STATEMENT TO UGANDANS FROM COL. DR. KIZZA BESIGYE UPON HIS RETURN HOME FROM NAIROBI, KENYA
KASANGATI, May 13 2011, 3:00PM
Fellow Ugandans,
I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the very warm welcome that you accorded me yesterday when I arrived. I was truly humbled by the thousands of Ugandans that came out from the moment I touched down in Entebbe and all the way to my home to Kasangati. Thanks to the first aid I received immediately after the vicious attack from friends and family and from professional and dedicated doctors in both Uganda and Kenya; I have recovered from most of my injuries and I am back and ready to work. Thank you all for your prayers, God heard you and saved my life.
Your warm welcome was met with the same brutality, meted out by the same security operatives who have continuously assaulted and killed us since the Walk to Work campaign began. The Presidential Guard, military police, regular police and militia dressed in black and in civilian clothes descended on a happy and peaceful procession to indiscriminately kill and injure innocent Ugandans. This time even the media was not spared. They were injured and their cameras and equipment broken, to destroy evidence of state brutality against unarmed civilians. They used live ammunition, tear gas, water cannons, hit people with sticks and batons not to mention the heavy presence of mambas and huge artillery weapons that accompanied the procession to create an atmosphere fear and tension.
I mourn those who have been killed while welcoming me and my heart is with the families of the deceased. There seems to be an attempt to hide the identities of those who were killed and injured yesterday. If you were hurt or know somebody who was killed or hurt and needs support, please inform us. We will do whatever we can to support you, we are in this together. Activists for Change is opening two help lines 0705204772 and 0759367165 tomorrow; and we invite all peace loving Ugandans who want a better country to participate by reaching out and supporting victims of state violence. You can call this number, and participate by visiting victims and contributing to victims medical costs and their family needs.
We will not stand by and watch our country slide back to those dark days when Ugandans were at the mercy of dictators and their armies. Let the tear gas, the beatings, the torture and killings increase our resolve to end this humiliation and denial of our God given rights. The NRM government stands warned to stop their vicious unprovoked attacks on unarmed Ugandans.
I was also very pleased to note that our procession was largely peaceful in spite of the unprovoked and vicious attacks from the state. Let me stress to you again, that as we continue to assert ourselves before a tired, illegitimate and frightened NRM regime our actions must remain peaceful. We must not respond to the NRM’s violence with other acts of violence.
Let me express my deep appreciation to the Activists for Change led by Mathias Mpuuga for bravely leading this campaign which has in a short time grown to embrace civil society including opposition parties. We must remain united and resolved to bring about positive change. Last but not least I would like to acknowledge my colleagues, leaders of the opposition DP, Suubi, JEEMA, CP, UPC and FDC for their visionary leadership, together we can make a difference for our people.
Col. Dr. Kizza Besigye
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