FROM THEOPINIONATOR:

Just another example of the back bending pandering that British officials show to muslims. Because muslims believe that they should be buried facing Mecca their graves usually require two cemetary plots to accomodate these wishes. So muslims have been charged for the two plots. Sounds reasonable doesn't it?

Well now paying for what you are using has been seen, by officials (and complaining muslims), as picking on muslims with the purported victims whining that they are being treated like "second class citizens". Thus, even though space in the current Poole cemetaries is very limited, muslim hurt feelings are being placed ahead of and given more consideration than those of the indigenous British families, who have lived for generations in the Poole area, and who may want their loved one buried in the nearby "nearly full" cemetaries.

Muslims are also demanding that they be provided with muslim only cemetaries.

"Majid Yasin, imam and director of Bournemouth Islamic Centre, said: "I am grateful to the Borough of Poole for being helpful in this matter. At least they are considering Muslims."

Truth is - muslims are the ONLY ones being shown consideration.

THE Borough of Poole has scrapped a policy which meant Muslims had to pay more for their graves than other locals.

Muslims believe they should be buried south-east, facing Mecca, which means they may need to take up two plots.

With the council running out of burial space, it was normal practice to charge for both plots.

But Clive Smith, head of leisure services, who is responsible for cemeteries at the council, said the policy had been reviewed.

"With immediate effect in all Poole cemeteries, if two plots are needed in order to meet the needs of personal belief or faith such as in the Muslim example, only one will be charged for," he said.

He added: "We are hoping to deliver a new cemetery serving Poole and Bournemouth and we will be jointly consulting on design in order to completely avoid such issues in the future."

Majid Yasin, imam and director of Bournemouth Islamic Centre, said: "I am grateful to the Borough of Poole for being helpful in this matter. At least they are considering Muslims.

"The council in Bournemouth treats Muslims like second-class citizens and I wish our Islamic centre was in Poole.

"The problem, however, is not whether you charge for one or two plots but whether there should be a separate cemetery for Muslims,like the Jews have their own cemetery.

"There are about 3,000 Muslims in Bournemouth. Just a few weeks ago one of them passed away and we had to send him to Bangladesh to be buried."

Canon Jonathan Martin, Chaplain for Poole, said: "At the point of grief, people should not have to worry about paying more for their grave than others.

"We should be demonstrating hospitality to other faiths.

"It's important that we make people feel welcome in our community."

Michael Edwards, head of public protection at Bournemouth council, said: "We are very considerate of all religious and secular requests concerning burials and cremations and always try to meet specific needs.

"For example, our burial service runs 365 days a year to enable burial within 24 hours in line with some religious requirements.

"Unfortunately space in our existing cemeteries is limited and we do not have a designated area for Muslim burials.

"We do strive to carry out Muslim burials without incurring extra expense for families but occasionally two graves are needed to meet specific requests and our charges reflect this.

"If we are in a position to lay out a new cemetery in the future, we hope to be able to provide sections for different religious groups that better meet their individual requirements."