Gen. Museveni — genocidal appetite of many years
[Africa: Uganda Archives]
The following is from the conclusion to “Notes On The Concealment of Genocide in Uganda,” Milton Obote’s well-referenced long essay expose of Gen. Yoweri Museveni, written in 1990; 25 years after the essay, Gen. Museveni, in power since 1986 seeks to extend his term through next year’s vote.
Genocide in Museveni’s Uganda is fact. Wars in a very large part of Uganda many times the size of Luwero are facts. Uprising by the people in those war zones to defend lives and property against the massacring NRA soldiery is fact.
The abject destitution of the undead is fact. Herding people in houses and setting the houses ablaze by the NRA is fact. Surrounding villages or homesteads and massacring the populace therein by the NRA is fact. Destruction of foodstuff in whole villages to starve the people to death is fact.
Poisoning water sources or dismantling the same is fact. Concentration Camps were many, particularly children die daily and the women inmates are abused in the presence of their relatives or husbands by the NRA soldiery even those known to have HIV are facts. Total destruction of the economic structures and means of livelihood in the war zones is fact. That the International Community has not reacted to these facts and others is an enigma. Ugandans are alone in a World where there is much talk about human rights.
The gravity of the situation is strenuously concealed both by the regime and its Revellers. Organizations such as International Alert and Minority Rights Group would appear to want that the regime should “finish off the dirty work” quickly. There is no peace in Museveni’s Uganda and there shall be no peace so long as Museveni’s regime lasts. The genocide in the North and East will not stop there, new killing fields will be found. The objective of the regime is total docility in all parts of Uganda.
In a world where the present trend is for multi-Party systems, Museveni proposed in March 1990 to his Executive Committee, the banning of all Political Parties. His trembling courtiers contended themselves with asking how the Revellers abroad would view such a decision and it turned out that Museveni had not given any thought to the reaction of his Revellers. The Committee, therefore, decided that Party activities be banned for another five years.
Meanwhile, the NRM is to be financed by the taxpayer for another five years. There is no magic in 1995 – just as there was no magic in the four year “interim period”. The interim period of four years has been stretched to nine years. Those who believe or think that the NRM would face the electorate in a multi-Party elections – secret ballot – are dreaming. In addition to the call to end genocide, Ugandans of all political spectra have a duty also to wage struggles for the demise of Museveni’s Police State.
There can not be any nationalist compromise on the grave matters of ridding Uganda of genocide and a rapacious Police State.
April 1990
Lusaka, Zambia
