UGANDA
CONFIDENTIAL
Report by Eåst African Department
General Observations
In
If any trend is discernible it is for the level of violence in Uganda to diminish. This is however more a reflection of the fact that all serious opponents of the Government have either been killed or have already fled the country than of a positive relaxation in President Amin's methods of maintaining power. certain individual cases brutality and murder have been the product of the indiscipline of the security forces; but the overall responsibility for their action remains clearly that of the regime.
Right No.
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Since the immediate post-coup period (when approximately 700 to 800 people were summarily imprisoned) there has been relatively little use made of imprisonment without trial. Serious opponents of the regime have simply disappeared and are presumed to have been killed; estimates of the numbers vary between 25,000 and 250,000. (1975 population of Uganda 11.5 million.)
Brutal and degrading torture of prisoners is the norm; it is difficult to be so sure about the systematic use of torture, although this is certainly practised.
Rating suggested by Department
10
10
O
There is no evidence of the existence of slavery.
(iv)
All media are totally controlled by the Government.
10
(v)
10
(vi)
The judiciary is cowed and is anyway largely by-passed in the case of major criminal charges, which are dealt with by military tribunals with power to impose the death penalty.
The trade unions are largely subservient to the Government.
CONFIDENTIAL
8
/(vii)
Those
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