The British Muslim Council, the largest Muslim organization in the United Kingdom, is reportedly preparing to take legal action against the Sri Lankan government for cremating the bodies of Kovid-19 infected Muslims.
The council is currently chaired by Bindmans LLP, a leading London-based law firm. (Bindmans LLP) is reportedly preparing to file a complaint against Sri Lanka to the UN Human Rights Council.
The British Muslim Council also has a task force comprising of Sri Lankan agencies, lawyers, medical experts and community leaders in Britain, headed by Assistant Secretary-General Sarah Mohamed, to consider steps to be taken against the cremation of infected Muslim bodies in Sri Lanka. .
Its purpose is to put pressure on the Sri Lankan government at the international level to immediately withdraw the Sri Lankan government’s policy of forcible cremation.
The British Muslim Council said in a statement that forcible cremation was a serious violation of the religious freedom of the Muslim minority.
The statement added that not allowing the body of a relative to be buried on time was a violation of international law and that the Sri Lankan authorities had in this case withdrawn from the World Health Organization’s recommendation for the safe management of dead bodies during the epidemic without giving any justifiable reason.
press release is below.
The Muslim Council of Britain to launch legal action against Sri Lankan government’s ‘forced cremations’
The Muslim Council of Britain to launch legal action against Sri Lankan government’s ‘forced cremations’
“The ongoing ‘forced cremation’ policy by the Sri Lankan Government of COVID-19 deceased has included a 20-day old baby and over 100 Muslims according to a reliable source.
In response to this, the Muslim Council of Britain has set up a Taskforce headed by Assistant Secretary-General, Zara Mohammed, consisting of UK-based Sri Lankan representative bodies, lawyers, medical experts, and senior leaders of the community.
The MCB taskforce has written to the Foreign Secretary and the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to request an immediate reversal of this ‘forced cremation’ policy and highlight its impact on Muslim and Christian communities.
Tayab Ali, Partner at leading London law firm, Bindmans LLP said:
“The forced cremations of Muslim bodies in Sri Lanka are a serious violation of the religious freedom of a minority group. It is a violation of international law to delay returning a family member’s body for burial in a timely way unless there is good reason to do so. In this case the Sri Lankan authorities have departed from the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for the safe management of a dead body during the coronavirus pandemic without any justification. In addition, the Sri Lankan Supreme Court’s rapid and unreasoned dismissal of the application made by family members of the deceased leaves no domestic remedy to what some have described as ongoing persecution of the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka. We are now preparing to bring this matter to the urgent attention of the United Nations Human Rights Committee for resolution”.
The Sri Lankan Government’s policy of forced cremation is unconstitutional in its very nature and continues to devastate the families of the deceased. It is now imperative for the international community to urge the Sri Lankan Government to reverse this policy, immediately. The MCB taskforce will pursue the necessary legal action to end this violation of human rights and allow families to bury their deceased with dignity