By Kennedy Lule & David Kibirige
July 21, 2003 -Monitor
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Family could bring Amin's body back Former President Idi Amin Dada's body may be returned for burial in Uganda, a government official has said.
Mr Amin would, however, not be accorded a state burial nor would the government meet the funeral and other expenses, like flying back his body. Amin is in coma, at the King Fahad Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He is suffering from high-blood pressure and related complications, according to his wife, Ms Nalongo Madina. He has been in coma for nearly two weeks, but he "at least moved his body today" Madina told The Monitor last night even as the WBS Television announced that Amin had "died". "There is no big improvement and he is still in coma. But he at least moved his body a bit today for the first time," Madina said. Madina said that she had just spoken to Mr Mwanga Amin and Mr Hussein Kato who were by their father's bedside in Riyadh. Madina said that she plans to travel to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on the instructions of Amin's other son, Mr Wasswa Amin, who is in the United States. "I think they may not be looking after him very well. The children have advised me to go and look after Ssalongo because they thought Mwanga and Hussein might not manage by themselves," Madina told The Monitor last night. Madina said that Wasswa was sponsoring her travel, but she needed the government to endorse her visa application to the Saudi embassy in Kampala. A senior government official yesterday told The Monitor that President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday directed his officers to pass on a message to Amin's family. "No sensible government would bring back Amin's body. His record is known internationally and I don't think Saudi Arabia would attempt to do so," the official said. The official strangely refused to be named or quoted on the record. The Attorney General, Mr Francis Ayume, also refused to comment on whether Amin would stand trial given his health and advanced age. "I won't answer," Ayume said and hang up. Ms Mary Okurut, the presidential press secretary, would also not comment, leaving the matter to the Minister for the Presidency, Mr Kirunda Kivejinja. He said last night that he is still waiting for communication from Mr Museveni before issuing an official statement. Amin's family in Kampala yesterday confirmed that they had received Museveni's message. Nalongo Madina Amin, the former President's favourite wife, had asked Museveni to allow her husband to return and "die from home". Madina's request was reportedly turned down on the grounds that the former President has to answer for human rights abuses during his eight-year rule, from 1971 to 1979, when he was overthrown by a combined force of Ugandan exiles and the Tanzanian army. Amin initially fled into exile in Libya, but later moved to Saudi Arabia where he has quietly lived since. Amin seized power from Mr Milton Obote on January 25, 1971. MPs support family The government's apparent refusal to pardon Amin and let a very sick man return home, yesterday drew criticism from several members of Parliament. Arua Municipality MP, Mr Saidi Nasur Okuti, said that it was "inhuman" not to forgive Amin. "How do you punish the body by denying him a state burial? He remains President despite his shortcomings," Okuti said. Ms Anim Angupale (Arua woman MP) wondered why Amin would not be honoured for the sake of building confidence within the population in northern Uganda. "How can [the Lord's Resistance Army rebel leader Joseph] Kony take government seriously when it calls for reconciliation yet it wants even to humiliate Amin's body?" Angupale said that history would horribly repeat itself if the government blocked the return of Amin's body or denied him a state funeral the way Obote did to the body of Sir Fredrick Mutesa II, the Kabaka and first president of Uganda who died in exile, in London, in 1969. "The Baganda should join us and demand for Amin's return. Amin returned Mutesa's body and gave the Kabaka a state funeral. Amin also rescued Ugandans from economic slavery by the Asians. All this should not be ignored," Angupale said yesterday. The Lwemiyaga MP, Mr Theodore Ssekikubo, wondered why the government would not let Amin return yet his for lieutenants such as the First Deputy Prime Minister, Lt. Gen. Moses Ali, have been promoted and are serving Museveni's government. Lubaga South MP, Mr Ken Lukyamuzi, wondered why the government preaches reconciliation yet it won't forgive Amin. Adjumani woman MP, Ms Jesca Eriyo, said that the government should state clearly whether Amin is eligible for amnesty under the Amnesty Act. Madina Amin has, meanwhile, pleaded with the public not to be taken up by speculation on Amin's health, and promised to provide immediate information if anything happened to her husband. |
© 2003 The Monitor Publications
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