UK Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said the UK have "noted with concern the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in Sri Lanka" following the outbreak of COVID-19, in response to a question on Sri Lanka last week.
Nigel Adams answered a written question posed by Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West, who asked "what recent assessment he has made of the political situation in Sri Lanka," to which the minister responded:
We are monitoring political developments in Sri Lanka very closely. Parliamentary elections, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, are due to take place on 5 August. We have noted with concern the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in Sri Lanka following the outbreak of COVID-19, and some concerning developments in the human rights situation.
The Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, recently raised these concerns with the Sri Lankan foreign Minister on 24 June. We continue to engage with the Government of Sri Lanka on a broad range of issues. The UK is also a member of the Core Group on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.
Muslims have faced persecution since the coronavirus outbreak by government officials in terms of banning cultural practices and the apparent consideration of racial profiling Muslims. Sri Lankan officials have forced Muslims to undertake cremation, which is against Islamic cultural practices, despite World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines stating that there is no specific evidence suggesting that the virus can spread through a dead body.
