Thank you Brother Yoswa! --- YOSWA DAMBISYA <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > DRUM: March 1973 > > President Idi Amin of Uganda Has in a dramatically > short time, given marching orders to the Israelis, > the British and the Asians. He has also taken > uncompromising steps to rid Uganda's streets of > armed robbers and prostitutes, and has campaigned > against what he calls "phoney missionaries". > > The controversial soldier-president has been > criticised by the foreign press for jeopardizing the > economy and of being intolerant of Christian > worship, while there have been reports of > disappearances of many top Ugandan people. In an > exclusive interview, DRUM put these allegations > before President Amin. > > DRUM: Overseas newspapers have been carrying stories > about people disappearing in Uganda without trace. > > AMIN: We in Uganda do not depend on the sensational > stories put out by overseas newspapers and even the > BBC. Some of these people alleged to have > disappeared are staying in the neighbouring > countries. They were not chased away from Uganda, > but they decided to run away on their own. Where > there have been genuine cases of people disappearing > - like the case of the two Americans - we have not > hesitated to appoint an inquiry. > > DRUM: Can you say that there has been a drop in > crime in Uganda since you came to power? > > AMIN: Definitely yes. Kondoism has died since I > ordered the army to shoot robbers on sight. > > DRUM: Mr President, can you explain the reasons > which led you to embark on what you have described > as the "economic war"? > > AMIN: We embarked on the economic war war because > the Asians were milking Uganda's economy. Some were > engaged in economic sabotage while others were busy > taking their money out of the country. No > responsible government can allow this state of > affairs to continue. > > DRUM: What evidence has your government got that the > Asians were sabotaging the economy? > > AMIN: My government is a government of action. We > have eyes and we can see things. Some Asians have > been caught red-handed trying to take Ugandan money > outside the country. In one instance, police raided > a mosque in Kampala and found nearly two million > shillings in currency notes packed in biscuit tins. > These so-called biscuits were due to be exported to > Britain. Is this not sabotage? Asians in Uganda have > also been sending their money to relatives and > friends in the neighbouring African countries. We > cannot tolerate a situation in which our economy is > being mlked by foreigners. > > DRUM: What progress has Uganda made in winning the > economic war? > > AMIN: We have made a lot of progress. Shops vacated > by departing Asians are being allocated to Ugandans. > The banks are ready with money to give to those > African traders who apply for overdrafts. There are > so many African countries ready to help Uganda with > personnel to replace the non-Ugandans who have left. > > DRUM: Can you say something about your relations > with Great Britain? > > AMIN: The British are my best friends, but they are > annoyed because I have kicked out the British > Asians. They can say what they like. I have no time > for imperialists. They have decided to cut off > financial and technical aid to Uganda, but we do not > worry. There are so many countries ready to help us. > The British are very much annoyed with us now > because they are spending between £7 million and £8 > million a year feeding the British Asian refugees in > camps allover Europe. If the British want > friendship, we are prepared to remain friends, but > the steps I have taken to hand over the economy of > Uganda to Ugandans are here to stay. We have to win > the economic war. > > DRUM: Is there freedom of worship in Uganda? If so, > why are you being accused of persecuting Christians? > > AMIN: In Uganda there is complete freedom of worship > and everyone can follow whatever religion he or she > chooses. My quarrel with Christian bishops is that > some of the White missionaries in the country are > not missionaries in the real sense. They are > mercenaries. Some are spies. I feel that the > security of the people of Uganda is my paramount > task. Some of these so-called missionaries do not > even know the Bible. You will understand, therefore, > why I have not been disposed towards such > missionaries because when trouble starts, it is the > people of Uganda who will suffer. > > DRUM: You frequently condemn young women for the way > they behave and dress. Do you think you are being > fair to them? > > AMIN: I am totally against loose living by some > women in Uganda. Some of them have gone elsewhere in > Africa and are doing terrible things there with > Europeans. Some are loitering in our towns at night > looking for customers. To make matters worse, some > of our women are spying for foreigners. This must > stop. It is no use saying that these prostitutes are > a minority. As far as I can see, they are women and > that spoils the image of Uganda. I have already > banned the min-skirt and other sexy dresses. The > next step will be to round up all town women and > take them to camps in rural areas where they will be > fed and made to work on the land. ENDS. > > As included in: Uganda, The Bloodstained Pearl of > Africa and Its struggle for Peace. From the Pages of > DRUM (Pages 116-117). > > > Best regards, > > Yoswa > > > > > -------------------------------------------- > This service is hosted on the Infocom network > http://www.infocom.co.ug
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