A “reprehensible act was committed against an individual; whose private life we have no responsibility.” It is in these terms that the Caliph General of Léona Niassene condemned what happened in his locality on Saturday, where individuals exhumed and burned the body of a person considered to be a homosexual.

The body exhumed and burned by individuals in Kaolack on Saturday evening continues to provoke reactions. The Caliph General of Léona Niassene, the locality where this barbaric act was committed, expressed his “deep indignation” in a press release. In the same vein, the religious leader condemned “the reprehensible act which was committed against an individual for whom we have no responsibility for his private life”. He insisted: “This act can in no way be justified or tolerated.” In addition, Serigne Cheikh Tidiane Niass wanted to inform “national and international opinion that Léona Niassene is neither directly nor remotely involved in this odious act”. Continuing his remarks, he underlined that “erroneous information has been relayed by people whose intentions” are unknown to them, but he reaffirmed that “the community condemns all forms of violence, intolerance and attacks on the privacy of people ».

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Furthermore, Mr. Niass specifies in the document that “the cemetery does not fall under the jurisdiction of Léona Niassène”, and it is “in no case their responsibility to decide who should be buried or not in the cemeteries”.

And to recall: “Our faith is based on the teachings of Islam, which promotes peace, tolerance, compassion and respect for individual rights. We condemn any deviant interpretation of our religion which would justify such acts.” The religious leader took this opportunity to call for “unity, mutual understanding and the preservation of peace and harmony within our community and throughout the world.” “Our commitment to the faith and teachings of Islam remains unwavering, and we will continue to work to promote these fundamental values. May the peace and wisdom of Allah guide our hearts and our actions,” he prayed.

Human rights organizations condemn an “act which violates the dignity of the deceased”

Human rights organizations have expressed their indignation following the case of the body that was exhumed and burned in Kaolack. In a joint statement, Amnesty International Senegal, the African Centre for the Defense of Human Rights (Raddho) and the Senegalese League for Human Rights (Lsdh) strongly condemned “this act which violates the dignity of the deceased and of his family« . The organizations thus urged “the judicial authorities, who have already taken action, to seek out the perpetrators and bring them to justice in a fair trial.”

In their document, these human rights organizations recall that “in accordance with Senegalese legislation, the creation, disuse or expansion of cemeteries falls within the competence of mayors of communes and towns (article 81 paragraph 11 and Article 169 paragraph 8 of the General Code of Local Authorities)”. Based on this fact, they maintain that “mayors have the obligation to issue a burial permit to the relatives of any deceased person and to ensure the security of cemeteries”.

By Dieynaba KANE / dkane@lequotidien.sn

  • Translation by Ndey T. SOSSEH