Reminiscent of the deadly riots of the Rwandan genocide, three days of riots in neighboring Uganda have so far left more than 20 people dead and nearly 100 others injured.
Similar to the horrors in Rwanda which claimed the lives of thousands of men, women and children -- rioters in Uganda heard “sectarian” broadcasts last week that “systematically incited the listeners to cause chaos and destruction wherever they could,” said a statement issued by Minister of Information and National Guidance Kabakumba Masiko. It described those who took part in the rioting in Kampala and its suburbs as “marauding thugs.”
The broadcasts aired in the Buganda Kingdom -- one of the four major kingdoms which comprise Uganda. Many of the rioters were Baganda between the ages of 18 and 35. The Baganda are Uganda's dominant ethnic group, making up about 16.9 percent of the population. Ethnic and political tension between the kingdom and the central government had been escalating over the past few weeks.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
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