Political Blogger Says Crackdown on Opposition in Uganda a 'Grave Development'

P Scott Cummins covers politics, poverty and development issues on the blog "The Urbane R" - the arrest today of main Uganda opposition candidate is the most grave development in East Africa in several years.

(PRWEB) November 16, 2005 -- The Voice of America reported today "Ugandan authorities Monday arrested a top opposition politician and presidential Col. Kizza Besigye as he was leaving a meeting near the capital, Kampala and reportedly charged him with treason.

Violence erupted as crowds surrounded the convoy of Kizza Besigye as he and members of his Forum for Democratic Change party were being escorted to the central police station in Kampala."

With American and coalition soldiers fighting and dying in sacrifice for democracy in Iraq - it is more than ironic that democracy is imperiled in Africa because a regime supported materially and financially by America and Europe is not called to account for actions which thwart democracy again and again.

In an unprecedented direct appeal to the Ugandan people via radio, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Jimmy Kolker has told the people of Uganda that "a warning light is flashing" - indeed this is the case.

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