Cultures Under Threat: Uganda 1971-1979
Uganda's history between 1971 and 1979 compromises of Idi Amin's military dictatorship over Uganda. The economy of Uganda was devastated by Idi Amin's policies including the expulsion of Asians. Amin, a military leader, overthrew President of Uganda Milton Obote. The people of the Buganda kingdom seemed to welcome Amin and willingly forgot that he used military suppression to become leader. Uganda became a military dictatorship which was governed from a collection of military barracks across the country. Amin recruited followers from his own tribe, the Kakwas, along with Sudanese and Nubians. By 1977, these groups formed 60% of the 22 top generals and 75% of the cabinet. Muslims former 80 and 87.5% of the groups even though they were only 5% of the population. The Ugandan army grew from 10,000 to over 25,000 by 1978, however only 24% of the army were Ugandan. By the mid-1970s only the most trustworthy were allowed ammunition, although this didn't prevent a series of mutinies and murders. An attempt by American journalists, Nicholas Stroh and Robert Siedle, to investigates and of the barracks in 1972 led to their disappearances and later deaths.
In early 1972 he reversed the foreign policy to secure financial and military aid from Gaddafi of Libya. Amin expelled his remaining Israeli advisers and became anti-Israel. To get aid from Saudi Arabia he rediscovered his neglected Islamic heritage. Following his foreign policy reversal in 1972, the Soviet Union became Amin's largest supplier of arms. East Germany helped to build Amin's secret police, during the invasion of Tanzania in 1979 they attempted to remove evidence of their involvement.
In August 1972, he expelled almost all of Uganda's 80,000 Asians and seized their property, homes and businesses. This act proved disastrous for the already declining economy. As the army officers and supporters now ran the economy, all of the local businesses and stores were ran into the ground from mismanagement and abuse of power. The rural African producers turned to smuggling as the economy faltered. Amin became obsessed with stopping smugglers and allowed his adviser, former British citizen Bob Astles, to talk all necessary steps to eliminate the issues. These orders included the Ugandan police and army to shoot smugglers on sight.
In 1973 Idi Amin decreed Swahili was to be the official language of Uganda. 12 of 20 districts chose this but the other 8 wanted Luganda.
Persecution of ethnic and political groups:
Amin retaliated against the attempted invasion by Ugandan exiles in 1972 by purging the army of Obote supporters, predominantly those from the Acholi and Lango ethnic groups. In July 1971, Lango and Acholi soldiers were massacred in the Jinja and Mbarara barrack, Some 5000 soldiers had been killed by early 1972 and twice as many civilians disappeared. Victims came to include members of other ethnic groups, religious leaders, journalists, artists, artists, judges, lawyers and foreign nationals. Bodies were often dumped in the River Nile.
The killings, motivated by ethnic, political and financial factors, continued through Amin's eight year rule. The death toll is estimated at no fewer than 80,000 and more likely around 300,000. Amnesty International and exile organisations put the number killed at 500,000.
Terrorism and suppression:
Amin has been suspected to use state terrorism. One act of state terrorism was when High Court Judge Benedicto Kiwanuka, was seized directly from his courtroom. Like many other victims he was forced to remove his shoes and bundled into the boot of a car and never seen alive again. The shoes were left on the side of the roadside to mark the passing of human life. They do this to deter others from going against the state.
In June 1976 Amin attempted to establish ties with an international terrorist group, when he offered the Palestinian hijackers of an Air France flight protected base at the old airport at Entebbe as a place to press their demands in exchange for the release of Israeli hostages. After the hostages held by the group were rescued, Amin was left humiliated. He retaliated by having an elderly hostage kidnapped from hospital and killed. He also ordered all the civilian staff at Entebbe airport.
Environment:
During the eight years under the rule of Amin the environment and ecological system were subjected to abuse and destruction by widespread poaching and deforesting committed by both smugglers and Ugandan army soldiers. It's reported that Uganda lost 75% of its elephants, 98% of its Rhinos, 90% of its crocodiles, 80% of its lions and leopards, as well as numerous species of bird.
Link to the world of cultural diversity:
This case study shows how cultures can be threatened by political and military powers. It shows how the government/leader of a country can try to suppress culture in their own culture. Idi Amin went against many human rights during his time in power. He tried to silence foreign journalists from reporting the truth and had anyone who went against him killed.
The case study also shows the effects of culture on the environment and how the environment can be exploited.
Sources of further information:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_King_of_Scotland
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/jan/12/thriller.jamesmcavoy
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