White handkerchiefs tied around the gates of Borella cementery in memory of the 20-day-old infant who was forcibly cremated have been removed overnight.

A number of civil society activists and concerned citizens were seen tying handkerchiefs around the gates of the cemetery yesterday saying that the infant was cremated against the wishes of his parents. Among them was former Minister Mangala Samaraweera who has retired from active politics.

The child was identified with COVID19 and was cremated in accordance with the blanket ‘cremations policy’ adopted by the Sri Lankan government in relation to COVID19 death. Many have questioned this controversial cremations policy on the grounds that the World Health Organization (WHO) has permitted burial as a safe way of disposing the bodies of COVID19 victims.

A number of political parties, rights activists and civil society groups have requested the government to permit burials in line with the WHO guidelibes. These requests, however, have not elicited a positive response from the government.

“The ghouls of Kanatte have removed overnight the white handkerchiefs tied in memory of the infant who was cremated forcibly against the wishes of the parents,” Samaraweera tweeted this morning.

It is still not clear as to who is responsible for the overnight removal of white handkerchiefs — a symbol of pain endured by the Sri Lankan Muslim community.

“But, it is clear that such a move could not have been possible without clear instructions from the political authorities,” a rights activists said.