[Ugnet] International Groups Working Against Museveni

The government has gone on the offensive against what officials call an organised international hate campaign against President Yoweri Museveni and the National Resistance Movement.

Information State Minister Dr James Nsaba Buturo said on Thursday that the growing bad international press on Museveni was "orchestrated and organised" by sections of the international community with local collaborators with the aim of bringing him down.

"Belying all the lies appearing in the media (especially the international media) at a rather frequent pace these days is a campaign being orchestrated and organised against H.E. President Museveni and the National Resistance Movement," Buturo said at the weekly cabinet press briefing at Nakasero on Wednesday.

He added: "This campaign is designed to whip up resentment against the leadership of President Museveni. This switch in tactics by those concerned follows their realisation that the President enjoys massive countrywide support and that his vision for Uganda could transform the country."

Buturo said among the key promoters of the hate campaign was the international watchdog group, Human Rights Watch, and international journalists.

He cited the London Daily Telegraph's Adrian Blomfield, who recently wrote an article critical of the Museveni regime. "A certain Adrian Bloomfield writing in the Daily Telegraph says that both tyranny and torture are back with a vengeance to haunt Uganda," Buturo said. "Those who know Uganda will hardly agree with the assessment of this person."

The minister criticised Human Rights Watch over its latest report, which attacked Uganda's new approach to the fight against HIV/Aids.

"Neither HRW nor anyone else has the moral authority to teach Uganda how to fight HIV/Aids," he said. "Our record in fighting HIV/Aids is well known to the whole world, except HRW."

Buturo said the hate campaign against Museveni and the NRM started in 2003 when the government supported a proposal to lift presidential term limits.

Buturo also questioned the motives of an international convention on Uganda's governance organised by Ugandans in the diaspora. The conference will start on April 3 in the United Kingdom.

"It is reported that the objectives of this is to determine whether the constitutional changes taking place in Uganda will lead to adoption of federalism, human rights and good governance in the country," Buturo said.

Buturo said he had turned down an invitation to the convention.

"The government has no problem with individuals deciding to make it their business to discuss evolving political developments in Uganda," he said. "Its firm stance is premised on a firm belief that the masters of Uganda's destiny are the people of Uganda and that there are sufficient and well tested institutions that are capable of mediating different opinions on how Uganda should be governed and by whom."

On Monday the United States government joined a growing list of donors and international figures to criticise the third term campaign.

In its 2004/2005 report on the U.S. support for human rights around the world, the State Department warned that "democratisation could suffer a setback" if the NRM succeeds in removing presidential term limits from the Constitution.

The U.S. State Department had earlier criticised the country's human rights record, accusing security agencies of carrying out torture and illegal detentions.

A British Minister recently questioned Uganda's democratisation process while Irish rock star and anti poverty campaigner Bob Geldof criticised Museveni for aiming to rule for life.

The comments sparked off two pro and anti-third term demonstrations in Kampala last week. Earlier the Dutch Minister for Development Corporation, Ms Agnes van Ardenne, said she had cautioned Museveni against the third term during her visit to Kampala in February.

But Buturo insisted yesterday that neither Museveni nor the government was feeling the pressure because it enjoyed massive support countrywide.

"The difference between this government and others in Africa who have been subjected to this kind of pressure is that we have huge support from our people," he said. "If you have support you don't feel that pressure."

The minister said Ugandan Members of Parliament and the people will decide what is best for Uganda "on their own analysis and not that of others."

Buturo also defended the government's decision to discourage further public demonstrations in the city over the third term campaign.

[Ugnet] International Groups Working Against Museveni - Buturo

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