Cement? I’ve lived all over in the world, in a variety of cultures, and have never heard of cement being a normal part of grave “building”.
It's for underwater cemeteries, where loved ones "sleep with the fishes."
Maybe they’re building bunkers, and calling them graves.
In many, if not most jurisdictions in the United States, it is required that graves be lined with a concrete vault. This is to prevent contamination of groundwater and also prevents later collapse of the grave. I'm not sure if that is what they are talking about here.
Many (most?) coffins go into a vault. They put the slab on it and cover it over.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_vault_(enclosure)
From islam.about.com:
Burial
The deceased is then taken to the cemetery for burial (al-dafin). While all members of the community attend the funeral prayers, only the men of the community accompany the body to the gravesite. It is preferred for a Muslim to be buried where he or she died, and not be transported to another location or country (which may cause delays or require embalming the body). If available, a cemetery (or section of one) set aside for Muslims is preferred. The deceased is laid in the grave (without a coffin if permitted by local law) on his or her right side, facing Mecca. At the gravesite, it is discouraged for people to erect tombstones, elaborate markers, or put flowers or other momentos. Rather, one should humbly remember Allah and His mercy, and pray for the deceased.
God, it’s even worse than we thought...
“Martin Chulov, Middle East correspondent | December 14, 2007
THE last two years have been tough to live in Gaza - and now it’s become difficult to die.
The ever-tightening siege of the Gaza Strip has seen stocks run dry of raw materials for most of death’s necessities. There is no cement for graves, no iron, or mortar to seal them and precious little white cloth in which bodies must be wrapped for a proper Islamic burial.
Since September, Salahedin al-Ayub, the foreman at the Beit Lahiya cemetery in the north of Gaza, has been forced to buy used curbside bricks from the local council to seal his makeshift graves.
He long ago used his last dollop of cement and fears the house bricks he’s now using to fortify the graves will one day collapse on their occupants.
And Mr Ayub has more to worry about; how to hang on to casual gravediggers, all of whom have this week quit after day one of a three-day contract that requires them to lug dozens of 80kg curbside bricks across the sandy cemetery.
“It’s much harder for them this way, but everyday I have to find different workers,” he complained. “The next day they don’t come back. It takes three workers to make a grave and I give them 150 Shekels ($50) each, but they won’t even hang around for that.”
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22920091-2703,00.html