The government of Sri Lanka has taken necessary measures to address the consequences of the compulsory cremation policy that was enacted in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The Cabinet has approved a proposal presented to plead an apology on behalf of the Government from all the communities that were affected due to the enaction of the compulsory cremation policy.
The proposal to introduce a new law enabling a certain person or their relations to select either the burial or cremation of the dead person at their discretion has also received Cabinet approval.
According to the government, cremation was recommended as a methodology for the disposal of dead bodies of persons who died due to the COVID-19 virus, as stipulated in the guidelines published by the Ministry of Health on the Clinical Management of COVID-19.
A total of 276 persons from the Muslim Community who had passed away due to the virus were initially cremated, while in February 2021 permission was granted for burial with strict restrictions.
In July 2021, a study was commenced by the Ministry of Water Supply with the assistance of the University of Jayawardenapura to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus in aquatic environments in Colombo and Kandy, including river water, the water released from the hospitals, other quarantine places and other potential places where the wastewater was discharged. The studies revealed that there was no virus in the surface water.
Meanwhile, a second study was also completed in March 2024 by the China- Sri Lanka Joint Research and Demonstration Center for Water Technology under the Ministry of Water Supply investigating the transmission of the SARS-CoV2 virus to water resources, including groundwater, where it was confirmed that the even though faeces and the urine are primary sources of transmission of the virus, it is not so through safe burial.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the joint proposal presented by the Ministers of Justice, Foreign Affairs, and Water Supply to plead an apology on behalf of the Government, from all the communities that were affected as a consequence of the compulsory cremation policy enacted in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
The government further acknowledged that the compulsory cremation policy at the time had caused displeasure among various religious groups and human rights activists, especially the Muslim community.
Studies made in this respect have also confirmed that the virus cannot be transmitted through safe burial and the government has taken measures to prevent similar situations in the future.
As a key measure, attention has been drawn to introducing a law enabling a certain person or their relation to select the burial or cremation of the dead person at their discretion. It has also been proposed to introduce appropriate new laws to donate the dead bodies to the Medical Faculty, if necessary.
Accordingly, the Cabinet approved the joint proposal presented by the Minister of Justice and Minister of Foreign Affairs to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft for the introduction of the proposed new law. (Newswire)
