Nazareth Vieira: "The condition of a lasting peace in Guinea-Bissau is the manifestation of the truth about the assassination of my husband ... I do not want to be President to avenge myself"
Nazareth Vieira, widow of the former President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo known as "Nino" Vieira, assassinated in March 2009.
Nazareth Vieira is one of the widows of the former President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo known as "Nino" Vieira, murdered on March 2, 2009. For the first time in many years, she finally decided to get out of her silence . Africa Connection is one of two media that she has met exclusively. She is a woman determined to return to her country, but above all to "know the truth". After his lawyers filed an application with the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja (Nigeria), Nazareth Vieira is calling for a trial as soon as possible. To be able to mourn. To put an end to the "lies" which, she says, surround the assassination of her husband. To be able to say before the court all these "things" that she knows about the assassination of her husband. In his French exile, with her three children, she says she does not feel safe. Despite the distance. Therefore, in order to preserve its security, we will not disclose the place where this interview was held. Just remember that we met Nazareth Vieira last week, somewhere in France. From the circumstances of the assassination of Nino Viera to her likely presidential candidacy in Guinea-Bissau in 2009, through her personal situation, she tells everything. Without wooden tongue.
Why did you decide today to speak about the assassination of your husband, the former President of Guinea-Bissau, João Bernardo Vieira, after several years of silence?
I need to know the truth about the assassination of my husband. I know a lot of things. I would like the trial to take place right away. There is an application filed in Abuja (ECOWAS Court of Justice, Ed.), And there was some discussion on the issue between Abuja and my country, Guinea-Bissau.
"My husband was thus obliged to deviate from his flight and return directly to Guinea-Bissau. Upon his arrival there was neither the Prime Minister nor any minister to welcome him " ***********************************************
Can you go back to the circumstances of the assassination of your husband?
My husband was staying in France. On return, he planned to go through Guinea-Conakry to attend the ceremony of the 40 th day after the death of President Lansana Conté. But in the meantime, he obtained information about a meeting held in the Gambia that was about a project for his assassination. I can not say all the details here. I am anxious to be able to say it in court, and that is why I demand a trial as soon as possible.
My husband was thus obliged to deflect his flight and return directly to Guinea-Bissau. On his arrival there was neither the Prime Minister nor any minister to welcome him. It was welcomed by only a few soldiers. This is unacceptable to a President of the Republic in office. He called me to tell me about what was going on in the Gambia, in case something happened to him.
That is why today I demand today that the Gambia be involved in the case of the assassination of my husband.
You mean the Gambia played a decisive role in the assassination of your husband?
Exactly! I can not disclose everything. I had people from ECOWAS who promised me that justice would be done. I recall that if Guinea-Bissau is part of ECOWAS, it is thanks to my husband who signed the agreement. Once, I sent questions to ECOWAS concerning the assassination of my husband. I do not want to be pressured to speak, otherwise I will be able to start by saying what happened during the 1998 war. If ECOWAS truly believes that Guinea-Bissau is a member, She must organize the trial of my husband. ECOWAS knows very well what happened.
When you say the Gambia is involved, do you necessarily think of Yaya Jammeh?
He was the President of the time. Today it is no longer so. The Gambia must open the doors for us. I told you about this meeting in the Gambia. I know very well the Guineans who took part in this meeting in Banjul during which the assassination of my husband was planned. Today, therefore, I ask President Barrow to collaborate in the manifestation of the truth about the assassination of my husband. I want it to make it easier for us to have access to all the elements so that justice is fair.
You mean that the truth about the assassination of Nino Vieira is in Gambia?
Yes, in The Gambia. Let's begin by seeking this truth out there.
It is not frequent to see a trial on the assassination of a President ... Are not you moving the knife in the wound?
I am a widow, mother of three children. For peace in Guinea-Bissau and for reconciliation, we must begin with the trial of President Viera, who was assassinated in the course of his duties. We can not talk about lasting peace without a trial on this assassination. There have been so many lies all around my husband that this would be a great opportunity to know the truth. It is still a president who was assassinated. He was not just my husband. It was he who proclaimed the independence of Guinea-Bissau. It is the promoter of democracy in Guinea-Bissau. He was the second chief of war of Amilcal Cabral. He lost eleven years of his youth. He was still the commander-in-chief.
The trial would also be an opportunity for me to express myself as a widow. It is too easy to blame a President. A President is always surrounded by hypocrites. For it to have a lasting peace, a reconciliation properly so called, it is absolutely necessary that the trial of my husband, President Nino Vieira take place as soon as possible.
"I swear to you in God's name: I have never had any man in my life, much more so that a husband (...) They have sought me everywhere for supposedly giving me billions. But I refused " ***********************************************
So that you can also mourn?
Yes, so that I can also mourn. Because until now I have not mourned. It has been nine years since my husband was assassinated, and I have not remarried. I swear to you in God's name: I have never had any man in my life, much more so than a husband. I do not want it anymore. I just want justice done.
Under what conditions do you live in France?
When my husband was assassinated, I was searched everywhere for supposedly giving me money, billions. But I refused, because simply money can not bring my husband back alive. I preferred to go through the desert. I was offered this money to keep my silence. I just asked them why they murdered my husband. They knew very well that I knew the real assassins of my husband.
And who are they?
Let's wait for the trial!
Who offered you money?
Let's wait for the trial!
"Do not you think, then, that I should not be unavoidable for peace in this country? But they do not want my presence in Guinea-Bissau (...) Just because I know the truth " ***********************************************
You say that the trial on the assassination of your husband is the sine qua non of a lasting peace peace in Guinea-Bissau. However, from the outside, one has the impression that the situation is stable compared to the previous years ....
You think that everything is going well in Guinea-Bissau when Mrs. Nazareth Vieira is here and can not return to her country? No, I think that before we talk about stability in Guinea-Bissau, it is first of all necessary that all citizens abroad have the opportunity to return without being worried. Especially those who did not choose immigration. Personally, I did not choose immigration.
After the elections in 2014, I sent an open letter in the press. I congratulated President Mario first, and I also congratulated Domingos Simos Preira, who is the Secretary-General of the PAIGC. I did not get an answer, I did not have a single gesture in return. Many times, I wanted to represent Guinea-Bissau outside. I am an intellectual. I have created a Francophone school in Guinea-Bissau, giving 40 places to the children of the poor and 11 to the sons of the military. For example, the two daughters of Mr. Ansumana Mané (former chief of staff of the Bissau-Guinean army, killed November 30, 2000, Editor's note) were part of my school. His children ate at the same table as mine. I have done everything possible to ensure peace in Guinea-Bissau. Do not you think, then, that I should be unavoidable for peace in this country? But they do not want my presence in Guinea-Bissau.
Why do they not want your presence in Guinea-Bissau?
Just because I know the truth, that I am a woman of truth, that I want all the light (...)
I want to go back to my country. My suitcase is ready. All Guineans abroad must be able to return and participate in the socio-economic development of our country. This country belongs first to its sons. But for me, today, it belongs more to foreigners. We want to go back, but we can not.
João Bernardo says "Nino" Vieira
Given the proximity of the Guinea-Bissau and Senegalese peoples, have you discussed this situation with Senegalese President Macky Sall?
Once I met the ambassador of Senegal in Paris, Paul Badji. I was too happy, especially since we had exchanged in Creole. I told him about the assassination of my husband and I told him that I wanted to talk about it with President Macky Sall. He made promises to me. But it's still promises.
And Guinean President Alpha Condé, who has been involved a while in solving the crisis in your country?
No ! No ! (...) You know after the murder of my husband, I wanted to stand for election because I knew that an innocent man had been murdered. But I was not advised to do so.
Have you given up on this project?
Not at all ! I am an unavoidable candidate.
You mean that you will be a candidate in the next presidential election in your country?
Let's talk first about the assassination of my husband. The elections are two years away, so there is time. After a fair trial, I will be able to make a decision about my candidacy. I do not want the will. And I repeat: I am an unavoidable candidate. I am a candidate for peace, reconciliation. I do not want to be at the head of this country to avenge myself No, not at all. I am a woman of God. I am for forgiveness. But the Guineans must be able to know the truth about the assassination of my husband (...)
I also take the opportunity to say that if one day I come to power, I will work with everyone. But we must start with the trial of my husband (...)
Since 2008, my husband already knew that he would be murdered. But I would like to say here that he never sponsored the death of General Tagma Na Wae (murdered on the eve of President Viera's assassination). General Batista Tagme Na Waie (Chief of Staff of the army, killed on 1 st March 2009, on the eve of the assassination of President Vieira, Ed) was a father to me. On my husband's return in 2005 I was thanking him for what he did for my husband. But there are so many things that have been told to the general regarding my husband and vis versa. This is how they succeeded in assassinating General Tagme Na Waie, in order to assassinate President Nino Vieira.
"The PAIGC is the cause of my husband's murder. For that, I have to get it back ... Presidents are always surrounded by hypocrites " ***********************************************
If tomorrow, you decides to be a candidate in the presidential election, it would be an independent candidacy or under the banner of the PAIGC?
That would be under the PAIGC banner, of course, because I am a PAIGC activist. I will never leave this party. This party is at the origin of the assassination of my husband. For that, I have to recover this party, which is the party of my ancestors. And it is thanks to this party that my husband was able to continue his fight for the independence of our country, after the assassination of Amilcar Cabral (father of the independence of Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde, Editor's note) . That's what I'd like to get back to now. It is necessary that those who are at the head of this party understand one thing: the PAIGC party is not a small house. It is a party that has a history (...)
They call me every day to tell me what is happening in Guinea-Bissau. This is an opportunity to ask President Vaz to find out why there are often popular uprisings. Youth is the future of this country. As such, I would like him to receive all these angry young people, those in Portugal and France, to ask them what is wrong. We still need ideas that are contrary to ours to be able to move a country forward. But, as you know, Presidents are always surrounded by hypocrites. People who say "yes, Mr. President". With my husband, it was the same (...)
We can not continue to say anything, supposedly Nino Viera was assassinated by a group of soldiers. This is false. And that is why I demand a trial ... He was assassinated by strangers. Some PAIGC officials organized the assassin. Their interests were mainly financial.
Interview by Thierno DIALLO,
Africa Connection
