Amin was, perhaps, not a genius. But he was smarter than he was often given credit for (as indeed is Mugabe).It is not just an African problem, when we lose the checks and balances then Uganda is waiting to happen
Showing posts with label Mugabe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mugabe. Show all posts
Thursday, 19 June 2008
U is for
UGANDA. To me this glorious country seems such a tragedy, typifying not only what is wrong with Africa but much of what is wrong with the world. When powerful men, lose their heads and then think they have the right to cause others to lose theirs also.
Amin was, perhaps, not a genius. But he was smarter than he was often given credit for (as indeed is Mugabe).
It is not just an African problem, when we lose the checks and balances then Uganda is waiting to happen
Amin was, perhaps, not a genius. But he was smarter than he was often given credit for (as indeed is Mugabe).It is not just an African problem, when we lose the checks and balances then Uganda is waiting to happen
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
Gestures of Power
I well remember as a callow youth our Bible Class teacher, (and saint) Laurie Crosby, agonising with us about Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence. It is now a long time ago (1965).
Laurie was wanting us 12 and 13 year olds to think about whether it was better to have seriously stable but white government with associated white privilege, or to have genuine democratic government which at that time the Commonwealth was trying to foist on its former colonies, often with disastrous economic and violent consequence.
Ian Smith and his government resented what was being foisted upon them and declared themselves Independent.
This dilemma continues today, with the inheritance of Robert Mugabe being a current world focus. His leftist government in Zimbabwe ( formerly Southern Rhodesia of course) has wreaked havoc in trying to bring about "democracy".
One person's democracy is another person's tyranny! And Mugabe's particular version doesn't need me to outline it here.
This week Archbishop John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, himself a native Ugandan but now England's second senior Church leader...cut up his clerical (not dog...pleaaasse!) collar on BBC Television saying he would never wear it again until Mugabe had been dealt with.
His major thrust that the world is tentative about critiquing black African leaders is worth noting, and Sentamu as a black man is uniquely placed to make that comment.
Will it be a meaningless gesture? Certainly he has got lots of air play out of it, and that is part of the purpose...to bring it to the front of consciousness.
Hopefully the world will listen.
Laurie was wanting us 12 and 13 year olds to think about whether it was better to have seriously stable but white government with associated white privilege, or to have genuine democratic government which at that time the Commonwealth was trying to foist on its former colonies, often with disastrous economic and violent consequence.
Ian Smith and his government resented what was being foisted upon them and declared themselves Independent.
This dilemma continues today, with the inheritance of Robert Mugabe being a current world focus. His leftist government in Zimbabwe ( formerly Southern Rhodesia of course) has wreaked havoc in trying to bring about "democracy".
One person's democracy is another person's tyranny! And Mugabe's particular version doesn't need me to outline it here.
This week Archbishop John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, himself a native Ugandan but now England's second senior Church leader...cut up his clerical (not dog...pleaaasse!) collar on BBC Television saying he would never wear it again until Mugabe had been dealt with.
His major thrust that the world is tentative about critiquing black African leaders is worth noting, and Sentamu as a black man is uniquely placed to make that comment.
Will it be a meaningless gesture? Certainly he has got lots of air play out of it, and that is part of the purpose...to bring it to the front of consciousness.
Hopefully the world will listen.
Sentamu on You tube here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)