Word: amins
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...country increasingly gripped by hate-and fear of what might happen next. The nation's Asian community was broken apart as 50,000 of its members who hold British passports prepared to depart in a mass expulsion ordered by Uganda's dictator. President Idi ("Big Daddy") Amin. He in turn was becoming increasingly frenetic, creating nine new provinces on one day, firing 29 of the country's top police officers on another. Most of the army remained under control, but drunken soldiers went on rampages in the provinces. About a dozen European and American tourists were beaten...
...Amin himself was more than usually unpredictable. He declared that tiny Rwanda was harboring thousands of Israeli agents bent on sabotaging his regime; Rwanda nervously asked Belgium for help in case it was invaded by Uganda. At home, Amin ordered a ban on teenagers' dances and announced that men should bow to him before stating their business, and that women should kneel...
Uganda's Asians meantime made preparations for what had become a flight as much as an expulsion. In talks with TIME Correspondent John Blashill, several of the Asians described their dilemma. "There is nothing left for us here," declared an Asian doctor-one of those exempt from Amin's expulsion order. Said a millionaire businessman: "Money is not our concern. What is money? It is sand flowing through the fingers. If we lose everything, we can start again somewhere else, on another beach." An Asian schoolteacher agreed. "My classes are 95% African," he said. "They are being told...
Under British prodding, Amin softened his stand somewhat: physicians, dentists, lawyers, teachers and some technicians will be allowed to stay on in Uganda. For the rest, there is no place where they can expect a welcome. India will only take back Asians holding Indian passports. The British use a technique called "shuttlecocking" to keep unwanted Asians out, bouncing those who exceed the quota right back on planes the minute they land. Increasingly, European countries resent having rejected Asians dumped on them; as British-passport holders they are Britain's responsibility. Brussels police announced last week that any Asians sent...
There was little chance that Amin would change his mind, despite Britain's threat to withdraw its economic aid -$10 million a year-if he carries out the expulsion. Amin declared that "Uganda will not stop functioning without British assistance." Perhaps not, but its economy could virtually come to a halt without the Asians. Amin warned his countrymen last week that there will be grave scarcities of goods and other hardships "while Uganda consolidates its position"-which may cancel out any political benefit he gains by expelling the Asian merchants...