SHORTAGE OF LAND LOTS SPURS CONTROVERSY OVER REBURIALS, CREMATION AND PRIVATE CEMETERIES IN ARMENIA
12:14 * 16.09.14
The shortage of land lots for graves appears to be a problem for the
major cities of Armenia.
Speaking to Tert.am, Head of the Urban Development Ministry’s Apartment
Fund Department Samvel Srapyan said difficulties exist especially in
capital Yerevan, the second largest city of Gyumri and the town of
Alaverdi (Lori region).
To provide a partial solution to the problem, the Ministry is now
considering the land allotment option, as well as the possibility of
organizing reburials.
“The law allows for organizing a reburial in the same cemetery 10-15
years after the funeral. We have not simply developed that tradition,
as our population won’t perceive that,” he explained.
Srapyan said he thinks that reburials will offer a long-lasting
solution, mitigating the demand for new land lots. “The idea is not
rejected; it is just misperceived, although it is really a [good]
solution. People have no idea as to how it is possible to bury one
body over the other, so they prefer to take an extra-land,” he noted.
The official said he knows that very often vast land areas are
purchased for just one grave, with many often spending considerable
sums to have statues erected.
He added that the restrictive law, adopted in 2006, is very often
abused and disrespected. Srapyan noted that the law also contains
regulations for private cemeteries (allowing for the use of land
lots of 12×2.5 sq. m. per grave). “But that’s violated too, as people
appear very skillful to do that,” he added.
Srapyan said they are now considering the amendments to the legislation
to establish the state’s authorities in maintaining control over the
exploitation of grave lands.
He added that private cemeteries are in the interest of the state
despite the professional circles’ continuing arguments that the
approach isn’t right.
As for the idea of cremation, Srapyan said it is a widely accepted and
practiced method which does not demand the use of lands at all. “I
cannot say whether it is right in religious terms, but there is a
class of people in the society who are looking forward to having
crematories. That too, is a human right to exercise one’s will
posthumously. The law does permit it,” he noted.
Commenting on the problem, Priest Tovma Andreasyan said the church
admits only the reburials of bodies. According to him, that’s normally
a widely accepted practice for graves that haven’t visited for quite a
long time after the burial. “Considering the history of the mankind,
I don’t think there is any territory today, which didn’t have anyone
buried [beneath] before. So a burial on a buried body is possible,”
he added.
Instead, the church is strongly against the idea of cremation. “There
is an opinion that the Christ’s doomsday has to incorporate his soul
and body,” Andreasyan said, adding that the idea can be acceptable
only for Protestants.
But the priest added that exceptions can be considered whenever there
are difficulties in flying a dead person from a distant country for
burial. “But considering the peace of the deceased’s soul, we are
against widespread cremations. There are only exceptional cases when
we accept that,” he said.