Sri Lanka doesn’t allow burkas and nikabs

The Sri Lankan government has Sunday a ban imposed on the wearing of gezichtsbedekkende clothing. The burqa and the nikab should no longer be worn. The measure comes one week after the series of attacks, on easter Sunday, at least 253 people’s lives have been.

In a statement of president Maithripala Sirisena is clarified that the ban starting Monday will go down. The new scheme is a result of the emergency that was declared after the bombings, so it sounds even. It is stressed that the hiding of the face is contrary to the ‘national security’, because it’s way more difficult for someone to identify.

In the text is not directly to the burqa and the nikab referenced. But it is generally well accepted that the measure is specifically directed against articles of clothing that are worn by muslim women.

Different moslimleiders had their female members already called to no clothing to wear, with the face mostly veiled. In the aftermath of the attacks is feared for hostile reactions.

The muslims represent approximately 10 percent of the population of the largely buddhist country. Most of the muslims in Sri Lanka are rather liberal. Only a small number of women wearing a nikab.