Prayers of peace at funeral
2005-08-06 15:06
Juba - A black-clad choir, many with tears streaming down their cheeks, sang a mournful song of peace on Saturday at the start of the funeral of southern leader and First Vice President John Garang de Mabior, who was killed last week in a helicopter crash.
Garang's coffin, draped in Sudan's national flag, sat on a wooden dais in front of the stone cathedral where thousands had gathered for his funeral.
In past days, the coffin had been covered by the flag of southern Sudan as it made a tour of towns so Garang's supporters could pay their last respects.
"He stopped the war, he stopped the violence," one bishop said in a prayer beginning the service, urging Sudanese to continue toward peace.
The choir's song recalled the long peace negotiations Garang held with the northern government on behalf of his people. The head of that government, President Omar al-Bashir sat on a couch under a tent.
Nearby was his soon-to-be new first vice president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, Garang's successor as leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement.
Heads of state of South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and Tanzania were also in the audience, as well as a number of other foreign diplomats. The Ethiopian president, a close friend of Garang's who did not attend, sent a huge wreath with a thick black ribbon.
Soldiers of the Sudanese army and Garang's former rebel movement stood guard on the cathedral grounds. A massive security presence filled Juba due to the host of national and foreign dignitaries.
'Our great hero is with us'
Members of the elite presidential guard manned high vantage points; in the city, thousands of soldiers were deployed, some stationed every 10 metres on key roads.
As prayers were read and hymns sung, even some of the religious leaders in attendance recognised the historic moment. Two bishops even snapped photographs of the crowd.
More than 200 priests, pastors, vicars, deacons and bishops had come to Juba from other parts of Sudan to participate in the multi-denominational funeral service.
"Our great hero is with us," a priest said over a loudspeaker just before the coffin was carried down the path to the stone cathedral. He urged the thousands of mourners to stay silent in respect.
In the past two days, Garang's body was flown from town to town in the south so his many supporters could pay final respects to the leader who fought for two decades for southern equality.
Saturday was declared a national holiday so all Sudanese could follow the funeral.
Garang and 12 others were killed July 30 in a helicopter crash that the Sudanese government and SPLM say was an accident, though an investigation is planned. The United Nations, Kenya and Uganda - who provided the helicopter - were participating in the probe.
Ugandan President Museveni, a close friend of Garang, told mourners in the southern town of Yei on Friday that the cause of the helicopter crash that killed Garang was not clear.
- SAPA