Nepal Agrees to Give Christians a Cemetery
After spirited protests by Christians, Nepal authorities have finally conceded to their demand for a Christian cemetery amid a Hindu culture of cremation.
"We are happy," said Chari Bahadur Gahatraj, a leading pastor and secretary of the Christian Advisory Committee for a New Constitution, which led the protests. "We are now waiting to know the four corners of the burial land."
Gahatraj said the government ministries of culture and interior affairs have created a committee to identify land for a Christian cemetery in the crowded capital of Kathmandu. Another committee will study the feasibility of allocating land for Christian cemeteries in all of the Himalayan nation's 75 districts.
"It is a big victory for us," said pastor Gahatraj. "Our protests have borne fruit."
Months of Christian protests in Kathmandu, which included a parade of coffins and a chain fast, came after officials began strictly enforcing a ban on the longtime practice of Christian burials in the hills near the famous Pashupatinath Temple, one of Hinduism's most sacred shrines, in December. The nation's Supreme Court lifted the ban in March while the government explored solutions, but temple authorities prevented further burials.
Kathmandu lacks cemeteries because Hindus and most Buddhists in Nepal customarily cremate the dead. Christians prefer burial, but land is expensive.
The National Christian Council of Nepal opposed the campaign for burial land. "We want the government to be secular, [so] how could we demand land from the government?" said council president Kala Bahadur Rokaya. "Christians have their own land, but the problem is that there is strong objection [by neighboring Hindus] to burying the dead [there]. So Christians should fight for their rights and full religious freedom."
Father Pius Perumana, pro vicar of the Catholic Vicariate of Nepal, agreed that the main challenge is "to get the consent of the local Hindus" for a Christian cemetery, citing instances of dead Christian bodies being dug out by Hindus even when buried on property owned by Christians. Creating a Christian cemetery, he said, "is easier said than done."
Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.
Related Elsewhere:
Christianity Today has earlier reported on the protests over burial space, the growth of Christianity in Nepal, how Christians have been peacemakers in the country, and other developments.
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S T
It is totally insane. It seems that everyone wants make a hero out of themselves by demonizing others in Nepal. I have been following this issue very closely and it sickens me. It could have been resolved without making much fuss and without protests. Now that the government has taken necessary measures to address this issue; I pray that the Christians in Kathmandu get the four corners of burial land that they have been so desperately waiting for.Every christian has a right to a proper Christian burial (nobody can deny them that), but should it come at the expensive of hurting religious sentiments of the other community?Pashupatinath complex is to the Hindus what Jerusalem is for Jews and Christians.What would be the reaction if the same scenario had occured in Jerusalem, but with Hindus demanding areas from within the sacred sites for cremation of their dead in place of Christians in Kathmandu?We have got to learn to be tolerant and considerate towards each other. Let sanity prevail
Galen Currah
Whilst the West has turned to cremation, newly Christianized populations in the East want to adopt an unneeded practice of burial which costs more, wastes land and sucks up new believers into another form of legalistic traditionalism. Too bad for Nepal!
Michel Maharjan
Christians had buried their dead in Nepal before. There was no problems then. After 1950 Catholics had not caused any problem. It seems other assortment of Christians think it is right to encroach the lands of other religions. Also freedom does not mean hurting, harming, inconveniencing, and trampling on the sentiments of others. But it seems some sects of Christians are inadvertantly making the Devil laugh with glee.