Residents of Iranativu Island in Kilinochchi district say that they are preparing to hold a protest tomorrow (03) against the government’s decision to bury the bodies of coronavirus victims on the island.
Cabinet spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the island of Iranativu has been identified for burial of those who died of Covid-19 infection.
Iranativu is a small island in the Gulf of Mannar in northwest Sri Lanka and is part of Kilinochchi District.
Addressing a media briefing today, Minister Rambukwella said the process of burying the corona bodies in a part of Iranativu Island would begin as soon as the guidelines are received.
The Minister said preliminary work in the area has been completed and arrangements are being made to receive COVID-19 victims’ bodies. He also said the cost of transporting the bodies to the site will be borne by the government.
However the residents of the island strongly oppose the government’s decision to bury the bodies of COVID victims pointing out that no one on the island is at risk of contracting coronavirus now.
About 165 families have been settled in the island and the residents point out that they are living in the island since 2017 after the war amidst great hardships.
They fear that the burial of the COVID bodies in the island will change the water level of the island and contaminate the water system making the residents vulnerable to contracting COVID.
The residents say they oppose the government’s decision to bury Covid victims in their island while there are many areas where Muslims people live and they will organize a protest tomorrow and lodge a complaint at the Human Rights Commission.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
