Massacre reports as Amin admits attempt at revolt

Press, 24 February 1977, Page 6

Massacre reports as Amin admits attempt at revolt

NZPA-Reuter Nairobi President Idi Amin of Uganda has admitted that rebellious troops joined an attempt to overthrow his Government, but few details have yet emerged about the extent of the fighting.

The existence of the revolt was revealed by a Radio Uganda report on Wednesday night that Field Marshal Amin had sent condolences Ito the relatives of loyal soldiers who had been killed. The radio did not give the number of casualties. Neither did it say when or where the fighting had taken place. It said members of the armed forces had restored calm “after being overpowered by dissidents in the army who were collaborating with the exiles, Zionists, and imperialist agents to cause chaos in the country.” In Dar-es-Salaam, refugees from Uganda said yesterday that President Amin had launched a purge of the army and the police to “liquidate” all Christian : members and replace them with Moslems and Sudanese loyal to himself. The refugees said thousands of Langi and Achole i tribesmen, almost all Christian, had been massacred, and hundreds of students of (those tribes arrested in Kampala. Uganda Radio also broadcast a warning from President Amin to Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia that he could counter any threat I from his East African neighbours in “less than one I hour”. The refugees, fleeing from (what Church leaders feared I might be a pogrom I against Christians, alter thej I killing of the Anglican Archbishop of Uganda. Dr Janani lLuwum, and two Cabinet) Ministers last week, said that Ugandan troops loyal to President Amin were rounding up Christian elements in

t the military and the police 3 "all over Uganda”. “Orders have been given 1 for all Langi and Achole in s the army, air force, and’ - police throughout Uganda to be liquidated.” one refugee, 2 ; who asked not to be named,: . said. Other refugees arriving’ - in Kenya and Tanzania told: t similar stories. The Langi and Achole are almost exclusively! llChristian, as are about half -’of Uganda’s 11.7 million President Amin -(is Moslem. ,: The refugees said those tlarrested in the Ugandan capital of Kampala were s(being taken to a military /ibarracks at Mubende, 165 km; I'to the west, or to a military; ! training centre at Kabamba, >ls6km south of Mubende. “On arrival they are being [immediately killed,” they . said. . The refugees said that; .other killings were taking; .’place at barracks in Masaka, ( ?Mbarara, Fort Portal, Ka.bale, Karese, Hoima, and f.Masindi. J They said that on Monday: a group of 700 soldiers and ( .(policemen were arrested in .(Kampala and taken to Mu.lbende, where they were L massacred. [( The refugees also told of .(the massacre of “over 2000” L Achole and Langi prisoners (who had been held in Kami pa la for two weeks. They I said the prisoners had been II transported to Kabamba and ((Shot, at the week-end. The refugees said that last' i Thursday Ugandan troops : had gone to Makarere Unil versity in Kampal. and “ar- | /rested all the Langi and - Achole students they could i find”.

!l The secretary-general of ■ the All-Africa Conference of i Churches has asked President Amin to allow the I bodies of the late archbishop > and two Cabinet Ministers , to be exhumed and examined . by international experts. !. Canon Burgess Carr, of I the Nairobi-based A.A.C.C.; ■ said in a telegram to the ;;President: “The only means' ■of removing the blemish ywhicn their death has. i inflicted on Uganda is for i the bodies to be exhumed, and an autopsy performed :by an independent interi national tribunal.” ! Canon Carr was the first | • person to charge that Archil bishop Luwum had been (shot, after the Ugandan , authorities had said that the Archbishop and the Cabinet' Ministers had been killed in; a car crash while trying to I escape. ( The British delegation to (the United Nations Human (Rights Commission in Gen-; eva has been instructed to I call for an inquiry into the I (deaths of Archbishop Luwum and the two Minis-; iters, the British Prime Minister (Mr James Callaghan) I has told the House of Commons. The instructions were the first action of the newly-ap- 1 pointed Foreign Secretary:' (Dr David Owen). !' In Sydney, the Archbishop;’ of Canterbury (Dr Donald:' Coggan) said yesterday that’ Archbishop Luwum had “un■doubtedly” been murdered. ' “There’s pretty good evi- i dence that he was shot in 1 the chest and mouth,” Dr ' ’Coggan told reporters on his •’ arrival for a tour of ' Australia, New Zealand, and ; the Pacific.