I read with consternation the language used by the UPDF spokesman in your story: "Britain doubts PRA rebel threat" of March 18, 2005.
I hold Major Bantariza in very high regard considering his smart, quick-witted, well-informed responses to sometimes unbelievably sensitive and difficult questions. However, this time he has erred.
Referring to British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mullin as feeding "the House of Commons with rubbish... If he [Mullin] wants to be a neo-colonial master, then he is a poor one," and "he will turn the House of Commons into a House of Commoners. He is peddling street rumours in the British Parliament," was abusive, very unprofessional (for a PRO) and uncalled for.
The impact of such a response, uttered in anger, has much less impact than if the Major wrote a few sentences supported with evidence and statistics (which he has), and sent it to the British High Commission as a response and protest. That is the usual protocol.
If he is not aware, Bantariza commands a lot of clout for a person of his social status and political repute. His predecessor was a victim of such unguided remarks. He should not make the same mistakes.
Henry Ford
Kampala
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site!
_______________________________________________ Ugandanet mailing list [email protected] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
