محمود الزين حامد: حزن وحداد هاديء

Quote: Thank you dear Saif. I lost blood brothers and sisters but Mahmoud's departure has a level of bitterness I have yet to be able to cope with. The one thing I will always remember was that he told me in our last phone call about four weeks before his departure "انت والنعمان قريبين وممكن تقطعوا المسافة البينا عوم". A week ago, I called up Abdelrahim Hallaj, after decades because like you, I had a dream where Mahmoud, Eisa Abdelgalil, Hallaj, myself, Numan and Dr. Siddig Umbadda were talking about Sudan post-separation at U of K teachers club. The dream was so vivid and clear. I have hand-written notes, cards and letters from Mahmoud I kept over the years but I still don't have the courage to re-read them. I don't know how his mother is dealing with the situation. She was too weak to come Khartoum for his burial. I talked many times to his wife, his nephew and uncle after they saw his body for the last time (It was an openable coffin). They all said he looked as if he was taking a nap. Eisa Abdella who worked so hard to make sure they coffin is openable and travelled to Sudan to attend Mahmoud's burial, could not gather the courage to take a last look at his body. Dear Saif, I'm still not sure what to say or write but I hope you and all of us find comfort and closure in Mahmoud's departure. I took the liberty to add Tayseer Alnowrani, Dr. Eisa Abdelgalil and Hallaj. I hope, we can gather his friends and do something for his family. With little effort we can build a classroom or library in his name in his little village. We owe it to Mahmoud. Ibrahim Bakhit