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Sri Lanka’s mandatory cremation policy is playing politics with the dead-GTF

Published

5 years ago

2020/12/28

The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) says that while appreciating Sri Lanka’s relative success in the management of COVID-19, it would like to express its strong condemnation of the mandatory cremation of all bodies suspected to have been infected with coronavirus; it has called upon the leaders of all communities to do all they can to have this irrational and discriminatory government policy reversed.

Excerpts of the GTF statement:

Sri Lanka’s mandatory cremation policy has caused major outrage and trauma for the Muslim and Christian minorities, whose beliefs require dead bodies should be buried. It is the Muslim community that has been disproportionately affected by COVID-19, and to force them to adopt practices that violate their fundamental religious beliefs is cruel and inhumane.

There is no scientific justification for the government to adopt this policy and deny the dead the dignity they deserve in death. In fact, the guidelines from the World Health Organization state that the burial of victims posed no danger to public health, and almost all the countries allow for the burial of COVID-19 victims, making Sri Lanka an outlier among the world nations.

Top government officials changed their original guidelines under pressure from influential Buddhist monks to mandatory cremations. The Supreme Court rejected fundamental rights petitions filed by 14 affected families without giving reasons for its decision. Faced with mounting domestic and international pressure, the government made an extraordinary attempt to fly bodies to Maldives for burial to placate its extremist support base. All these unquestionably indicate the direction Sri Lanka is heading.

The mandatory cremation policy is not an exception, but rather one more fitting element within the broader agenda of the Rajapaksa government. The deplorable initiatives it has taken within a year, such as enacting the autocratic 20th Amendment to the constitution; appointing Presidential Commissions and task forces to scuttle established governance procedures; militarizing top levels of the bureaucracy (including some who are credibly implicated in serious human rights violations), resorting to surveillance, intimidation and detention without charge (a precursor for rampant media self-censorship), and withdrawing from the UNHRC resolution which Sri Lanka pledged for years as its ‘solemn commitment to accountability and reconciliation’ – are indicative of its gradual transition from democratic to an authoritarian regime.

Sri Lanka is also a country that has produced decent and humanitarian citizens and leaders, who stood for diversity, pluralism and human rights of all its peoples. It is time again for those principled citizens to do their part irrespective of their ethnic or political affiliations to prevent Sri Lanka plunging further into the abyss of prejudice and intolerance. The role of the majority community is so crucial to achieve this noble transition in the society.

Sri Lanka’s present hard-line policies on inter-communal tolerance and pluralism will take the country backwards by decades and even sow the seeds for future conflicts. The country’s preparedness to dishonour its firm commitments – whether to India or UNHRC – is likely to pose serious challenges to the international community. Deviating from long held international norms will have economic and other costs to the country on top of the already devastating blows dealt by the pandemic. Lack of collective initiatives and counter actions now will only make the task much harder in the future. The civil society groups and all fair-minded people should seize the moment in the name of humanity, brotherhood and fundamental rights.”

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The use of local organic Agricultural products in the Bakery Industry will strengthen both local farmers and the tourism industry – PM

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/14

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the use of local organic agricultural products in bakery production would provide significant support to both local farmers and the growth of the tourism industry.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the Annual meeting of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association, held at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, on Friday (12 June).

The Prime Minister stated,

“At a decisive moment when the country is moving towards a new phase of economic transformation, I believe that the bakery industry has the potential to become a key driver of the national economy, rather than remaining limited to flour-based products alone.

The food production must be mainly considered the quality and safety of food. Therefore, instead of focusing solely on taste, we should introduce nutritious and healthy products to the market that are free from artificial flavourings and colourings.

By using ingredients such as rice flour, finger millet, foxtail millet, green gram, and indigenous tubers to create value-added products, the bakery industry has the opportunity to capitalize on the growing global trend towards health-conscious diets.

The use of local organic agricultural products in food prepared for foreign tourists will provide substantial benefits to local farmers while also contributing to the growth of the tourism industry. At the same time, the government remains committed to strengthening local entrepreneurs by reducing challenges related to the importation of raw materials, providing concessionary loans for new technologies, and offering the technical assistance required to meet international standards.

The government has already launched programmes through the Ministry of Industries to provide the necessary training and market linkages to help small and medium-scale bakery owners develop and expand their businesses”.

The occasion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Industries Chathuranga Abeysinghe, President of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association N.K. Jayawardana, and a number of members of the Association were also present at the event.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

News

Prime Minister meets with UNICEF delegation

Published

4 hours ago

2026/06/14

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with a delegation from the UNICEF on Friday (June 12) at Temple Trees to discuss ongoing efforts to support the recovery of the education sector following the impact of Cyclone Ditwah.

Discussions focused on the implementation of activities outlined in the report titled “Cyclone Ditwah Education Emergency Response Plan: Phase 1 Progress Updates (January–April 2026).” The meeting provided an opportunity to review the progress achieved during the initial phase of the response and to discuss future interventions aimed at supporting children and schools affected by the disaster.

The Prime Minister and the UNICEF delegation also exchanged views on strengthening collaboration to ensure the continuity of education and the well-being of affected children.

The UNICEF delegation included Emma Brigham, UNICEF Representative, Begona Arellano, Deputy Representative, and other UNICEF officials.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)

News

Switzerland to vote on plan to cap population at 10 million

Published

13 hours ago

2026/06/14

Priyan

A yes-vote poster paints the planned cap (L) as a way of protecting Switzerland, but opponents call it a "chaos initiative"[BBC]

Can a country put a fixed limit on its population? That is the question Switzerland will be answering on Sunday when voters go the polls to decide on a proposal to cap their population at 10 million, a move that has exposed divisions about immigration in the Alpine nation.

The move is backed by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, which describes it as a “sustainability initiative” aimed at easing pressure on housing, public services and the environment. However some voters see this as the party’s latest anti-immigration move.

Dubbing it a “chaos initiative”, the government, other political parties, business leaders and trade unions argue it will deprive hospitals and hotels of much needed staff, and damage hard-won relations with the European Union, leaving non-EU member Switzerland isolated in a very risky world.

Switzerland’s population has grown rapidly since 2002, when it stood at 7.3 million. Now it is 9.1 million, 27% of whom are Swiss residents who were born abroad.

Switzerland’s system of direct democracy means all major decisions are taken via the ballot box. Campaigners simply have to gather 100,000 signatures to ensure a nationwide vote.

Many voters are concerned by overcrowded trains, expensive apartments and rising health costs.

The latest opinion polls indicate this could be a very close vote.

They suggest voters are inching towards a no vote by a wafer thin margin, with 52% opposed – but polls remain divided, with 45% saying they are in favour of the proposal and a significant number of voters still undecided.

[BBC]