Channa Jayasumana says he always opposed Muslim COVID cremations
Channa Jayasumana, the former State Minister of Health under the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime, states he was against the decision to cremate the bodies of Muslim COVID victims.
Speaking during a televised debate, Channa Jayasumana said the decision to deny burials to Muslim COVID victims was taken based on Military intelligence, citing a security threat.
Channa Jayasumana said from the beginning, he was against denying burial and had also conveyed this to the then COVID Task Force.
“As a Science expert, I was of the view that the virus cannot survive in a dead body. So burials as per their religious practice would not be an issue. I spoke on this behalf and even gave media briefings,” he said.
The former State Minister said, however, that Military intelligence had warned against allowing burials, citing this could give rise to other threats including religious tensions.
Stating that such tensions could not arise during a pandemic, he said he was also of the view that cremating the bodies of Muslim COVID victims was not a suitable move and that he had called for burials to be allowed per their religious practice.
“However, my suggestion was defeated. We were forced to remain silent because the Military Intelligence warned that burials could bring other adverse results,” he said.
Channa Jayasumana pointed out that regrettably, news reports are completely misrepresenting his stance, adding that the reports are the exact opposite of his beliefs.