Powerful order of Buddhist monks urges president to allow burials of Covid-dead
COLOMBO – One of the country’s biggest Chapters of Buddhist monks, the joint Amarapura-Ramanna sect has asked President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to permit the burial of the Christians and Muslims Covid-dead.
This is the first time a major group of Buddhist monks have taken a stand to allow burials since the controversy broke in April.
Signed by the joint Registrars of the Amarapura and Ramanna sects, the letter addressed to the president says the decision to send the appeal to the head of state was made after lengthy discussions with the sect’s Inter-religious Sub-Committee.
The letter noted that the burial of dead bodies is a revered “religious practice including Islam and Christianity” and this right is protected by the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
However, the letter added this right is subject to restrictions subject to public health.
It said the decision issued by a gazette notification on April 11 this year making cremation mandatory was taken soon after the outbreak of the pandemic and “we believe it was a precautionary measure taken due to the lack of biological knowledge” about the COVID-19 virus.
The letter however went on to say that “now after more than eight months, and with a considerable body of research available about the nature of the COVID-19 virus, and results indicating that there is no danger of this virus spreading by the burial of COVID-19 dead bodies, we are of the opinion there is no justification for the mandatory cremation of those who have died of COVID-19.”
“At this time we take the view that the burials of those who have died due to COVID-19 infection should be allowed subject to certain conditions which would adequately protect the health of the people on one side and the religious practices of the Muslims, Catholics and other religious groups,” the letter asserted, suggesting that the bodies could be buried in concrete or other impervious containers and could be monitored to assure the authorities that the practise is safe.
The Sects also appealed to the president to convene a meeting of experts to seek advice on the matter.
In a separate statement the Registrar of the Sub-committee Dr. Madampagama Assaji Thera, Anunayake of the sect said this would avoid the government having to face an uncomfortable situation and avoid unnecessary unrest within the Muslim community.
-economynext.com