(Written by the Rev. Emily McGowin.)
The executed man had a checkered past and a history of run-ins with authority. Neighbors say he had assembled a gang of loafers and thugs that exploited the charity of the poor, routinely disrespected community leaders, and promoted class warfare.
In a recent incident, he became publicly belligerent and disrupted a religious service in the capitol. Neighbors feared his increasingly erratic behavior would intensify political tension and ethnic hostility in the region.
Though a few followers are mourning today, the consensus among local leadership is that his execution brings a welcome end to community unrest.
