A one hour Funeral Procession ends 13 years of rule, 20 years of Isolation

Algerian citizens and official delegations from neighboring and Arab countries said last goodbye on Monday at the Palace of people to the late president Chadli Ben Jedid, who is the third president of the Republic of Independent Algeria (1979 – 1992), and who passed away on Saturday, after an incurable disease at the age of 83, as the national mourning will continue for the next four days, which was approved by President Abdelaziz Bouteflika for a period of eight days to coincide with the announcement of the death.

The early hours of Monday morning noticed the influx of citizens who standed up in groups to say last goobye Chadli and read the Fatiha, with the arrival of foreign delegations from neighboring and Arab countries for the same purpose.

Saharawi president was among the first officials who came to say last goodbye on Monday at the Palace of people, followed by the Egyptian Minister of religious Affairs, the Moroccan delegation led by the Minister of Religious Affairs, then the Tunisian delegation led by the Minister of Defense, and each delegation was accompanied by a member of the Algerian government like Benmeradi, Khudiri, Medelci, Rahmani, Ghoulam Allah and Ghoul.

At 1:30 pm President Abdelaziz Bouteflika arrived to the People’s Palace to accompany the funeral procession of the deceased Chadli Ben Jedid, together with ministers and leaders of Staff of the National People’s Army, as the body was taken from the People’s Palace in Algiers towards “Alia cemetery”, to be buried in the martyrs’ square.

At 1:40 pm, a young man passes quickly in front of the entrance to the People’s Palace and asked for the locality of the Spanish consulate, and my colleague did not hear him so he told him “It’s the death of Chadli”, but the youngster did not understand, because he was searching for the consulate and all senses suggest that he is far from reality and his main concern only is immigration, in return there was a truck carrying a ship surrounded with footnotes and decorated with henna to be the sacrificial lamb for the feast, as a proof of the continuation of life in a country that breathes taste of independence, and five minutes later the road of the funeral procession was closed.

The procession proceeded to walk at 2:00 o’clock, and the body of the late president was lying with the national flag on an open military vehicle that was surrounded by garlands of flowers, led by motorcycles for police moving quickly to respect the body and to enable citizens in the street to watch the procession.