept up its end of the deal, hinting at the Sri Lankan Government’s coming change of tune.
At the negotiations on 2 March, the Sri Lankan Ambassador asked for a paragraph to be deleted from the resolution because it refers to forced cremations, which are no longer taking place. Do they think the international community is so blind? They cremated the first Muslims out of hate on 31 March 2020, justified it with lies about groundwater contamination, and now, even as they pretend to show moderation and compromise, they expose their hate by choosing Iranaitheevu.
Well, the burial issue should not be treated as a standalone attack on the rights of Muslims. It is only the worst and latest manifestation of something that has been brewing for a long time here – a majoritarian polity that is built purely on violent and militarised Buddhism. The sharp claws of the lion are on our neck.
(The writer is a Co-Founder of the Women’s Action Network)Iranaitivu: Latest chapter in book of deception
04 Mar 2021
Iranaitivu: Latest chapter in book of deception
04 Mar 2021
On 24 February, after the Interactive Dialogue on Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), when the burial issue dominated the discussion on Sri Lanka’s respect for minority rights, the Government of Sri Lanka quickly announced the lifting of the ban on the burial of Covid-19 victims. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, who visited Sri Lanka last month (February), was bowled a gentle full toss, enabling him to effortlessly clear the ropes and play the master stroke maker, enhancing his wooing of the Islamic countries for their votes on 22 or 23 March at the UNHRC. But the structural racism that took centre stage in cremating the Muslim deceased cannot easily be put back in its place, because it is now part of our State.
For many families of victims, it is still a nightmare – running from pillar to post trying to prevent the cremation of their loved ones’ bodies. Once again, the infamous Technical Committee has raised its ugly head in delaying the burial guidelines, reiterating its fictitious argument of groundwater contamination.
To get their right to burial back, it seems the Muslim community must say goodbye to another right they had enjoyed. Minister of Justice President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry is the arbiter of this rights exchange, and it seems once again that it will be Muslim women who will have to pay. Their right to wear the niqab (face veil) is on the chopping board at a time when wearing masks is compulsory for everyone. Apparently, for security reasons, Muslim women should remove their niqab.
The burial issue is still a nightmare, and it is part of a continuity of attacks on minority communities. We are now asked to settle to bury the bodies in Iranaitheevu, a small island off the north-west coast with no land access. This island was originally inhabited by Tamil Catholics who were displaced due to the war. After a 25-year-long struggle, they returned to the island in 2018. Still, the Navy occupies part of this island and only certain parts of the coast are open to residents to do their fishing activities.
Covid-19 burial means that the authorities are going to control this Island, depriving the returning Tamil Catholics of their one and only livelihood: Fishing. Remember that Technical Committee Head Consultant Judicial Medical Officer/forensic pathologist Dr. Channa Perera told the BBC that Covid-19 bodies can be used as biological weapons. Burials can now be used as an excuse to intensify Navy occupation on Iranaitheevu. We Muslims do not want our burial rights at the cost of a very poor community being unable to fish and live a dignified life.
This is also a move to once again pitch the Muslims against the Catholic community. Chair of the Department of Microbiology of the University of Colombo and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine senior Prof. Jennifer Perera’s committee clearly said that in each district, there can be identified burial sites. Why should the community pay for all of these spiteful decisions of a few whose thirst for cruelty has not yet been quenched, even after forcefully cremating over 250 Muslims bodies?
Remember that Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena wrote to Minister Sabry for freezer containers not so long ago and the community paid and bought them all. Later, the health authorities, by obtaining a court order to cremate, cleared up the strain created by the victims’ families by not consenting to the cremation and leaving the bodies behind. Within a week since the bodies were kept in the freezers, they cremated all the bodies without any shame. Here too, the authorities made the Muslim community’s rich men pay to defuse the poor victims’ families’ resilience.
This is all now a political drama. They have already contracted parts of three Islands off Jaffna to China for electricity generation, and now Iranaitheevu is going to accommodate burial rights to satisfy Pakistan for its support at the UNHRC. At the informal dialogue on the draft resolution, Pakistan kept up its end of the deal, hinting at the Sri Lankan Government’s coming change of tune.
At the negotiations on 2 March, the Sri Lankan Ambassador asked for a paragraph to be deleted from the resolution because it refers to forced cremations, which are no longer taking place. Do they think the international community is so blind? They cremated the first Muslims out of hate on 31 March 2020, justified it with lies about groundwater contamination, and now, even as they pretend to show moderation and compromise, they expose their hate by choosing Iranaitheevu.
Well, the burial issue should not be treated as a standalone attack on the rights of Muslims. It is only the worst and latest manifestation of something that has been brewing for a long time here – a majoritarian polity that is built purely on violent and militarised Buddhism. The sharp claws of the lion are on our neck.
(The writer is a Co-Founder of the Women’s Action Network)Kapruka
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Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!