COLOMBO – Sri Lankan cabinet has approved a proposed ban on facial covering in public citing security threats despite violating international law about freedom of religion.
Sarath Weerasekera, former naval officer and current cabinet Minister of Public Security in the South Asian country, had proposed the bill which has now been approved by the island’s cabinet, banning the full-face veil worn by Muslim women as a national security risk and a sign of religious extremism.
Cabinet apprvl was granted prohibiting covering of "Full Face" in Public w/ reservations where certain parts of the face needs to be covered as specified by Quarantine Laws & #Health regulations.
Await details.#SriLanka #lka #PublicSecurity@HPBSriLanka #ReAdSarath @SriSlpmd
— Sarath Weerasekera (@ReAdSarath) April 28, 2021
The resolution is yet to made part of the law before a final approval from the country’s legislative body. The decision will most likely to be approved to become law as the Buddhist nationalist Sri Lanka party holds a majority in parliament.
Covering the face with a scarf is a common practice among Muslim women to maintain modesty and privacy but the Sri Lankan lawmakers termed it as a sign of religious extremism and said a ban would improve national security as terrorists might use it concealing their identities.
Muslims make up nearly 9 percent of the 22 million population.
Earlier in March, the same Sri Lankan lawmaker also announced to ban more than a thousand Islamic schools. These seminaries flouted our national education policy and nobody can open a school and teach whatever you want to the children,’ he added.
Sri Lanka temporarily banned the wearing of burqas in 2019 after more than 260 people got killed in Easter bombings.
UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion Ahmed Shaheed also slammed Sri Lankan authorities saying a ban would be incompatible with international law and the right to free religious expression.
Burka bans are incompatible with int’l law guarantees of the right to manifest one’s religion or belief & of freedom of expression!
Sri Lanka to ban burkas, shut Islamic schools for ‘national security’ https://t.co/w0dhgtMUc8
— Ahmed Shaheed (@ahmedshaheed) March 13, 2021
Earlier in February, Prime Minister Imran Khan welcomed the Sri Lankan government’s decision to allow the burial of Covid-19 victims, days after he visited Colombo. The premier also wrote an open letter to the leaders of Muslim-majority countries asking them to act collectively to tackle the rising tide of Islamophobia and attacks around the globe.
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