Forgotten world (32): Uganda
In the 1970s and 1980s, the African nation of Uganda was notorious for its human rights abuses, first during the military dictatorship of Idi Amin from 1971-79 and then after the return to power of Milton Obote, who had been ousted by Amin. During this time up to half a million people were killed in state-sponsored violence.
Since becoming president in 1986, Yoweri Museveni has introduced democratic reforms and has been credited with substantially improving human rights, notably by reducing abuses by the army and the police. However, ever since 1986, the northern part of Uganda has been savaged by a movement called the Lord’s Resistance Army.
This group has abducted 25,000 boys and girls and forced then into military service against government forces. The rebels hack off the lips and ears of suspected government sympathisers. As a result of this chaos, more than 10,000 have been killed and nearly two million people are living in refugeee camps.
Meanwhile Uganda has the dubious honour of being one of the fastest growest countries in the world in population terms. There are 28M living there now but, since a typical Uganda woman gives birth to seven children, by 2025 the population will almost double to 56M ((close to that of Britain) and by 2050 it could be 130M making it the world’s 12th most populous country (bigger than Russia or Japan).