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| Africa Subsaharan |
| UN rights boss criticises Uganda protest crackdown |
| 2011-05-02 |
| [Pak Daily Times] The top UN human rights ...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... official urged Uganda on Sunday to halt "excessive force" against demonstrators, which she said had turned peaceful protests over food and fuel prices into a national crisis. Eight people have been killed and more than 250 treated in Kampala's Mulago hospital for injuries during three weeks of unrest in the east African country, United Nations ...an organization whose definition of human rightsis interesting, to say the least... High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in a statement. The treatment of opposition leader Kizza Besigye during his latest arrest was "shocking" and it is reported that he has still has not fully recovered his sight after being sprayed at point-blank range with pepper spray on Thursday, she said. "The excessive use of force by security officers was plain to see in the television footage of the event. While I do not condone the violent rioting that followed, the Ugandan authorities must realize that their own actions have been the major factor in turning what were originally peaceful protests about escalating food and fuel prices into a national crisis," Pillay said. President Yoweri Museveni vowed on Saturday to defeat the protests. He accused organisers of plotting to destabilise his government through looting. The unrest has the potential to unnerve investors in east Africa's third largest economy and weaken its currency, the Ugandan shilling. Noting that further protests were planned for Monday, Pillay said Ugandans must be allowed their right to peaceful assembly, and their legitimate concerns about the increased cost of living and demands for wider political dialogue must be addressed. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #1 Riots in africa over food/fuel prices are a little bit to do with the falling value of the US$ As it falls, food and fuel prices rise in US$ terms. But Africans find it hard to scrabble up more US$. Except Nigeria which counterfeits them. So the food/fuel goes up in real terms there. When the stomach is empty that's when the riots start |
| Posted by: anon1 2011-05-02 08:01 |