Sri Lanka Bans All Sort Of Face Coverings

The president of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena approved the ban of all types of clothing that cover the face and impede identification such as burqas and niqabs after several bombs ripped through the island nation on April 21st, 2019.

According to a statement from the office of the president, the ban was introduced on Monday the 22nd day of April 2019 under new regulations brought under a state of emergency in reaction to the bombings which took place in the capital, Colombo on Easter Day that left over 250 people dead and 500 people injured including 40 foreigners: British, Us., Australian, Turkish, Indian, Chinese, Dutch, Danish and Portuguese nationals.

The ban does not directly refer to Muslim attires but  was seen as a clear preference to the type of dress. Hence, an organization of Muslim clerics named All Cetlon Jamiyyathul Ulama also asked women to avoid wearing a burqa/niqab in order to help security forces.

By Bliss Anthony