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Lebanese children light candles at the grave of Lebanon's slain
former prime minister Rafiq Hariri after his funeral in central
Beirut.(AFP) |
Wailing and shouting, hundreds of thousands of mourners made their way
in a somber but angry procession today from the home of former Prime
Minister Rafik Hariri to his burial place in the grounds of an unfinished
mosque that was one of his favorite reconstruction projects.
Mr. Hariri, a popular figure to many in Lebanon and a central figure in
reconstructing the country after a devastating 15-year civil war, was
assassinated on Monday in an explosion that many here believe was the work
of Syria, whose forces have played a dominant role in Lebanon since the
1970's.
Lebanese from all walks of life and religious groups, many waving
Lebanese flags and posters saying "Syria Out!" and "We Don't Want You!"
walked for more than two hours in an emotional but orderly manner from Mr.
Hariri's home to Martyr's Square.
The procession of mourners, which was larger than expected, included
Mr. Hariri's three sons, Bahaa, Saadeldine and Ayman, and, in a break with
Islamic tradition, hundreds of weeping women. Although the crowd's sorrow
was mixed with anger, there was no tension in the air, and the procession
was conducted in an orderly way.
The family believes that Mr. Hariri's death was caused in part by the
government's failure to provide security, and at their request no
government officials attended the funeral. The family also said it did not
want a state funeral but one that the people of Lebanon could attend. And
although police officials provided security, there were no Lebanese
soldiers to be seen.
Crowds had begun jamming the streets in Martyr's Square in downtown
Beirut since 9:30 a.m.
As a result the procession found it difficult to
enter and did not arrive in time for the regular noonday prayers at the
massive Mohammed Amine mosque, an impressive building with four minarets
that is to replace
a mosque destroyed in the civil war.
Ambulances carrying the coffin of Mr. Hariri and
six of his bodyguards and a paramedic
who were also killed in the blast, were brought to a halt
at the edge of the square.
Seven of the coffins were first placed on the ground, and that of Mr.
Hariri, draped in a red, white and green Lebanese flag, was passed
overhead by the mourners.
Mr. Hariri's eldest son, Bahaa, asked for calm from the wailing crowd
so that prayers for the dead could be read, but many of the mourners were
too emotional and did not join in the prayers.
The Islamic call to prayer was mixed with sounds of church bells and
mourners chanting slogans of reverence for the former prime minister.
Mr. Hariri and the other victims were then laid to rest in the grounds
of the new mosque.
Watching the ceremony from the steps of the mosque, outside the prayer
area, were Mr. Hariri's two daughters and his sister, who is also a member
of Parliament.
Later, at her home, Mr. Hariri's wife, Nazik, met President Jacques
Chirac of France, a close friend of the ex-prime minister, who had come to
pay his condolences.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-02-17 11:39