MP Rauff Hakeem called on the government to maintain and release records of individuals cremated during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly Muslim patients.
“Do not hide behind the Right to Information Act (RTI). We request you to provide details of Muslim patients who died of COVID-19 and were cremated. This must be openly discussed,” Hakeem said, accusing the government of concealing information. He also said that the incident was a blemish on the country’s health authorities.
Hakeem criticized the previous administration, noting that the new government was elected to rectify such mistakes.
Responding to the question, Health Minister Nalinda Jayathissa said that the government is in no way attempting to conceal information.
“This is not an issue of concealing information; it is about medical ethics. Under the RTI, divulging patient details is not permissible, and we have no right to withhold this information. You are well aware that the then government made Cabinet decisions that were not based on scientific evidence,” Jayathissa said.
Hakeem, requesting the government to publicize the names, addresses, and close relatives of those who succumbed to COVID-19 and were cremated, countered, however, that it is not an ethical issue. “How is that an ethical issue? It is true this was a mistake of the previous government, but I don’t understand how it is an ethical issue,” Hakeem said.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa stressed that families and communities affected by the decision must be compensated.
The government stated that the matter will be deliberated in consultation with the Attorney General to determine the release of details, reiterating that it does not intend to conceal any information.
This was followed by several statements from both government and opposition MPs who agreed that the decision of the previous government led to grave injustices to the Muslim community.
Hakeem called for official inquiries within the Health Department, highlighting that certain officials who were part of the committee that deliberated on COVID-19 cremations have now been appointed to higher offices.
“At least conduct a departmental inquiry. Those people must be penalized,” Hakeem said. (Newswire)