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ACJU, SLMC concerned about ‘banning’ face veils

04 Mar 2021

With a Cabinet decision on banning the wearing of clothing that covers the face in the offing, Muslim leaders, representing both the religious and political segments of the community, raised concerns that the banning of the face veil through legislation would violate the rights of their community.

Speaking to The Morning yesterday (3), All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) Assistant General Secretary Al Sheikh Akram Nooramith said that though the ACJU and the majority of the community do not object to not covering the face, a ban brought through the law would prove to be a violation of human rights. “Once such a ban is brought by law, it is not good for the community from a human rights perspective. The ACJU is planning to meet on 6 March to discuss what to do regarding this matter. But the community won’t react to such a ban in a strong manner.” Nooramith said that the ban is not felt by the community as face masks are currently mandatorily worn by everyone. He claimed that the ACJU has also been educating the Muslim community about not covering the whole face and that the majority is of this opinion. Expressing similar sentiments, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader and Parliamentarian Rauff Hakeem told The Morning on 2 March that covering the face by wearing a burqa (face is not visible) or a niqab (eyes are visible) is a cultural practice and that such should therefore not be regulated with legislation. He said that the community instead should be allowed to bring pressure against such practices and thereby change them accordingly. “The community should be trusted to persuade its members into changing practices such as wearing the niqab and burqa. Bringing in unnecessary legislation is not advisable. It is a right of the people to practise their belief and this is a matter of religious and cultural sensitivity.” He said that covering the face is not a religious obligation under Islam and that it is only believed as such under the interpretation of the Quran by various sects of this faith-based community. At a press briefing held last week, Minister of Justice President’s Counsel M.U.M. Ali Sabry said that it had been proposed to the Cabinet to bring about a law to ban the wearing of face covers in public places, including the burqa, for security concerns.


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