The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has announced a major relief measure for residents, deciding to abolish all cremation and burial fees within its municipal limits.

Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar told Newswire that a decision was taken to completely abolish cremation and burial fees charged from residents within the Colombo Municipal limits during a meeting of the local council held on Tuesday (10 Feb).

According to members’ views, the proposal was presented by the Colombo Mayor and unanimously approved during the discussion.

As a result, residents receiving services from the Colombo Municipal Council will now be exempt from paying fees for cremations and burials at the Borella, Jawatta, Madampitiya, and Kirulapone cemeteries, in the sections administered by the Council.

Previously, a fee of Rs. 10,000 had been charged, which opposition and government members noted had caused severe hardship to low‑income families. (Newswire)

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Channa Jayasumana, the former State Minister of Health under the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime, states he was against the decision to cremate the bodies of Muslim COVID victims.

Speaking during a televised debate, Channa Jayasumana said the decision to deny burials to Muslim COVID victims was taken based on Military intelligence, citing a security threat.

Channa Jayasumana said from the beginning, he was against denying burial and had also conveyed this to the then COVID Task Force.

“As a Science expert, I was of the view that the virus cannot survive in a dead body. So burials as per their religious practice would not be an issue. I spoke on this behalf and even gave media briefings,” he said.

The former State Minister said, however, that Military intelligence had warned against allowing burials, citing this could give rise to other threats including religious tensions.

Stating that such tensions could not arise during a pandemic, he said he was also of the view that cremating the bodies of Muslim COVID victims was not a suitable move and that he had called for burials to be allowed per their religious practice.

“However, my suggestion was defeated. We were forced to remain silent because the Military Intelligence warned that burials could bring other adverse results,” he said. 

Channa Jayasumana pointed out that regrettably, news reports are completely misrepresenting his stance, adding that the reports are the exact opposite of his beliefs. (Newswire)

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MP Rauff Hakeem called on the government to maintain and release records of individuals cremated during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly Muslim patients.

“Do not hide behind the Right to Information Act (RTI). We request you to provide details of Muslim patients who died of COVID-19 and were cremated. This must be openly discussed,” Hakeem said, accusing the government of concealing information. He also said that the incident was a blemish on the country’s health authorities.

Hakeem criticized the previous administration, noting that the new government was elected to rectify such mistakes.

Responding to the question, Health Minister Nalinda Jayathissa said that the government is in no way attempting to conceal information.

“This is not an issue of concealing information; it is about medical ethics. Under the RTI, divulging patient details is not permissible, and we have no right to withhold this information. You are well aware that the then government made Cabinet decisions that were not based on scientific evidence,” Jayathissa said.

Hakeem, requesting the government to publicize the names, addresses, and close relatives of those who succumbed to COVID-19 and were cremated, countered, however, that it is not an ethical issue. “How is that an ethical issue? It is true this was a mistake of the previous government, but I don’t understand how it is an ethical issue,” Hakeem said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stressed that families and communities affected by the decision must be compensated.

The government stated that the matter will be deliberated in consultation with the Attorney General to determine the release of details, reiterating that it does not intend to conceal any information.

This was followed by several statements from both government and opposition MPs who agreed that the decision of the previous government led to grave injustices to the Muslim community.

Hakeem called for official inquiries within the Health Department, highlighting that certain officials who were part of the committee that deliberated on COVID-19 cremations have now been appointed to higher offices.

“At least conduct a departmental inquiry. Those people must be penalized,” Hakeem said. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been granted to publish the Burial and Cremation Rights Draft Bill in the Government Gazette notification and to submit it to the Parliament for approval.

According to the government, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted to the draft bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman to award the right to an individual to decide whether that person’s body should be disposed of by burial or cremation after his death.

In cases where such will was not declared by the dead person, the right to decide whether the body of the dead person should be buried or cremated is to be entrusted to the deceased individual’s closest relative considering the deceased individual’s preferences, and religious, cultural or personal beliefs. 

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms to publish the accordingly formulated draft bill in the government gazette notification and to submit it to the Parliament for approval. (Newswire) 

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe apologised for the Sri Lankan Government’s decision to enforce cremations during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The President addressing Parliament on Tuesday, said that every citizen should have the right to determine how their final rites are conducted. 

“In this country, any person should have the right to determine whether he or she is buried, cremated or given to the medical faculty,” the President said. 

The President was referring to the controversial decision taken by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government to enforce cremating Muslim and Christian victims of COVID-19, which goes against their religious beliefs. The decision drew widespread criticism, including from the United Nations and Human Rights organizations. 

In February 2021, the  Government lifted the controversial regulation introduced in March 2020, following months of protests from Muslim and civil rights groups. 

“During this time there was a lot of pain, witnessed mainly by the Muslims, but there are also Hindus, Buddhists and Christians who also like to bury.  We would like to apologise to them on what has happened,” President Wickremesinghe said.

President Wickremesinghe recalled that many countries initially halted burials as a precaution, and the World Health Organization (WHO) reviewed the matter. In Sri Lanka, a committee was appointed, which recommended against allowing burials, the President said. 

“But the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the committee. So the Government had to follow that and there was no choice at that stage. But now all this is over,” he said. 

With the situation now resolved, the Government plans to introduce a law granting the right to burial, cremation, or body donation to medical institutions, President Wickremesinghe announced. He expressed hope that the House will support the implementation of the Bill. (Newswire)

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