Uganda Amnesty International was concerned
about the wide-ranging detention without trial of alleged opponents of the government Several hundred were detained by the civil authorities under the Public Order and Security Act, in many cases without full observance of their legal rights. Many others were detained unlawfully by the military authorities and reportedly tortured. Some reportedly "disappeared" in military custody or were killed. Amnesty International was also concerned about reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by soldiers and about the use of the death penalty. President Milton Obote's government continued to face armed opposition in central and northwestern Uganda from the National Resistance Army, Uganda Freedom Movement and Uganda National Rescue Front Many unarmed civilians were allegedly killed by the army but the government denied these allegations. Amnesty International also received reports of killings by opposition guerrilla organizations. As a result of the insecurity and violence, several thousand people fled to neighbouring countries. Some 150,000 other people were placed in "displaced persons" camps under army control where many were reportedly ill-treated by soldiers. In April, Amnesty International published the correspondence with the government that followed a mission to Uganda in January 1982. Amnesty International had submitted recommendations for the protection of basic human rights but few of these recommendations appeared to have been implemented. In particular, the government had not initiated an independent inquiry into allegations of torture or killings and had not taken steps to end arbitrary executions by the army. Large numbers of people were arrested during 1983 on suspicion of supporting armed opposition organizations. In Kampala, hundreds of people at a time were detained in a number of panda gari ("get in the lorry") operations, carried out by police and military officials. Although most such detainees were believed to have been quickly released, a considerable number were reportedly detained for further interrogation. Several hundred people were detained under the Public Order and Security Act, which provides for indefinite detention without charge or trial. They were held at Luzira Upper Prison, a maximum security prison administered by the Prison Service. On 12 August the government acknowledged that 92 people had been detained under this act in the first half of 1983, when it published a list of 359 people who were still in detention following their arrest between 1979 and 1983. Amnesty International, however, believed that the actual number of detainees was much higher and that the government had failed to observe the constitutional requirement that all those detained under the act should be named in the government gazette within one month and thereafter at six-monthly intervals. The constitution also requires that all detentions should be reviewed within two months by an independent Detention Review Tribunal, at which detainees may appear with legal representation, and thereafter at six-monthly intervals. The findings of the tribunal are not binding on the government and are not published The tribunal reviewed a small proportion of detentions in early 1983 but many detentions were allegedly not reviewed at all during the year. Several prisoners detained under this act in 1983 were members of the legally permitted opposition Democratic Party and were apparently arrested for their non-violent political activities. Among them was the Reverend Francis Kizito, a Roman Catholic priest from Mpigi district, who was arrested in January and publicly accused of having visited guerrilla camps in 1981. He was released uncharged in October. Another prisoner who was still detained without charge at the end of 1983 was Ambrose Okullo, a former deputy Minister of Education and an unsuccessful Democratic Party parliamentary candidate. The government made no reply to Amnesty International's inquiries into the grounds for his detention and about the detention of several others whom Amnesty International believed could be prisoners of conscience. Yoweri Kyesimira, a Democratic Party member of parliament and former university professor, was arrested on 12 March and charged with treason for allegedly having met guerrilla leaders in 1981. By the end of 1983 no date had been set for his trial. Amnesty International was investigating whether he had been detained because of his nonviolent political activities. Amnesty International received information that large numbers of other people were arrested by the army ostensibly for having links with the guerrillas. Details were difficult to obtain but the organization received information indicating that many people were held without official acknowledgement and incommunicado in military custody, although the army has no power in law to detain civilians. It was alleged that people arrested by the army in the Kampala area were usually taken initially to military interrogation offices in Nile Mansions in Kampala, and then transferred to Makindye, Mbuya or Malire barracks in Kampala or certain private houses in Kampala under military control. It was also alleged that torture and ill-treatment of such detainees in military custody were common and some were alleged to have "disappeared" in military custody, although such reports were invariably difficult to verify. Former detainees, including alleged torture victims, told Amnesty International that other detainees had been arbitrarily executed or had died in custody as a result of torture, starvation or the denial of medical treatment In July Amnesty International made urgent appeals on behalf of Pius Kawere, a lawyer and Democratic Party member, who was held without official acknowledgement in Mbuya barracks. He had been arrested in Mukono on 22 April by a military intelligence officer. He was released in August after being held in harsh conditions together with almost 100 other civilian detainees, many of whom had been tortured. Amnesty International made inquiries to the authorities about several other prisoners who were reportedly tortured while in military custody. Amnesty International later learned of the transfer of some of the detainees to detention in civil custody and the release of certain others, reportedly after their relatives had paid bribes to military officials. A number, however, were feared to have "disappeared". In one case documented by Amnesty International, Patrick Kibaalya, a primary school headmaster in Jinja, was arrested by soldiers on 20 February in Jinja, and then "disappeared". It was later learned that he had been taken to Katabi military barracks in Entebbe and tortured so severely that he died two days later. Amnesty International was also investigating allegations of illegal detentions and torture by officials of the National Security Agency, an intelligence unit, and by officers of the Special Force, a para-military police unit Amnesty International expressed concern about the continued detention without trial of several people who were arrested in 1981 and 1982. They included Ben Riling. a Democratic Party supporter and businessperson in Tororo, and Silver Tibihika, an army lieutenant. Amnesty International repeated its calls for thorough investigations into the "disappearance" of several people arrested by the army in 1981, including Beatrice Kemigisha, a Makerere University lecturer, and Constantin Kabazaire, a former magistrate. The government continued to deny that they had been arrested. In March, Amnesty International received some information from the Minister of Internal Affairs concerning prisoners about whom it had inquired in 1982, but its request for clarification in a number of cases, and further investigations into -disappearances" received no response. In January 200 detainees were released from Luzira Upper Prison. They were believed to have included some political detainees as well as some of the 60 or more former soldiers of ex- President Amin's army who had been detained without trial since 1979. In October the government announced the release of 2,100 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the 20th anniversary of Uganda's independence. The government did not disclose details of those released, most of whom were apparently convicted criminal prisoners, although some had been detained under the Public Order and Security Act and had been the subject of inquiries by Amnesty International. At the end of 1983 several hundred detainees were still believed to be held in Luzira Upper Prison. Amnesty International received allegations of torture throughout 1983 of detainees held in military custody. The allegations were made by detainees who survived and were later released, detainees' relatives, and others. Detainees interrogated in Nile Mansions military offices were reportedly stripped naked and severely beaten with sticks and gun butts, and given little or no food for days at a time. Particularly severe torture reportedly occurred at Makindye and Kireka barracks. Detainees in Makindye barracks were said to be subjected to beatings and assaults with bayonets, some being shot in the limbs. Many allegedly died as a result of torture, starvation or being shot. Torture methods reported in Kireka barracks included burning sensitive parts of the body, beatings and shootings. Reports of torture were also received in respect of military detention centres in other parts of the country, for example in Bombo, Tororo and Mpigi. People held at local administrative centres in Luwero and Mpigi districts were also reportedly tortured. Amnesty International inquired about a number of such cases in 1983 but received no replies from the authorities. Prison conditions for those held in military custody after interrogation were also said to be harsh. Detainees were held incommunicado in dirty, overcrowded cells. They were given very little food and were denied medical treatment. Prison conditions for political detainees held in civil custody by the police or prison service -- including those held in Luzira Upper Prison - were believed to be much better in comparison. Numerous reports were received of the arbitrary and illegal killing of civilians by military personnel, both in areas of military activity against the guerrillas and in urban and rural areas outside any area of armed conflict The government maintained that it investigated any cases of abuse of power by soldiers but few soldiers were known to have been charged with offences of violence against civilians. In one case, a soldier was charged with the murder of an opposition member of parliament, Africano Ssembattya, on 2 October, but the circumstances of the incident were not known to Amnesty International and the trial had not started by the end of the year. Deaths of non-combatant civilians allegedly at the hands of the military were rarely investigated by the police and no inquests were known to have been held in such cases. Political killings by opposition guerrilla organizations were also reported. Allegations that specific killings were committed either by government or by anti-government forces were generally difficult to corroborate. The absence of detailed accounts of the incidents from official sources or eye-witnesses, as well as the high level of insecurity in the areas where the killings occurred, contributed to the difficulties Amnesty International faced in seeking to attribute responsibility for the killings. In Kikyusa village in Bulemezi county in Luwero district, up to 100 people were killed in a "displaced persons" camp at the end of May. The government blamed the killings on opposition guerrillas wearing army uniform, but other sources alleged that the perpetrators were in fact government soldiers. Despite international concern about this incident, no independent inquiry was known to have been initiated by the government In August a government spokesperson admitted in parliament that the killing of 30 people in Ssonde and Jinja villages in Mukono District on 18 March by men in army uniform had been carried out by soldiers, although the government had earlier blamed the killings on guerrilla opponents. He stated that the kMings were a "mistake" but Amnesty International has no knowledge of any further investigation into the incident or of any action taken against those responsible. In September, over 60 people arrested in Mpigi West district and held in Mpigi prison were reportedly taken out by soldiers and killed nearby. The government did not reply to Amnesty International's inquiries about the incident. Amnesty International received information that some 23 prisoners were awaiting execution in Luzira Upper Prison in March. They were all reported to have been convicted of murder and armed robbery and sentenced to death since 1979. It was not known how many death sentences were imposed in 1983 or whether any executions were carried out. EM On the 49th Parallel Thé Mulindwas Communication Group "With Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja and Dr. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda is in anarchy" Kuungana Mulindwa Mawasiliano Kikundi "Pamoja na Yoweri Museveni, Ssabassajja na Dk. Kiiza Besigye, Uganda ni katika machafuko"
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