Word: amins
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Uganda celebrated the tenth anniversary of its independence from Britain last week. It was hardly an occasion for rejoicing. Under its unpredictable military ruler, General Idi ("Big Daddy") Amin Dada, the country has drifted closer and closer to chaos. It was an especially bitter holiday for Uganda's 10,000 Asian citizens, who have watched helplessly while Amin ordered the expulsion of tens of thousands of other Asians with British or Indian passports. Last week, after Amin "suggested" that they take part in the anniversary parade, the Asians responded with a pathetic gesture of "loyalty" to the regime that...
...salute set the pied crows to wheeling and wailing in the sky above Kololo Stadium in Kampala, Uganda's beautiful capital. As 2,000 soldiers led the British-style trooping of the colors, and the crowd sweated in the searing equatorial sun, General Amin flamboyantly conferred an array of honors on his distinguished visitors. The First Class Order of the Source of the Nile went to Somalia's General Mohamed Barre, while the Second Class Order of the same medal was bestowed upon the Sudanese Vice President, Major General Mohamed El-Bagir. Then Big Daddy decorated members...
While the crowd swayed and roared "Dada! Dada!" Amin barreled along, beaming as he inspected his troops, as well as boy scouts and youth leaguers. The Asian marchers brought up the tail end of the parade. As they shambled past, trying to get into step to the band's rendition of Old Folks at Home, African spectators laughed derisively...
...Asians keep their eyes lowered-and perhaps their fingers crossed-as they pass the police and army roadblocks on the way to Entebbe Airport. It is little consolation to them to know that their forced departure is creating an economic crisis with which Amin's government is obviously incapable of coping. "I give the place three months," declares a Kenya businessman who can find no qualified Ugandan to run his Kampala-based company. "Amin may still have a country, but the country will have nothing." The Kenyan adds bitterly: "The general will probably only realize it when he finds...
...sooner had Mobutu left the country than Amin reneged. He would not be able to attend the conference, he said, because he was "busy commanding the armed forces." As for extending the deadline, he denied that he had ever promised to do so. "I continue to believe, until proved wrong," said Mobutu generously in Kinshasa, "that in Kampala I had talks with a real, conscientious and honest statesman. I would be very disappointed if the facts should prove the contrary." Late last week, however, Amin sent U.N. Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim a message saying that the Asians would be allowed...