How can we accept the intolerable? Faced with acts of vandalism and desecration of columbaria, the pain and incomprehension are such that they give way to terrible indignation. Family after family comes to see the extent of the damage, and a whole community is left in mourning. How can we soothe and communicate with these dismayed victims?
Informing and reassuring families: an absolute priority
Despite the shock and dismay, the mayor, as the central authority of the commune, has the difficult task of informing families that the cemetery columbarium has been vandalized, or worse, desecrated. As the cemetery's police force, he is responsible for its surveillance and tranquillity, but despite all good intentions, vandals have broken into the cemetery with the intention of damaging the integrity of the deceased and their loved ones.
This shocking, gratuitous and odious act plunged both residents and victims into deep confusion. Questions abound, doubts arise, and the mayor must reassure his constituents and provide them with concrete answers. In addition to their deep distress, they need to understand that the commune will assume all costs incurred by the deterioration of the columbarium, and that, in collaboration with the authorities, the veil will be lifted to ensure that justice is done. It is imperative that they know that these unacceptable acts call for a firm penal response , and that their mayor will see to it personally, with the support of the Government. He must take full responsibility, so that this inadmissible form of expression - vandalism and desecration - is combated with the utmost firmness.
Careless design of a columbarium can make the mayor liable
The status of the ashes of deceased persons whose body has been cremated is identical to that of the deceased whose body has been buried. This legal regime for funerary ashes was introduced by the law of December 19, 2008, in order to avoid certain abuses. Funerary urns are objects, but the ashes they contain must be treated with respect, decency and dignity.
Since the promulgation of this law, the mayor of every commune with a population of 2,000 or more is responsible for providing and maintaining at least one decent cinerary space. The violation of cinerary urns can lead to the condemnation of a mayor whose will was deliberate in violating the legal and regulatory framework of this arrangement. According toarticle 225-17 of the French Penal Codeany violation of the integrity of a corpse, by whatever means, is punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of 15,000 euros". Since the law of December 19, 2008, this article also applies to any body that has been cremated, whether through vandalism or desecration.
Neglectingof a columbarium can have serious consequences. Apart from the fact that the cinerary space must be a place of contemplation and peace for families, it is essential for town councils to provide their constituents with high-quality columbariums offering optimum security. That's why, for 35 years, Granimond has been offering all local authorities reliable buildings, where all models feature secure openings with lids fixed to the partitions by a system of tamper-proof hexagonal screws and a brass cabochon.
The Granimond team
