Uganda’s most outspoken activist and four time presidential Dr kizza Besigye has asked regional and international human rights organisation to interest themselves in investigation circumstances that led the death of over 59 people after the arrest of Robert Kyagulanyi.
“The massacre and extreme violence; the level and extent of Human Rights abuses; and the arrogance and impunity that has been displayed in various parts of Uganda are quite ominous, to say the least.
It’s increasingly clear that the extreme violence and Human Rights abuses were premeditated, institutionally organised and executed.
Most of the killings were carried out by armed people that were in civilian clothes, who travelled in vehicles with heavily tinted glasses and civilian number plates or no number plates at all. They deliberately targeted and shot (to kill) people or whisked them away in their “civilian” vehicles.
These killer squads must have been coordinated with the uniformed Police and Military troops that were heavily deployed in all areas because they freely mingled with them.
There was no threat of people armed with guns among those rioting. Indeed, there was hardly any soldier putting on body armour in anticipation of such a threat.
What was witnessed was planned outright election violence. Just like the 2016 post-election Kasese massacre, there are now calls for an independent inquiry into the November 18/19th Kampala massacre.
No one can investigate their own crimes. Up to now, no one even knows the exact number of deaths and serious casualties.
This is why sub-regional, regional and international bodies should step forward and discharge the responsibilities of their bodies’ Constitutive Acts and treaties. Sadly, for now, they’re all conspicuous by their total silence!
A stitch in time saves nine. It may, soon, be too late to meaningfully help.”
Wounded Activist 