Decision to cremate COVID-19 victims reason for SL to lose international support: Sabry

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

The decision to cremate the remains of those who succumbed to COVID-19 paved the way for Sri Lanka to lose international support, Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry said.  Minister Sabry had made this remark in Parliament this week while repeating the same remark on twitter yesterday.  

“Everyone in the cabinet was against cremating COVID-19 victims when it came up for discussion. However it was two doctors Dr Channa Perera and Professor Menthika Withanage who said via media that the virus in the dead bodies will come up and create a vast destruction in a few centuries. Therefore it is the media who should take the blame. Some involved in media are our friends and even they were not in a position to change their news items at that time,” the Minister added.  

“ Some say I did not do anything being a Muslim but it was not the case as the whole cabinet was against cremation,” he said. 

• Everyone in the cabinet was against cremating COVID 19 victims when it came up for discussion