Christians demand withdrawal of burial ban on their cemetery

Guwahati, Dec 11 (UNI) The Christian community of Asom today staged a demonstration in front of Asom Assembly over banning of burial in a 150-year-old cemetery here.

Convener of the Christian Coordination Committee, Guwahati, Allen Brooks, said the christian cemetery at Kushal Konwar path in Chenikuthi, was being banned for further burial by some vested interest groups, in connivance with the district administration.

The cemetery was being used for burial of the dead of two Catholic churches diocese of the city, with the first person to be laid to rest there being the wife of the then-commissioner of Assam, Emily Gray, in 1882.

Mr Brooks said the residents of the neighbouring areas, under the banner of Pragati Mahila Sangha, had filed a case against the community, challenging that the ground had been illegally encroached upon and the children of the area were deprived of a playground.

However, the court had ruled in favour of the Christian community and upheld its claim over the cemetery, he added. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) had banned burial in the site in October, 2005, declaring it a heritage site. The order was rescinded in November last year, though it was reinstated in November of this year, again banning burial in the site, he said.

Mr Brooks said the opposing people had approached the Assam Human Rights Commission, which also ruled that the DC was the competent authority to decide the matter, adding that its investigating team found no flouting of rules.

The agitators alleged the government had shown apathy towards this particular community. They said mass agitations would be held across the state if the ban order was not withdrawn.

UNI SG PC RD 1532