VietNamNet Bridge – Nearly 10 days since the decree on funeral of public employees takes effect, the Ministry of Justice’s Legal Document Inspection Bureau has requested to review the decree on organizing funerals of public employees.

The bureau’s chief Le Hong Son said that a number of provisions in the decree should be discussed and further researched. Particularly, Clause 3, Article 4 stipulates that "the coffin of the dead placed at the funeral home or the dead’s family must not have a glass window."

In fact, in Hanoi and some other large cities, it is very common for coffins to have a glass pane for people to see the dead for the last time.

"There is a spiritual element of as well as emotional factor which is sacred. Saying that to ensure hygiene, prevent the possibility of glass breaking and falling onto the face of the deceased or some other reasons to set this provision is unconvincing," Son said.

In addition, Article 4 that bans dispersing or burning votive papers during the funeral is also unfeasible and is not supported by the public, Son said.

According to Le Hong Son, in the current conditions, it is better and more feasible to make recommendations on practice thrift in holding funeral.

Decree 105 also fixes the number of wreaths in a funeral to practice thrift, but it is very enforced. It is better to specify that visitors should not carry a wreath to a funeral.

According to the Legal Document Inspection Bureau, the document compilation technique in the Decree 105 also has some limitations to reconsider. The bureau proposed the Justice Minister to ask the relevant agencies to consider the compilation process of the decree.

Decree 105/2012 took effect from January 1, 2013, but shortly after the Ministry of Culture - Sports - Tourism issued the decree, it was protested by the public because it has many provisions that are unfeasible.

The decree is aimed at fighting superstition and backward and wasteful practices while maintaining the nation’s traditional cultural traits in conducting funerals.

Under the decree, there are four types of funerals for state employees: national funeral, State funeral, high-ranking funeral, and funeral for civil servants.

At funerals for civil servants, the coffins of the deceased are required not to be kept at the funeral site for longer than 48 hours. The decree encourages cremations.

No votive money or real money is allowed to be scattered while the coffin is being transported from the funeral ceremony site to burial places. Votive materials are also banned from being burned at the burial site.

Visitors are required not bring any wreaths to the family of the deceased. Instead, they should only bring a band of black 1.2 x 0.2m fabric with the words “With deepest sympathy” and the name of the visitor.

Coffins are not allowed to have glass panes that allow mourners to see the body inside, according to the decree.

Compiled by Mai Lan