August 29, Colombo (LNW): Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) presidential candidate and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has vowed to pursue legal action against individuals responsible for enforcing forced cremations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking at a rally in Akkaraipattu, Premadasa criticised the controversial practice, which sparked widespread concern and distress among affected families, particularly in communities where burial rites are culturally and religiously significant.
Premadasa assured supporters that a future government led by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) would prioritise justice for those impacted by the forced cremations.
He further pledged that compensation would be provided to the families who suffered as a result of these actions.
The issue of forced cremations has remained a deeply contentious topic in Sri Lanka, with many calling for accountability and reparations, especially in the backdrop of zero scientific evidence suggesting the burial of bodies of those died of the disease being contributory to the spread of the contagion.
During the tenure of the ousted president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, cremation was declared a mandatory practice for those died of Covid.
Premadasa’s commitment to addressing this matter signals a potential shift in how these grievances might be handled under an SJB administration, focusing on both legal redress and financial compensation for those who were wronged.
