The Citizen (Juba)
Mary Ajith
23 December 2011
Juba — Debates are raging on how the body of late Renegade General George Athor Deng would be buried after he was shot dead on Monday by the SPLA forces in Morobo County, Central Equatoria State.
Vice President Dr. Riak Machar Teny when he announced the news about Athor’s death on Tuesday, he mentioned that the body would be handled to his family for burial.
The Citizen has learned that the Government would hire a plane for the transportation of the remains of the dead general to his home village Korfulous in Jonglei State where the body would be laid to rest.
The question which is being repeatedly asked is whether Athor should be honored by burying him in a traditional way or should his body be disposed without burial? Sources some of them MPs who preferred anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue told the Citizen yesterday in an interview that Athor should not be honored by handing his body to the family and relatives as the Vice President announced on Tuesday but instead it should be disposed and burn or buried in the Nile like Osama Bin Laden the terrorist who was buried in the ocean.
“Athor acted in a terror manner, he killed innocent people including children, women and elderly people and he should not be buried like a hero.
Burying his body in an organized manner and his tomb to be seen by current and future generations will mean no difference between him and other heroes,” one of the sources told The Citizen.
However, a few sources said that Athor should be honored because he fought during the liberation war as SPLA officer without betrayal until the last bullet when he decided to rebel against the Government and his country.
“Athor was a war veteran besides his rebellion, hence his burial should be done in a traditional way without considering his bad deeds, and there is nothing much about the burial whether in the Nile or in the ground.
He has died and it is finished,” a member of Parliament told The Citizen The body of the late would be flown to his village Korfulous soon.
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