News
Burqa-niqab ban will be a gradual process: Public Security Ministry Secretary
Together with the burqa ban, the Public Security Ministry also announced that moves were underway to close down around 1000 unregistered Madrasas
A decision to impose a ban on Muslim women clothing burqa and niqab will be taken only after a debate in parliament, the Public Security Ministry has said.
Ministry Secretary Retired Major General Jagath Alwis said he could give no time frame as to when the ban would be imposed, but it would be a gradual process.
Once the law was enacted, the Attorney General would advise the police on how it should be implemented, Maj. Gen. Alwis said.
He said the recommendations of the Parliament Sectoral Oversight Committee on national security would also be taken into consideration when drafting the law. The recommendations include measures to prevent a recurrence of the 2019 Easter Sunday massacres in which more than 260 people were killed when Islamic extremists blew themselves up in churches and hotels.
The report presented to Parliament in February last year by the 16-member sectoral committee headed by Malith Jayatilake recommended the banning of all types of face covering attire, including burqa, a dress that covers the body from head to toe, and niqab which shows only the eyes of the wearer.
It recommended that the police be given given powers to demand those who wear face covering attire in a public place to reveal their faces to establish their identities.
It also proposed that the police be empowered to arrest any person who refused to comply with such a request.
Together with the burqa ban, the Public Security Ministry also announced last week that moves were underway to close down around 1000 unregistered Madarasas or Islamic relgious schools in the country.
The ministry said the madrasas would be taken over and integrated with the mainstream schools.
Last week, Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekera said he had signed a cabinet paper for the burqa-niqab ban. But the matter was not taken up at this week’s Cabinet meeting in what was seen as a move connected with tomorrow’s United National Human Rights Council vote on a resolution on Sri Lanka.
Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colomboge said the announcement of the burqa ban was merely a proposal and no decision had been taken yet.