Aweil authorities ban burials of the dead within homes

By Hou Akot Hou

Authorities in Aweil Center County of Northern Bahr el Ghazal on Tuesday banned burials of the dead within home residences.

The move comes after those buying land complained of the inconveniences caused from occupying plots where the dead are buried.

Peter Natale, the commissioner of Aweil Center County, said they have launched three-day campaign to clear up the land allocated for the cemetery for burials in Nyalath payam.

Natale said that people who have already acquired plots in Aweil town have complained of buying land on which people are buried.

 “At times people refuse to bury their relatives in the cemetery on ground that they don’t want their people taken far from them. This is uncultured, people should take the corpses to the cemetery to pave way for good negotiation with the buyers,” Natale told journalists.

He said that the cemetery at Nyalath is funded by Islamic organization funded by the state government in order to cater for the laborers.

Deng Bak, a resident of Aweil town welcomed the development, urging others natives to join the campaign in clearing up the land allocated for the cemetery.

“Come join us in cleaning up our cemetery that the government has allotted as it is for public use. It is part of putting the town in good shape, so that we avoid having graveyards in our homes,” he said.