Syrian refugees: graves cost a 'fortune' in Arsal

(Reporting by Abdul Hadidh al-Houlani; Translation by Yusra Ahmed)

Syrian refugees in Lebanese border town of Arsal have nothing left more than memories of their life in Syria. They can not treat their guests with a cup of coffee, or give their dead a dignified burial and funeral, Izz Eddin Hammoud said.

The Syrian refugee cleric (Sheikh) is sought for by Syrians in all camps in Lebanon asking for a shroud to cover their dead, besides other needed materials for the grave like stones and cement. 

Sheikh Izz Eddin says despite his difficult circumstances he tries to provide them with shroud they need, which he manage to secure by his extended relations with generous Lebanese people in Arsal. 

The cost of the shroud for one deceased reaches to $18 for male, and $23 for female, while the cost for a grave reaches to almost $60 according to Sheikh Izz Eddin.

Sheikh Izz Eddin told Zaman al-Wasl that he had managed to provide coffins for 8 dead by his sole effort without receiving any support or help from anybody, and he documented that in his register. 

It might be surprising to some to consider the cost of coffin is too high, but Ahmed, a Syrian young man used to participate in the funeral, mentioned that that United Nation gives 65$ to a family of five, equal $13 each one, each month. That means the whole family’s monthly income would not cover the cost of a grave.

In regard to burial and funeral ceremony, Abdo Abu Khalid explained that it begins with washing the dead and put him in the coffin, then relative gathered around him before taking him with a farm vehicle to the nearly graveyard ( 3-6 km away) where he is buried using primitive equipment, making the job too hard

Abdo added that after the prayer for the dead and burying him, the mourning ceremonies begin and take place in a small tent, however most of funeral ritual, like chairs and coffee had disappeared and hospitality is limited to tea, if found. 

According to Abu Khalid, the tradition of distributing food and meat as a gift for the soul of the dead is no longer done, even visiting the dead in the graveyard is no longer possible because it is too far and there is no mean of transport.

Abdo confirms that announcing the death usually done on Facebook pages, where some Syrian young men do that and accept condolences on their pages and publish a photo of the deceased and details about the death circumstances.