Let Live And Let Die

As irresponsible media breach ethics, presence of mind of weligama uc chief rehaan jayawickrema saves society descending into an abyss of chaos

- Nirmala Kannangara

Attempts taken to create racial disharmony by certain electronic media institutions over a Muslim death in Weligama in the Southern Province was able to be prevented because of the timely intervention by the Chairman Weligama Urban Council, claims a fellow Muslim resident in the area.

According to Hussan Marikkar, a resident in Weligama, if not for Chairman Weligama Urban Council Rehaan Jayawickrema, his neighbour, who died of a long-standing non-communicable disease would have been cremated by the health authorities claiming that the death was due to COVID-19 infection, while the Muslim community there would have undergone severe difficulties due to a certain racial disharmony.

The deceased was a resident of New Street Weligama, predominantly a Muslim area, and was suffering from diabetes and asthma over the years.

She had been taking treatment from a private dispensary in Galle as she was reluctant to go to any government hospital because she couldn’t communicate in Sinhalese.

During the lockdown, her asthmatic condition has got worsen and was unable to breathe. When called the Galle Cooperative Hospital the family was told that they are not giving any treatment to any patient and had been directed to the Matara Cooperative Hospital.

“By the time she was taken to Matara her condition had got worse but the medical staff there had not taken any notice of it. Though the family had repeatedly pleaded with them to put her to the Intensive Care Unit, the hospital has informed that it will cost them Rs.150, 000 which they were not in a position to pay.