Finnish Muslims are looking for a plot of land to build a cemetery to bury their deceased, reported the Helsingin Sanomat on Friday, August 15.
 
"The aim is to find a larger area as a long-term solution," Pia Jardi, head of the Finnish Islamic Council's cemetery committee, said.

The council wants to build the cemetery in Uusimaa, southern Finland, which has 24 municipalities including the capital Helsinki.

It has already sent inquiries about a cemetery to 16 municipalities and cities.

The council favors an area which has been approved for use as a graveyard to facilitate the process.

If not, it will look for getting a planning permit in an area not zoned for cemetery use.

Currently, Muslims are being buried in different ways in the various municipalities in Uusimaa.

Urgent

Jardi said building a cemetery is urgently needed to avoid future problems due to the growing Muslim population.

"Ten years from now the situation will be more acute."

Some Lutheran parishes have reserved rows of graves for Muslims in their community.

Last year, the Helsinki Lutheran parishes granted Muslims a full block of the burial ground with the capacity of 202 graves.

Eighteen people have been buried in the area.

"Burial legislation requires that we indicate a grave plot for Helsinki residents," said Risto Lehto of the Helsinki Lutheran parishes.

There are between 40,000 to 45,000 Muslims among Finland's 5.2 million population.

Islam was introduced to Finland by Baltic Tatars at the end of the 19th century.

The Baltic Tatars arrived in Finland as merchants and soldiers at the end of the 19th century. They were later joined by other family members.

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