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6/5/2004 - Final Report to Member and Trustees by Andrew Rice

AR Sub Saharan Africa Andrew Rice Fellow Institute studying politics development Uganda environs Transcript speech delivered Members Trust meeting Institute Current World Affairs Monmouth NJ June By Andrew Rice Ladies Gentlemen evening You Ugandans crazy about greetings salutations A friend story He bought father lived rural village phone There hardly square Africa covered phone network another these Africans being talkers embraced technology wholeheartedly Anyway after months friend village visit respectful young Ugandans their elders found given phone The thing useless friend He tried using friends their traditional greetings Hello Hello How We surviving somehow forth never their point before phone minutes So I going through elaborate introduction Ugandan homecoming speech would entail I notice neglected slaughter honor anyway grievous oversight spirits ancestors unlikely overlook Peter Let though I happy standing before tonight chance about Uganda country terrible beautiful cruel kindhearted calcified wondrously bumptiously alive It country decades world given A place coups buffoonish dictators unspeakable sadism famine disease It among world worst every category which country would excel income infant mortality expectancy It first place world experience force AIDS epidemic It short basket Foreign correspondents ransacked their thesauruses words dismal enough describe depths country misery Journalist David Lamb wrote The Africans Uganda longer exists today viable It disintegrated cluster tribal states Its cities become frontier towns terrorized bandits Seiko watch Its government lection outcasts misfits serving themselves Most bright young Ugandans Idi Amin overthrow already returned There nothing rebuild The economy ernmental infrastructure spirit reconciliation destroyed The Ugandans committed tional suicide Knowing Uganda today comprehend these words could The Uganda I place boisterous people booming economy boundless promise In I lived Kampala skyscrapers popped style movie theaters opened There fancy shopping which possesses Uganda first lator There always cluster nervous Ugandans standing strange moving staircase gerly lifting their climb aboard reluctant ertheless trusting curious contraption safely upward Living Kampala world relative affluence comfort eternal degree would think Uganda destined ascend forever President Yoweri Museveni former rebel leader power certainly encourages Un Museveni leadership Uganda economy grown fastest clips world For country peace though running tensity civil which I address later continues bedevil country north Tribes warred another reconcile least agreed disagree peacefully The vicious cycle broken The birth booming More population under This younger generation Museveni generation never known tyranny experience having village night women pillage fields everyone Little presidential election Museveni campaign slogan No Change If lived Uganda through those 1970s 1980s probably everything So I wonder Ugandans today unhappy And people discontented affluent educated cosmopolitan elite people efited Uganda peace Many evenings during Uganda I outside house evening drink local watering Kasambya Pub I group Ugandan friends there young profession vanguard Museveni generation They enough remember forever complaining about government given peace They railed against their corruption incompetence They ascribed darkest Machiavellian motives Museveni initiative Like Ugandans forever dicting country about collapse civil always seemed disappointed failed implode according their predictions Many after bottles Nile Spe Lager Ugandan friends would boozily declare Museveni worse Amin Of course absurd As Museveni support pointing anyone saying nasty things Amin would whisked sunglasses killed diles Lake Victoria My friends young member Amin really The history Amin regime rarely taught Ugan schools because Museveni government reluctant latent tribal resentments young people hearted people disappeared reason reason Sitting audience tonight Duncan Muhumuza whose father thousands people disappeared under Amin Those reading newsletters doubt story In September soldiers kidnapped local chief named Eliphaz Laki office forcing drive prized Volkswagen Beetle He never again Thirty years later Duncan discov which confessed killing father Those general allegedly ordered killing arrested trial I became fascinated story Eliphaz Laki because I hought offered fascinating window Uganda history Equally interesting however about Uganda present politics The trial every sense fluke For people accused taking killings 1970s 1980s unpunished under Museveni regime Uganda government decided seeking important keeping fragile peace among country warring tribes The talked about Misinformation Ugandans friend recently counted evening Kasambya Pub Idi Amin insisted meeting British diplomat thatch roofed which specially designed white kneel entered Or stories about Amin kicked Ugan Indian descent confiscating their property creating black millionaires But comes AR Ugandans Amin accused murdering rationalization outright denial common Last August exiled Amin deathbed Saudi Arabian hospital young Ugan acquaintance blame dictator bloodshed It nature African governments torture killing Af Amin thousands Muslims country gathered their mosques traditional prayers mourning remember great newspaper obituary One eulogist We apologize those whose Amin stepped That Ugandans Amin crimes stepping minor inconsideration My Ugandan friends heard things worse after Amin overthrown A liber ating Tanzania which finally gotten Amin antics invaded Amin rotten regime quickly crumbled after tumultuous tured three presidents coups Ta nzanians installed Uganda first independence leader Milton Obote Obote talented leader years exile shrunken heart nights whiskey drinking muddled His regime proved bloodthirsty Amin When losing candidate rigged presidential elections named Yoweri Museveni launched civil against government Obote which mostly northern tribal kinsmen launched campaign brutal reprisals against civilians south where Museveni operating An estimated civilians killed known Luwero Triangle 1980s though massacred their government After 1980s skulls victims stacked along through Luwero macabre reminder inhuman before Museveni But those skulls buried Like history Uganda tribulations interred consigned history desire commemorate remember Occasionally suits purposes Museveni raise specter 1970s 1980s remain power could happen again But president encouraged people forget The ernment commemorate anniversary Amin overthrow Museveni would rather Ugandans focus present Uganda today Uganda I experienced The Uganda western visitors lavish praise It thing An African success story One typical visitor editor Times London traveled Uganda enjoyed president produced profile which called Museveni blend physically philo sophically Nelson Mandela Deng Xiaoping anointed I quote model leader blighted continent President Bill Clin visited Uganda hailed Museveni leader described African renaissance There truth portrayal It country longer It under Museveni country forefront fighting AIDS epidemic prevalence HIV Uganda fallen sharply though really decreased still matters debate It Kampala decent sandwich drink dance night about govern heart content reflex ively Museveni newspaper called The Monitor However around center Kampala superficial prosperity capital mingles shantytown poverty Drive little outside reach countryside farms thatch roofed where people For Museveni effor Uganda today still frightfully country where farmer would light I brought bread pound sugar I The HIV prevalence country where everyone I constantly attend funerals often women prime their lives people prominent business academia government service The stigma still surrounding AIDS people speak euphemisms about Obituary writers sufficiently innocu cause death favorite these circum locutions occurred recently Uganda foreign minister according government owned paper quote breathing difficulties Epidemiologists often about Ugandan miracle country success I several people HIV positive again affluent young profession I talking friends judging number fathered illegitimate children seems Ugandan vigilance comes using condoms waning least Uganda democratic But still something western swept charm Museveni perficial Kampala prefer admit least dwell Museveni promised Uganda delivered He called people forgive forget followed He coaxed bribed rebel groups laying their He insti tuted system local councils which smallest village which INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ample democracy purest least theory Actually I should stipulate phrase least theory needs attached everything I speech since practice Uganda government tends wildly inconsistent society itself I wrote article about driving Ugandans legalities ignore their Under Museveni there presidential elections while exactly models Jeffersonian virtue least entirely rigged Uganda presi qualities He intelligent canny political tactician strong military leader charming interlocutor enlightened issues public policy If oppor tunity speak eloquent downright hilarious orator But Museveni thuggish circum stances demand particularly feels power threatened In election member inner circle defected opposition against Museveni ruling Movement party unleashed paramilitary gangs countryside Op position activists subjected harassment intimi worse Human rights groups decry istence network houses where political dissidents allegedly tortured secret police The government denies existence these houses everyone knows exist Museveni never secret contempt political opponents In March speech Uganda parliament those government quote people suits uniform night Don around freedom fighters warned You Mugabe Unlike Robert Mugabe onetime international darling Zimbabwe pariah state Museveni still enjoys considerable among world leaders people In efits lowered expectations anyone would improvement Ugandan leaders preceded Paradoxically though Museveni ernment today victim success Ugandans longer afraid their leaders asking One first people I I Uganda named David Ouma Balikowa manag editor The Monitor newspaper As lunch posed question How longer thank simply killing Given enthusiasm previous Ugandan showed killing their countrymen might argue gratitude order But devil advocate moment other record Western leaders often point Museveni solid regional statesman But reality since Museveni power relations neighbors uniformly chilly He major supporter SPLA rebels southern Sudan RPA rebels power Rwanda various miscreant warlords disintegrated nation known Congo You argue rebels Museveni supported governments fighting particu larly Rwa where Hutu govern organizing villagers apart their Tutsi neighbors exactly spreading kisses around region And Congo Uganda involvement almost completely indefensible A United Nations investigation found ranking officers including Museveni brother getting filthy diamonds timber other resources looted Congo bountiful eastern Meanwhile estimated million Congolese How about Museveni brilliant military leader Again there reputation meets Consider miserable record putting ravaged Uganda north years The ethnic politics 1980s After Museveni overthrew government soldiers defeated north their tribal homeland There reorganized themselves rebel armies Then through complicated events these former soldiers under spell youthful local witchdoctor named Alice Lakwena Lakwena channeling spirits fighters joined movement would impervious bullets rocks tossed their enemies would transformed grenades Needless viable strategy Lakwena miraculous victories But Ugandan eventually rebels Lakwena exile Kenya where still lives Eventually though young follower Lakwena named Joseph Kony along mantle Under Kony rebels which known Lord Resistance Army LRA since stopped fighting against government troops Instead attack civilians their tribesmen killing adults kidnapping children The given forced fight The girls concubines divvied among LRA leaders Museveni foremost military AR forever promising Kony boasting rebels season But continues Since government launched offensive gotten worse In Kony kidnapped around according UNICEF which roughly amount abducted during entirety rebellion prior offensive Why Museveni declared liberator Africa enslavement Many ticians north ethnic rivalries predisposed think worst about Museveni president deliberately trying prolong since keeps their people imperiled impover ished I believe Museveni nothing proud ragtag apocalyptic proven resilient against source humilia What seems apparent though compla cency corruption malaise afflicts Museveni government seeped effort Recently discovered I should emphasize discovered thousands soldiers perhaps third estimates simply exist Army paymasters invented ghost soldiers order collect their paychecks Under Museveni ranking officers drive around model Mercedes SUVs They amassed herds cattle They constructed mansions lords Kampala hills The former commander currently building gigantic luxury hotel village Meanwhile friend recently returned front lines civil north combatants visit government soldiers wearing trudging around flops Little wonder fight Museveni claims against LRA after recently pointed Kony doesn control single village But strategist observed I quote In revolution warfare insurgent surviving being eliminated itself success The strategist I quoting I should Yoweri Museveni wrote these words about rilla struggle By definition Uganda presi losing So Museveni legacy Will membered father democracy Uganda nevolent dictator worst scenario dictator started benevolent Will remembered saved Uganda lulled thinking everything fixed Will Uganda Nelson Mandela Robert Mugabe I believe answer these questions apparent Uganda reached crucial crossroads historical moment which Museveni commitment democracy tested tolerance dissent sorely tried For Uganda issue dominated political discus And issue future Museveni himself In years after Museveni power elected assembly produced constitution Uganda Under constitution president limited terms office The following Museveni election The president nomadic cattle keeping tribe exact birthday But about years according consti tution should preparing retire ranch western Uganda after beloved His lonely while longer though The calls constitutional amendment allow Museveni third began shortly after I arrived Uganda They volume entire I there It clear calls orchestrated president himself people close He systematically purged administration prominent ministers spoke critically third In recent months supposedly spontaneous rallies popped country where people draped dried banana leaves third support songs praise president deprive country wisdom Meanwhile political groups opposed third effort their peaceful meetings broken policemen gangs thugs recruited local parks Museveni supporters claim revise constitution simply about democracy It people right determine leads right So narrow public choices eliminating popular experienced qualified candidate Museveni opponents whose ranks swelling people served rebel supported government whole exercise attempt power People known Museveni years noticed change about Recently I visit Augustine Ruzindana member parliament leader resistance against Museveni third Ruzindana great personal courage In Museveni fighting against Amin Ruzindana infiltrate Uganda recruit young rebels Later Museveni finally power Ruzindana served Uganda first Inspector General Government office created fight corrup He known Museveni since schoolboys Ruzindana I quote His world outlook changed There doubt style INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS changed He ascetic person highly disci plined Now these things changed He likes I think likes power He likes luxury He money I think dislikes people disagree hates I heard points other Ugandans The government corruption particularly grating Of course Uganda unique count sadly greedy governments Africa But Museveni promised something different When power cultivated upright image When troops Kampala warned looting soldiers would early years lieutenants renowned their relatively lifestyles This longer holds One comrade years health minis built house village luxuri hotel Another environ minister recently busted importing illegal timber Congo The president brother Lieutenant General Salim Saleh plays Ugan politics combines aspects RFK Billy Carter Bob Marley Robin Hood keeps getting caught cookie Occasionally slapped It seems clear matters Museveni financial honesty personal loyalty One friend college president repeatedly turned entreaties serve government minister I politics I nessman friend Museveni That president replied In government Though there plenty rumors Museveni never conclusively linked large scale corruption But leaders stayed power shown growing disregard perceptions while simultaneously incidentally displaying extreme concern about security The president increasingly clumsy political touch dramatized dramatically recent scandal The Ugandan newspapers found patched ughter Germany aboard presiden order birth The hundreds thousands dollars The newspapers pointed Kampala plenty private hospitals perfectly suited bringing presidential grandkid world Museveni instead apologizing penned rambling letter editor The Monitor which among other things revealed refuses examined Ugandan doctors might poison After letter appeared leader opposi party wrote newspaper reply which headlined Uganda Has No Facilities To Treat This Paranoia Other recent incidents indicate being ordinary airplane scandal cation isolated president become rounded cocoon loyal The degree which president seems touch public least elite Kampala opinion dramatized recent satirical At production playwright actor carted series three paper mache busts Museveni intended depict president changed One The middle missing And third But president hearing people people hearing Since majority Ugan population still lives rural areas impossible gauge popular Museveni third initiative really What certain though people within ranks country educated elite within government opposed Every government minister which AIDS fairly frequently discover privately opposed third The recent example these posthumous moments weeks attorney general killed accident It subsequently record conver sation before promi Ugandan journalist attorney general pressed doubts about president going about efforts power Reportedly journalist president brushed aside Ugandans conspiracy theories after accident rumors abounded about really torney general I inclined however believe simplest explanation which drive breakneck speed deserted potholed night Later Ugandan papers would before accident attorney general appeared awards ceremony which spoke I quote unusually Having heard share Ugandan politicians speak I shudder think about papers meant unusually A cautionary public speaker So shift telling about Uganda present making predictions about future I think President Museveni intentions fairly clear He plans power going niggling tails country constitution stand The question Ugandans respond When I opposition leaders I struck their sivity Most often America going foreign impose sanctions maybe AR invade Iraq The truth First World potential influence Uganda fairly limited especially question Museveni political survival As Robert Mugabe proves nations world another country leader There pressure within And I precious little Uganda today On occasions I heard Ugandans eloquently about necessity change Then I asked whether would illing streets What reply looking incredulously And It Museveni never secret contempt peaceful protest opponents govern complain attention start rebel But there something distressing sense among people Uganda tureis their hands It donor countries intervene America United Nations It Ugandans might impression seeing their government budget comes other countries But truth question leadership Ugandans I people Uganda think their country toward abyss willing their their comfortable houses their school tuition quixotic fight If there peace transition power Uganda though these people bring about through words action So where I There still Uganda baffled infuriated filled greatest wonder grope strange adjectives Sometimes I I understand place today I I parted America years But again subject inquiry We reduce elements molecules ecules atoms atoms protons neutrons quarks never bottom stuff But because answers elusive doesn questions worth asking You I first arrived Uganda I thought Yoweri Museveni might answer Africa After I spent there I thought might Africa problem But lately I heart softening towards I think means I think wants country I think vision Uganda future It there little Augustine Ruzindana Museveni comrade present political opponent observation I thought profound He think Museveni desire president about power least solely about power He thought about legacy mortality about friend unfinished Like Museveni feels weight bearing I relate feeling A couple I plane happy I accomplished tinged regret unfinished plans If I another I thought But ICWA Uganda there third terms I return older wiser eternally grateful Thank INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ICWA Letters ISSN publishe Institute Current World Affairs Inc exempt operating founda incorporated New York State offices located West Wheelock St Hanover NH 03755 The letters provided charge members ICWA avail libraries professional searchers subscription Phone E Mail ICWA valley Fax Web Site Executive Director Peter Bird Martin Program Assistant Brent Jacobson Publications Manager Ellen Kozak Institute Current World Af fairs The Crane Rogers Founda The Information contained newsletter reprinted republished without express written consent Institute Current World Affairs Author Rice Andrew Title ICWA Letters Sub Saharan Africa ISSN Imprint Institute Current World Affairs Hanover NH Material Type Serial Language English Frequency Monthly Other Regions East Asia Mideast North Africa Sout Asia Europe Russia The Americas Institute Fellows chosen basis character previous experience promise They young professionals funded spend minimum years carrying designed programs study writing outside United States The Fellows required report their findings experiences field month They write subject formally informally The result unique reporting analysis periodic assessment interna tional events issues