Maldives confirms it is in talks to help SL bury COVID-19 victims

• This comes following a request by Lankan President to facilitate burial of Muslim victims
• Health Ministry says conducting feasibility study on it

By JAMILA HUSAIN

Maldives Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid yesterday said that following a request by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maldives President Ibrahim Solih was consulting Maldivian stakeholders to assist Sri Lanka in facilitating the burial of Muslim COVID-19 victims. 

The Daily Mirror, on Monday exclusively reported that the Maldives government had stepped in to bury Sri Lankan COVID-19 victims on one of their islands following serious concerns raised by the Muslim community here over the mandatory cremation only policy. The Health Ministry here has been informed of the discussions, through the Foreign Ministry, and has been told to prepare thehealth guidelines and carry out a feasibility study on whether this would be a practical option to send the bodies of victims to Maldives.

In a statement yesterday, Minister Shahid said that the Maldivian President was consulting his local stakeholders to assist Sri Lanka in facilitating Islamic funeral rites in the Maldives and said this decision was based on the close and longstanding bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

"This assistance will also offer solace to our Sri Lankan Muslim brothers and sisters grieving over demise of their loved ones," Shahid said. The Health Ministry here has said they are conducting a feasibility study over this.