Sri Lanka minorities tell UNHRC members they face discrimination

The deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka has pushed minority leaders to urge members of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to consider the continuous discrimination faced by minorities ahead of vote on its serious past record. The government is under a lot of criticism by the country’s Muslim minority for repeatedly violating their rights, and most recently, with their cabinet paper proposal banning the burqa. This comes after the government issued a decision to mandate the cremation of all victims of COVID-19, going against the burial tradition of the Islamic Faith. Passing a UN Resolution can mean opening the door for potential prosecution of military and government figures, especially for their role in Sri Lanka’s separatist civil war. Several Muslim-majority countries, such as Bangladesh and Pakistan, are expected to take part of the vote in Geneva.