The Maldivian government has offered to set aside an island in the Maldives to bury the bodies of those who succumbed to Covid 19 in Sri Lanka. The Maldivian government has submitted its offer to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an official statement, the Daily Mirror reports.
Dr. Hemantha Herath, Deputy Director General of Public Health Services, was quoted in the Daily Mirror as saying that the Ministry of External Affairs had instructed the Ministry of Health to prepare a guideline and look into how this process could be facilitated.
The Muslim community in Sri Lanka claims that the cremation of Muslim Covid victims violates their religious beliefs.
The Maldives consists of a number of islands. Dr. Hemantha Herath has stated that Sri Lanka will therefore not face any problem regarding the burial of Covid victims. However, at the suggestion of the Maldivian government, the Ministry of Health will study the feasibility of such a process. Dr. Hemantha Herath has further stated that a decision in this regard will be taken after completing the feasibility study.
Last week, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa called on health experts to find land in Sri Lanka with low water levels for the burial of Covid victims.
