Coup leaders skip Conte eulogy
2008-12-26 20:01
Conakry - Allies of Guinea's longtime dictator mourned him in parliament on Friday but the leaders of the coup that followed his death did not attend the eulogy, raising questions about their control of the country.
Captain Moussa Camara had promised a "grandiose funeral" for strongman Lansana Conte a day earlier. However, Camara was not at the eulogy and it was unclear whether he would attend events scheduled for later in the day.
State radio, which is now controlled by the junta, announced that Conte's body was to be brought after the eulogy to a stadium, and then to Conakry's Grand Mosque before interment in his village about 100 kilometres away.
Conte died on Monday after ruling the West African nation with a stern hand for nearly a quarter-century. Hours after the announcement of his death, a military-led group declared a coup.
Camara has declared himself Guinea's interim leader, promising not to run in an election he says will be held in December 2010.
Several thousand people gathered inside parliament dressed mostly in white, the traditional Muslim colour of mourning. The service was heavily attended by members of Conte's former government, including deposed Prime Minister Ahmed Tidiane Souare, who surrendered to coup leaders and stepped down along with dozens of other government leaders on Thursday.
'Forgive him'
Sitting in the front row was Facinet Toure, Conte's comrade-in-arms during the 1984 coup that brought the dictator to power. Toure took the microphone and told mourners: "I ask the people of Guinea to forgive the general for all that he did that was not good."
Conte's coffin was placed on a stage with two of his three wives sitting behind it wearing dark sunglasses and clutching tissues. Also attending were the presidents of Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea-Bissau, as well as African Union commission chairperson Jean Ping.
Parliament leader Aboubacar Sompare, who had been next in line to be president under Guinea's constitution, was nowhere to be found. He remains at large following the expiration of a deadline that coup leaders set for members of the government to present themselves at army barracks.
The eulogy was interrupted several times by people who wanted to enter: Presidential guards used belts to beat back mourners who wanted to push their way in.
Many Guineans grew up only knowing Conte's rule - he was one of only two leaders since the country's 1958 independence from France. Conte won presidential elections in 1993, 1998 and 2003 that were marred by accusations of fraud.
Women wept as Conte's coffin was carried to parliament through a neighbourhood that houses the barracks of troops who were loyal to him.
'I'm crying for our president'
"I'm crying because it's our president," said Fatoumata Toure, 45, who belongs to the same Soussou ethnic group that Conte did.
The most serious recent challenge to Conte's rule came two years ago as demonstrators called for him to step down, sending Guinea into chaos. Conte responded by declaring martial law and sent tanks into the streets of the capital. Security forces killed dozens of demonstrators.
Guinea is the world's largest producer of bauxite, used to produce aluminium, and has gold, diamond and iron ore deposits. The nation, located at the confluence of several West African rivers, could generate enough electricity to power the region, some analysts say.
But Guinea's economy has rapidly deteriorated, and its 10 million people are among the world's poorest.
- AP