UGANDA: Uganda promises security after riots target Asians

Business comes to a standstill in Kampala as Ugandans of Indian origin refuse to open their shops fearing for their safety. Uganda's president assured Kampala residents of their safety on Friday (April 13), a day after rioters targeting Asians stoned one man to death during a protest over an Indian firm's plans to develop part of a rainforest reserve. Soldiers patrolled the capital where police fired tear gas and bullets on Thursday (April 12) to scatter hundreds of people demonstrating against a proposal to axe nearly a third of one of Uganda's last natural forests to make way for growing sugarcane. An Asian man was stoned to death by a mob and at least two rioters were shot dead, apparently by private security guards. "To attack, insult or damage the property of any Ugandan or guests of Uganda is something the government will not tolerate," President Yoweri Museveni said in a statement, expressing his condolences to the families of the three people killed. Scenes of Asian men dragged off motorbikes and beaten while others cowered in besieged city centre shops and a Hindu temple brought back bitter memories of 1972, when Uganda's late former dictator Idi Amin expelled the country's 75,000 Asians. Several thousand have since returned, but are viewed with suspicion by some Ugandans who resent their domination of many businesses, particularly small scale retailing. " I just want to close the shop, I want to go back, I want to run, so you can understand we are not comfortable at all, in this atmosphere no body can do business, we are worried about our properties" said Asian shopkeeper Dikan Kalyani speaking to Reuters as he stood outside his business. Many of Thursday's demonstrators carried placards telling Indians to leave Uganda, and as the protest turned bloody armed police had to rescue more than 100 Asian men. "The one who is trying to take our forest is an Indian, now they are coming, others are selling pancakes here, now there are many coming coming, in Uganda we don't want them to come, now he is the one who is selling our land, now they are going to come continue continue, we don't want them here" said Kampala resident Henry Nsubuga. The latest controversy began last year when Museveni ordered a study into whether to slash 7,000 hectares (17,000 acres), or nearly a third, of Mabira Forest to expand the sugar plantations of the Indian-owned Mehta Group. S.C. Sharma, regional director of the Sugar Corporation of Uganda, a Mehta subsidiary, said the violence was tragic. Mabira, which lies about 50 km (30 miles) east of Kampala, has been a nature reserve since 1932. Critics say losing part of it would have grave ecological consequences, from increased soil erosion to the drying up of rivers and rainfall, and the removal of a buffer against polluting nearby Lake Victoria. Museveni says conservation is a luxury not afforded by poor countries seeking development, and that he will not be swayed by people who fail to see Africa's future lies in processing goods.

ITN Source | April 14, 2007

Tags:. .acres. .statement. .apparently. .refuse. .luxury