Gothenburg: The Swedish Burial Society is aiming to acquire enough land for the last thing it wants to do – bury thousands of people in the event of war. The search follows the recommendations of the Swedish Civil Contingency Agency (MSB) and the Swedish Church National Secretariat, which reflect the crisis preparedness guidelines of the Swedish Armed Forces. Sweden’s decision to join NATO and tensions with Russia in the Baltic Sea region have shed new light on preparedness guidelines.
According to the Church of Sweden’s regulations, backed by the legal provisions of the Swedish Burial Act, burial societies are responsible for securing enough land to bury approximately 5 percent of the parish’s population, if necessary.
The Gothenburg Burial Society, which operates in Sweden’s second-largest city, is currently facing the challenge of acquiring at least 10 acres (40,470 m2) of land to ensure it can accommodate the emergency coffin burials of some 30,000 dead in the event of war. trying to overcome. . This is in addition to a further 15 acres (60,700 square meters) of land needed to construct a regularly used cemetery in Gothenburg.
“[The recommendation]means that more land is needed for burial grounds, a phenomenon that we see in large cities, where land resources are scarce to begin with and to meet the needs of burial grounds. It’s a problem in big cities that don’t necessarily have enough “in times of calm and peace,” said Katarina Evenses, senior advisor at the Gothenburg Burial Society.
In cooperation with the local authority, which has the exclusive right to decide on land use in Gothenburg, the Burial Society has identified a large area suitable for the construction of a large cemetery for its intended purpose. But the lengthy approval and construction process means it could take around 10 years to complete, creating further challenges in uncertain times. Meanwhile, the Swedish Civil Contingency Board (MSB) continues to stress the importance of crisis preparedness and highlights the efforts of the Church of Sweden.
“Already in 2015, the government has assigned various authorities to start working again on civil defense planning, and many organizations have begun planning, with the Church of Sweden at the forefront of that planning.”Important said Jan Olof Olsson from Infrastructure Protection. MSB’s (CIP) Specialist.
“Unfortunately, we’re pretty much reminded that war is a possibility and we need to be prepared for it,” Olson said.
Sweden pursued a policy of neutrality from the early 19th century, including during World War II.
However, public opinion changed rapidly in 2022 when Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Sweden and Finland formed a transatlantic alliance due to concerns about the threat from Russia, its newly aggressive neighbor across the Baltic Sea. applied to participate.
In November, Sweden and Finland sent out updated civilian preparedness guides on how to survive war. This guide is similar to those in Denmark and Norway, but does not mention Russia by name.
