Blood of Innocence

Chapter Five

Hon . Roj's burial ceremony was graced with so many people of diverse backgrounds . Dignitaries from the international community came from far and wide to pay their last respects to a man who had risked everything for the sake of liberating many from the chains of poverty and unparalleled abrogation of fundamental rights . His Excellency , San ,the President of the Republic of Nyake ,was conscipicuously missing in this occasion . He was represented by his Deputy . People from the local community were no exception as the youth held demonstrations against what they believed was the government's way of systematically silencing it's critics . The government on its part deployed security of diverse units enmasse in fear of chaos which were expected to erupt . This was its greatest mistake as their presence was looked at as a reminder of its tools of intimidation and oppression .

The demonstrators had peacefully gone round the city with their placards without the police following them . However , when they arrived at the funeral venue chanting their slogans , the police felt that their silence on the incessant ridicule of the government would be met with serious consequences from their boss .

" San is...murderer of the innocent !

San is....rapist of our fundamental rights !

Government is... bleeding the eel to fatten the heifer !

Government is...full of pathetic psychopaths !

Who will save us?...RDA !

Who will save us?....RDA !

The police barricaded the passage to the venue trying to prevent the demonstrators from entering . On sensing more intimidation , the angry youth started pelting stones to the armed police who comprised of riot and horse-riding units . The latter used their shields to advance and clobber the unarmed youths . Tear gas canisters were generously used as those who fell were trampled upon by the horses .

Attracted by the commotion , many people who were already partaking in the ceremony rushed and joined the fracas . The police were outnumbered and corned as rock fragments of diverse sizes came flying to their bodies . It was then when the unthinkable happened . It was not clear who ordered the shooting , but what was conscipicuous was that they opened fire and shot severally into the surging crowds . Many people fell dead on the ground , their bodies unrecognizable due to the stampede that ensued . The funeral field was turned into a bloody battlefield . Half an hour later , the police were recalled .

The burial ceremony came to a standstill as people ran helter-skelter . After the police cleared off , they returned one by one to see if any of their beloved ones had fallen victim to the shooting . More than fifty people had succumbed to the bullet wounds . The crowd once again became frenzied as agonizing screams rent the air . One woman's heart-rending cry stood out conscipicuously . Her name was Rahma Aden . She had lost her only child , shot on the chest at the prime age of nineteen . She fainted at the grisly sight of the bloodied body .

At fifty , Rahma prided herself in having such a body that was always the envy of many a women . Despite the lukewarmness with which people of her society regarded the education of a girl-child , she had braved much insult to persue her dream career . At a time when the medical profession was the preserve of only male , she surprised many when she graduated with a doctorate degree in medicine at the meer age of twenty-six . She was immediately employed to teach the only government teaching and referral hospital .

She got married two years later to her fellow specialist , Aden Mohammed , with whom they went ahead and established their own hospital . The child that had just been shot ,Aden Junior , was the only issue of their blissful marital union . Not that she had not wished to have more children , but her physiology had conspired with age to deny her a second chance at pregnancy . In a community where polygamy was the norm rather than the exception , her husband could have none of it . He was contended with not only having a monogamous union , but also with having one lonely issue .

Rahma had subsequently made a pass at politics by contesting for a parliamentary seat in a male chauvinistic set-up . She made a mark by defeating many of the male contestants to become second . It was rumoured that her party affiliations had cost her the win because she had run on the the ruling party's ticket which had become unpopular . On realizing her mistake and that the Party's philosophy was in sharp contrast with democracy , she decamped and joined Dr . Roj to found the Empowerment Party .

She had come to the funeral of Dr . Roj not only because she was the Party General Secretary , but also because of shared aspirations . In fact , some Party members had proposed her to enter in the ballot papers in the ensuing by-election . It was therefore ironical that while she was prepared to stand for the rights of many , the monstrous hand of fate could rob her of that which was dear to her whole being .

She regained her consciousness only to realize that she was in her hospital . Aden ,her husband ,was attending to her . He smiled at her .

" Welcome to the world of the living ," he teased her . " You almost gave me a heart attack , you know ?"

" Seems like I have been having nightmares ," she said as she took a sip of the hot coffee he extended her . " Why , what happened that dispatched me to the yonder world ?"

" Well ," he shrugged his shoulders , trying to brave himself . " Why don't you tell me about your nightmares first ?"

She looked at the dress she was wearing and realized that it was a funeral wear . Events flooded her minds .

" Ooh ,my God !" she exhaled . " It's not a nightmare after all ! "

Aden embraced her , trying to calm her . He thought that she might relapse into fainting . She gently pushed him aside .

" Just let go off me . Am not going to relapse . If it's God's wish , so be it ! But am sure of one thing , am not going to give these bastards the satisfaction of pinning me down . Our son was fighting for justice to the many people who have suffered the atrocities of dictatorship . Same applies to Hon . Roj . I must make to the funeral ,honey . I must fight this injury that has been occasioned to us ."

* * * * *

After the ambulances had collected and taken the bodies to the morgues , people settled down , eager to accord the late a befitting send-off . Speaker after speaker eulogized him as a hero who had nothing to hide , but everything to give . The General Secretary to the regional bloc , Dr . Zi , poured his heart out .

" The family of the late , friends , good citizens of Nyake and the world at large , ladies and gentlemen , accept my deepest condolences for the lose of a hero . It's superciliously imprudent for one to even imagine of disturbing the final rites of a person , regardless of that person's political standing . It's even more dumbfounding that the same nuisance is perpetrated by people who are supposed to prevent and protect such ugly occurrences . It is also unpalatable that unarmed , peaceful demonstrators can be met with such violence as witnessed . It's my hope that justice would be done in due course . The world is an homogeneous village , and therefore no man ,nor country is an island . Thank you , and may God remember Nyake !"

The applause had hardly subsided when more chanting started slowly and increased to a crescendo as Rahma made her way to the podium .

" Rahma ! Rahma ! Rahma !" Repeatedly chorused the mourners .

The master of ceremony had intended to invite the Deputy President to condole the family , but deferred it . He invited Rahma to the podium instead .

" Fellow citizens , the English language has no enough adjectives to appropriately describe how we feel , especially when those we delegate our powers to , turn to haunt us . Though I have been absent due to reasons within your knowledge , am aware that much tribute has been given to our fallen hero . However , I want to say this , he is my hero even in death ! I stand here today to assure you all that we must accomplish what he started . Nothing short of the total observance of the tenets of democracy including , but not limited to , transparency , accountability , equitable distribution of resources and adequate guarantee to the full enjoyment of our fundamental human rights . As you can see from the people gathered here today , we are not alone in this fight . We are all subject to the provisions of our constitution , and none is above the law . "

She took her seat amidst deafening applause .

" Need we look any further to find a second Hon . Roj ?' asked the Master of Ceremony . Nays rent the air . " The nays have it . It is said that you can kill the messenger , but never the message . I now wish to invite Hiss Excellency , the Deputy President , Hon . Che , to pay tribute to our fallen hero . Welcome , your Excellency ..."

There was so much booing throughout his speech that his words seemed to diffuse into thin air . It was made even worse by his defending the government , especially when he tried to exonerate it from the recent mishaps .

" In my community ," he continued , " there's a saying that before you blame the eagle for snatching the chicken , ask first where the hen was . If we deliberately put ourselves in harm's way , then we should not blame anybody for the consequences thereof . .." Increased murmuring continued .

" The President sends his deepest condolences to the bereaved family , friends and to the nation at large . He..."

" Tell him to go shove it up his arse ! " Somebody shouted , as it was repeated by many others .

" He said he knew the late ," he continued , ignoring the nasty remark , " as a hard-working and peaceful legislator . May God rest his soul in eternal peace !"

When the leader of the Restoration of Democracy rose to speak , thunderous applause welcomed him . It was observed that the Master of Ceremony had intentionally flanked the protocols to have Jaduong as the final speaker . The Vice President was indignant and jealousy of the contrasting standing ovation . He almost stood up to leave .

" When we rig into power one without leadership wherewithal , what can we expect other than anarchy and shameless misappropriation of public resources and limitation of the basic human rights ? When we stand up for strict adherence to the constitutional provisions , we are either detained or assassinated . Had we not been peace-loving citizens , we would have resorted to meeting this violence with violence ? But the question is , for how long shall we bear this brutality ? A time is coming when we will be the one to decide on who and how we want to be governed . Yes , the power is in your vote ! If they rig again , let them not expect us to lie down like envelopes . United we stand and together we shall overcome !"

The mourners dispersed soon after the burial , still chanting ,

" United we stand and together we shall overcome !"