Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506631
NEWS 7 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 AUGUST 2023 Malta's lack of a crematorium is denying Hindus right to practice their faith KURT SANSONE THE lack of a crematorium in Malta is forcing Hindus to bury their loved ones in contradiction to their beliefs, a senior religious leader has said. Rajan Zed, president of Uni- versal Society of Hinduism, has urged the Maltese government to subsidise cremations abroad until a crematorium is built in Malta. "Malta, not having a mecha- nism for the cremation of de- ceased Hindus, was forcing the community to bury their loved ones in contradiction of their long-held beliefs that burial hin- dered the soul's journey," Zed said in a statement released in his home state of Nevada, USA. The Maltese parliament ap- proved legislation making it possible for crematoria to be set up in 2019 and subsequently the Planning Authority drew up a policy detailing where they could be erected. The policy, which was put out for public consulta- tion, has not yet been approved. There is no crematorium in Malta although some funeral organisers do offer a service to have the body cremated overseas at considerable cost. But Zed also put forward a bizarre alternative proposal for government to allow Hin- dus to cremate their deceased on traditional open pyres. "For this purpose, the Malta govern- ment should allot a cremation ground near a body of water where Hindus could cremate their deceased on open pyres," he said. Zed urged Malta to be more responsive to the "hurt feelings of its hard-working, harmonious and peaceful Hindu community" by making it possible for them to express their faith. "Being able to follow one's faith traditions is a fundamental hu- man right," Zed said, adding this was also recognised by the Mal- tese Constitution. He called on the health and environment ministers in Malta to speed up the process that will make it possible to have a cre- matorium on the island. Zed also urged Malta's Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna and Cardinal Mario Grech, to support the Hindu community on this issue. "As a dominating majority in Mal- ta, Catholics also had a moral responsibility to take care of minority brothers/sisters from different faith backgrounds, and should thus also seek equal treatment for all." Zed said the Hindu community in Malta could approach Coun- cil of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatović on the issue if the country "con- tinued to desert its minorities". Only recently, former Labour prime minister Alfred Sant raised spoke about the lack of a crematorium in Malta. He said past attempts always floundered because there were question marks on the economic feasibili- ty of a crematorium, questioning whether this was still the case today. Hindus urge government to subsidise cremations abroad in absence of crematorium Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism urges Malta to subsidise overseas cremations in the absence of a crematorium on the island A 47-year-old man has been re- manded in custody on charges of having sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl at a Mosta gro- cery store. The defendant, Mufarrih Shah, from Pakistan, was ar- raigned under arrest before magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo on Tuesday. Police Inspectors Kylie Borg and Godwin Scerri charged the defendant, who told the court that he was unemployed, with committing a non-consensual act of a sexual nature on the 10-year-old girl, a charge ag- gravated by the victim's age. He was further charged with corrupting a minor, aggravated by the fact that the victim was less than 12-years-old, sexually harassing the child in question and causing her to fear that vi- olence would be used against her or her loved ones. Shah was also accused of working in Malta without a permit. Shah, who was represented by lawyer Colin Galea, pleaded not guilty to the charges. Bail was also requested, and was objected to by AG pros- ecutor Darlene Grima, who pointed out that the victim was a minor, that the defendant had no ties to Malta, had no local identification documents and had been unable to even give the police his address details. His lawyer suggested that bail conditions could include that he be prohibited from going to Mosta and stipulate where he is to reside. There was no risk of him absconding as his travel documents were now tied up in court. The court denied bail at this stage, on the grounds of the se- rious nature of the charges, the defendant's lack of ties with Malta and the early stage of proceedings. As the defence lawyer in- formed the court that his client had informed him that he had mental health problems, the Court made a recommendation to the prison director to have a doctor examine him and if nec- essary, hold him at the forensic unit. Man remanded in custody after sexually assaulting 10-year-old at Mosta grocery 47-year-old man denied bail after being charged with sexually assualting minor