Guinea Bissau

No African leaders at assassinated president’s funeral

Article published on the 2009-03-10 Latest update 2009-03-10 16:29 TU

Joao Bernardo Vieira's funeral in Bissau
(Photo: Reuters)

The state funeral of Guinea-Bissau's president Joao Bernardo Vieira took place Tuesday amid tight security in the capital Bissau, eight days after he was assassinated by soldiers.

An honour guard saluted the coffin draped in the national flag watched by dignitaries, politicians and religious figures.

Yet, despite the high-profile of the victims and their violent deaths, no African leaders showed up for the funeral.

Correspondent Sherrif Bojang said that Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade had said he would attend. “Even up to this morning, he was expected to be here,” Bojang said. “It was just a few minutes before midday we were told that he was not coming.”

“The most emotional incident that took place was a speech given by one of Nino Vieira daughters who spoke on behalf of the children,” Bojang told RFI. “She said that ‘my father was a hero and he will remain a hero. No one can take that away from him.”

“She called on the people of Guinea Bissau to unite, to reconcile. Do away with the killing. Do away with the enmity, the hatred, the ethnic hatred.”

Vieira served as president for 23 years, between 1980, and 1999, and again from 2005 until his death last week.