by Mathias Hariyadi

Ulemas Council agrees to mass burial and accelerated purification rites for the dead. All emergency food is declared in principle 'halal', i.e. permissible.

Jakarta (AsiaNews) – Indonesia's ulemas have given the green light to mass burial. In a statement released today, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (Majelis Ulama Indonesia or MUI) gave instructions as to how to bury the 100,000 or so people who died in the December 26 tsunami.

MUI's executive member KH Maruf Amin said that given the emergency situation in Aceh traditional Islamic burial practices can be suspended. Instead of being washing and wrapped in a shroud, a body can be buried in common graves. "Bodies can be buried at any place where they are found [. . .] in any ground," he insisted.

The emergency situation has also led the ulemas to the temporary relaxation of Islamic dietary laws since it is impossible to check that all emergency food shipments.

This afternoon the Social Affairs Minister updated tsunami-related figures. Thus far there are 104,055 confirmed dead, 10,088 people missing and 655,132 displaced. There are also 1,448 people injured under medical care.

Here is the death toll per city or province:

ACEH

Meulaboh: 28,251

Banda Aceh: 20,066

Aceh Besar: 17,564

Aceh Jaya: 15,000

West Aceh: 7,020

Calang: 5,000

Aceh Island: 4,000

North Aceh: 7,020

Pidie: 1,359

Nagan Raya: 1,338

East Aceh: 894

Bireun: 594

Lhokseumawe: 198

Krueng Mane: 117

Sabang, Weh Island: 12

South Aceh: 6

NORTH SUMATRA

Nias Island: 227

Deli Serdang: 8

Cermin Coast: 8

Simeuleu: 7

Sergai: 4

Adam Malik Hospital: 3

Madina: 1

Central Tapanuli: 1

• indonesia
• tsunami
• natural
• disasters
• earthquake
• seaquake
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• islam