IVORY COAST: CEMETERY REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR ABIDJAN'S SECOND BRIDGE

Record ID: 182843

  • Title: IVORY COAST: CEMETERY REMOVED TO MAKE WAY FOR ABIDJAN'S SECOND BRIDGE
  • Date: 12th March 1967
  • Summary: MEN DIGGING; TOMBSTONES; COFFINS CHECKED AND CARRIED AWAY; BUILDING WORK FOR BRIDGE APPROACHES. Initials AB/V/JF/GLH Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 27th March 1967 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
  • Country: Ivory Coast
  • Reuters ID: LVAEQ6EJGKCM72S9I87QSIKFPBII
  • Story Text: TRADITIONALLY, AN AFRICAN BURIAL GROUND IS A SACRED PLACE WHERE THE SPIRITS CAN REST IN PEACE. IN ABIDJAN THEY ARE DEFYING TRADITION: THE TREICHVILLE CEMETERY IS BEING MOVED TO ANOTHER SITE IN THE IVORY COAST CAPITAL TO MAKE WAY FOR THE CITY'S SECOND BRIDGE OVER THE LAGOON.

    THE BRIDGE IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION NEXT JULY AND WORK IS AT PRESENT UNDERWAY ON ITS APPROACHES. BUILDINGS IN THE WAY ARE BEING DEMOLISHED. BUT WHAT WAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THE TREICHVILLE CEMETERY?
    IT DATES BACK TO THE EARLY 1990's -- ONE TOMB, IN FACT, IS DATED 1909. AND THERE ARE 4,200 GRAVES.

    IN THE PAST IT HAS BEEN "WOE UPON THOSE WHO WOULD DEFILE A SACRED PLACE" BUT IN ABIDJAN, WHERE THE IVORY COAST GOVERNMENT'S POLICY OF FAST IMPROVEMENT HAS HAD GOOD EFFECT, THERE WASN'T A MURMUR.

    SO NOW THE GRAVES ARE BEING DUG UP FOR REBURIAL AT THE NEW SITE. IT'S A WELL-ORGANISED OPERATION, WITH CLERKS KEEPING ACCURATE RECORDS AND THE FAMILIES PRESENT.

    "THEY'RE DIGGING UP OLD GRANDPA'S GRAVE", SAID ONE MAN, BUT NOBODY SEEMED TO MIND.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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