(Ed. Note: The following article is taken from Religious Perspectives on Human Rights E-Newsletter, published by the Buddhist, Muslim, Catholic and Christian Groups on Human Rights initiated by the Asian man Rights Commission AHRC)

Increasingly the right to conduct proper burials is denied to many families through out the world. This denial also take place in many Asian countries. However, burial is considered as one of the most important rituals in all religions. The Christian and Catholic rituals of burials are very important. These rituals forms a very important part of the life of Christian communities. Christian pastors and Catholic priests attend to persons in death rows and officiate at burials after execution. In fact, Burial is an area that belongs to the family and community. The state has no power to interfere with these rites and rituals.

Still state agents do interfere and often not without the tacit consent of the state. This happens mostly when arrested prisoners are killed by the state agents. The purpose of secret burials often is to protect the state agents who have engaged in such killings. However, unwillingness on the parts of religious leaders to insist on their rights as religious and community leaders ensure proper burials irrespective of who they are, lead the state agents to act with impunity. Once the moral resistance breaks down extra- judicial killings and secret burials can increase in thousand folds as recent experiences in many countries show. Disappearances has become a common phenomenon The possibility of disappearances depends on, to a large extent, when the leaders of religions do not come forward to depend their duty to ensure proper burials. Where there has been insistence on this matter, disappearances cease to be widespread. For details on disappearances in Asia you may see the Web-site www.disappearances.org, maintained by the AHRC.

Actions that can be taken

The Christian and Catholic leaders can let the government know the importance their religion attaches to the right of burial of the family members and of the community for proper burials.

Where a family complaints about missing persons and possibility of extra-judicial killings and secret burials prompt actions can be taken by local pastors or priests and such actions need to be support of the Church leaders.

Where a pattern of disappearances begin to appear the Church leaders can alert the State about the matter and make provisions for keeping special vigils on the issue.

If despite of protests the opportunities for burials are not provided, the Church leaders can take special actions to provide rites, rituals and advise to the families and communities so affected.

Take actions to instruct the society at large of the emotional and societal value of proper bidding of farewell to loved ones and departed community members and urge the society to insist on State to safeguard this basic social practices relating to burials

The church groups, particularly the Justice and Peace groups can take actions to educate the state agencies and community on protection of this right and where it is violated take immediate actions to correct the situation.