Immediate ban of the Burqa recommended

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security has proposed to immediately ban attire such as the burqa, and suspend registration of political parties on ethnic and religious basis.

The matter was cited in a special report presented in Parliament to resolve 14 controversial issues in society following the Easter Sunday attacks.

The report was tabled in Parliament by the Chairman of the Committee, Parliamentarian Malith Jayatilaka.

The report highlights that a number of countries have already banned the burqa.

The report suggests that the Police should have powers to request any person wearing a face covering in public, to remove face coverings in order to establish ones identity and powers to arrest an individual if the request is not complied.

The report has also recommended to the Election Commission to enact legislation to suspend registration of political parties on ethnic and religious basis.

Accordingly, the registration of political parties which have racial or religious conflicts in its Constitution will be prohibited.

The Committee also proposed that such a party should be converted into a political or non-religious political party within a specified period of time.

The report further states that all students studying in Madrasa institutions should be absorbed into the ordinary school system, under the Ministry of Education within three years.

(Source: News Radio)