Some citizens of Surabaya are refusing to give burial rights to the bodies of the suicide bombers who attacked three churches in the city this week, preventing their swift burials as is customary in Islam.
Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini, more popularly known as Risma, earlier this week said the bodies of the six suicide bombers — all of whom are from one family including a 9-year-old girl — may be buried in a plot of land owned by the city at the Putat Gede Cemetery after other cemeteries refused to accept them.
However, yesterday, after city officials had dug six holes for the bodies at the cemetery, locals came to the site and re-filled the holes in protest.
“We reject having them buried here. Even their families won’t claim [their bodies], let alone us. They have hurt us,” said neighborhood chief Nanang, as quoted by Detik yesterday.
Relatives of the suicide bombers reportedly refused to claim their bodies or organize their funerals.
Mayor Risma today said that the city is running out of options regarding the burial of the bodies. She is now asking the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the nation’s highest clerical body, to issue a fatwa (religious edict) to resolve the matter.
“Now we’ll wait for MUI’s fatwa, because some citizens are rejecting [the burial of the bodies] on the basis that suicide is not permitted [in Islam],” she said, as quoted by Detik.
According to Islamic customs, dead bodies must be buried as soon as possible, generally within 24 hours from death if possible (there are some exceptions allowing for delays, including the need to determine cause of death).
