Burial traditions clash with coronavirus safety in Indonesia

mob of over 150 people who forcefully took Muhamm Yunus’ caver from a hospital in eastern Indonesia thought it was impossible that 49-year-old Islamic preacher could have died from coronavirus. He h always washed his hands, worn a mask and followed health protocols issued by government, according to local residents.

So when he died day after going to hospital on Sulawesi island with chest pains and having trouble breathing, his followers were determined to retrieve his body for what y considered a proper Muslim burial. Over 100 people broke into hospital, threatened nurses and eventually carried Yunus’ corpse away less than 30 minutes after his death.

“What we have done is noble in God’s eyes, but despicable in eyes of law,” said a community member identified by police only as Ramli.

As Indonesia’s virus death toll rises, world’s most populous Muslim country finds itself at odds with protocols put in place by government to handle bodies of victims of pandemic. This has led to increasing incidents of bodies being taken from hospitals, rejection of COVID-19 health and safety procedures, and what some experts say is a lack of communication from government.

With over 87% of country identifying as Muslim, Islamic rituals are commonplace in Indonesia when someone dies. Religion dictates that those practising must usually bury ir de within 24 hours, bodies interred without a casket so bodies can lie on ir right side facing holy city of Mecca.

Before burial, body is washed by family with soap and scented water, n wrapped in a seamless cloth that is tied at he and feet. Cremation and embalming are forbidden. A wake is usually not held because prayers for forgiveness of de are said at gravesite.

But with corpses of coronavirus victims thought to possibly be contagious, government protocols for handling bodies have meant that rituals typically performed by families have fallen on shoulders of those handling country’s de.

Corpse handling officer Sahrul Ridha said his job has changed since outbreak. Hours are longer, more people are required on shift to handle bodies, and he’s begun ministering religious procedures to de because family are unable to.

“Even though it is an emergency situation, we should wash bodies, do ablution and shroud infectious bodies properly,” said Ridha.

Indonesia has confirmed more than 68,000 cases of coronavirus, including over 3,350 deaths, most infections and fatalities in Souast Asia.

At a graveyard in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, gravediggers such as Imang Maulana work from early morning into night as ambulances carrying bodies of COVID-19 victims arrive throughout day.

While graves are dug, families must keep ir distance, preventing m from performing burial rituals.

Maulana said that if families ask him to perform final prayers, he usually does, as long as he has time to clean himself and prepare for next burial.

“I think it is one of ways to deliver my sympathy to family,” he said. “I feel very s when I see family cannot come closer while we bury bodies. I wonder that if it happens to me or my relatives, we will only be able to pray from a distance.”

Daisy Indira Yasmine, a sociologist at University of Indonesia, said that while rituals regarding death have tritionally been a private matter in Indonesia, pandemic has caused government to intervene with health and safety procedures.

“Some people see protocols are violating ir culture,” she said. “y’re disappointed, as y cannot accept protocols. y think government is violating ir rights.”

Anor issue, she said, is that re is a communication divide between government and society. government is urging people to follow health protocols for coronavirus patients, but without participation of local authorities, messaging if often disregarded.

time between coronavirus testing and results is also a problem in Indonesia, which has one of lowest testing rates in world. Residents in rural areas said that results can take up to a week to come back.

lack of trust and clear information has become systematic in Indonesia’s fight against virus. While neighbouring countries shut ir borders and began lockdowns early in year, Indonesian officials attributed prayer to country’s n-low number of virus cases.

This information gap can have serious health consequences. In city of Makassar on Sulawesi island, five of 13 men who were accused of stealing corpses of COVID-19 victims were put in a quarantine facility after y tested positive for coronavirus. Officials believe men may have contracted virus from handling Yunus’ corpse.

Bodies of coronavirus victims have also been stolen in or places across Indonesia. Local government officials in East Java province called an outbreak related to ft of a body a “corpse cluster.” In response, Indonesia’s National COVID-19 Task Force chief, Doni Monardo, announced that engagement with community and religious leers would begin to help support national health protocols used for curbing virus’s spre.

“We will continue with prevention campaign,” Monardo said. “We cannot work alone — we need community support and discipline.”