UNP MP Prof. Ashu Marasinghe proposed to the government to consider imposing a ban on women wearing the burqa or niqab, for the sake of national security.
Addressing a media briefing held at UNP headquarters, Sirikotha yesterday, he said that he will present private member’s motion proposing a ban of burqa and the niqab to Parliament today or tomorrow.
“I expect to discuss this matter during the Party Leaders meeting as well to get its members’ suggestions to implement this decision.We initiated this move with an interrogation of suspects and other evidence pointing to the involvement of a large number of women in suicide bombings on Easter Sunday,” he added.
Both niqab and burqa should be banned because they can be used as a disguise for criminal and terrorist purposes.We cannot allow faceless persons walking the streets, driving cars and otherwise making use of public spaces, the dangers are too great. He further said that security sources had revealed that a number of female accomplices of incidents in Dematagoda too had escaped wearing burqas.
“We hope that the Muslim community and the Muslim Religious Association will agree with our decision as the wearing of burqa has not been made necessary by the Islamic religion.The majority of Muslim women do not wear them in Sri Lanka.We hope Muslim religious associations will also make aware the people in this regard in the future.We hope to implement the move in consultation with the mosque authorities and Muslim religious associations,” he added.
UNP MP Mujibur Rahman said the burqa and niqab were never part of the traditional attire of Muslim women in Sri Lanka. The attire can be used for different personal agendas which would be a great risk to national security.
Today, the Muslim community lives in fear due to the ruthless terrorists’ attacks done by a few.Therefore, we must take appropriate decisions to rebuild the trust among all communities to live in peace,” he added.