The Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) said that it will support the burial of Muslim coronavirus victims, whilst the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has opposed such a move, as the Sri Lankan government reportedly looks to commence burials in Mannar.
“We fully support burials,” tweeted TNPF leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam this morning. “And we support the burials to be in places that normally they would have been buried.”
We fully support burials. And we support the burials to be in places that normally they would have been buried.
— Gajen Ponnambalam MP (@GGPonnambalam) November 19, 2020
His comments came after TNA parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan was quoted by NewsHub as stating his party would “oppose” the move to bury Muslim coronavirus victims in Mannar.
The Sri Lankan government has been under pressure over its policy of forced cremation for coronavirus victims, even though it runs in direct violation of traditional Islamic burial practices. The United Nations, Amnesty International and Organization of Islamic Cooperation are amongst the organisations that have condemned the practice and called for burials to be allowed.
