Cemetery full, mayor tells locals not to die

[mawilson 2,133]

BORDEAUX, France (Reuters) - The mayor of a village in southwest France has threatened

residents with severe punishment if they die, because there is no room left in the

overcrowded cemetery to bury them.

In an ordinance posted in the council offices, Mayor Gerard Lalanne told the 260 residents

of the village of Sarpourenx that "all persons not having a plot in the cemetery and wishing

to be buried in Sarpourenx are forbidden from dying in the parish."

It added: "Offenders will be severely punished."

The mayor said he was forced to take drastic action after an administrative court in the

nearby town of Pau ruled in January that the acquisition of adjoining private land to extend

the cemetery would not be justified.

Lalanne, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Wednesday and is standing for election to a

seventh term in this month's local elections, said he was sorry that there had not been a

positive outcome to the dilemma.

"It may be a laughing matter for some, but not for me," he said.

(Reporting by Claude Canellas, Writing by Andrew Dobbie; editing by Sami Aboudi)

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[Mary Lou 682]

What's he gonna do?? Take away their birthdays

[Bootylicious!! 2]

That's the silliest thing I've ever heard.

[Niels Bohr 72]

You know what's ironic about this. " Offenders will be punished?" They are dead. So, the parish has some religious powers that we don't know.

[almaty 19]

the mayor should be stoned or maybe, he already is

[boardashell_2000 0]

LOL

[kim&james 0]

LOL I would love to know how they plan to punish the offenders.

[yogib37 3]

the mayor should be stoned or maybe, he already is

I would say he is stoned. Maybe took too big of a hit from that crack pipe

Hmm how is he going to fine or punish someone that is a stiff.

Yogi

[Amby 490]

silly man. good laugh for me though

[Nessa 23]

what can he do? put them in jail?

[mawilson 2,133]

Banish them to the ghostly plane for all eternity to keep their souls from moving on?

[SaadBell 0]

Dude, the cemetery is full, we gotta do something.

I got it, let's make it against the law to die!

Sounds like a plan to me.