Monday 14 May 2012

Is America Getting ashamed of the Human Rights Violations of her client state??? Obama Denies Visas To M7 Spies


Obama Denies Visas To M7 Spies

http://redpepper.co.ug/welcome/?p=37104

By Stanley Ndawula

President Museveni is investigating reports that America has red-listed thousands of cops and Special Forces Group (SFG) agents, denying them access to the US-sponsored security strategic courses, Red Pepper exclusively reports.

The President’s attention was drawn by the briefs from the country’s security chiefs who indicated to him that for some time now, having a police officer benefit from any American sponsored courses around the globe is as hard as in the biblical analogy of tycoons’ ability to access heavenly gates.

“It is a steadily growing concern. We don’t know what criteria they [American Embassy] uses to deny us access. They talk of disrespect to human rights as one of the reasons but we have officers who have never been cited in any anti-human rights criticism and they are all red-listed. The President is fully aware and investigating,” a highly placed security source intimated to us last night.

Just recently, very little known cops, like the Masindi Police Training School (PTS) deputy commandant ASP Hadijjah Namutebi, were blocked from travelling for a strategic management course. The officers, sources said, have their names nowhere near questionable characters and their blockage is still a conundrum to the police authorities.

Early last year, senior cops Grace Turyagumanawe, Laban Ahabwe, Grace Akullo, Moses Kafeero, Joel Aguma and others had their flight to International Law Enforcement Academy in Botswana, cancelled at the eleventh hour. Even when their tickets and other necessities had been fully covered, no reasons were given for the embassy’s abrupt change of mind.

At the time, Turyagumanawe was Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) boss, Ahabwe at the helm of Very Important Persons’ Protection Unit (VIPPU), Akullo (now Police’s Chief Investigator) as head of Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Kafeero was Commandant South Kampala Metropolitan Police and Joel Aguma was the commandant of the defunct Rapid Response Unit (RRU).

Given their positions that tasked them to work amidst Kampala’s ‘unruly’ society, the police bosses were the most suitable candidates for any international law enforcement course. This would help them apply international professionalism in handling the day to day city rots.

 “They (Americans) are simply bent on humiliating the police. They want us to feel suppressed… they have no criteria apart from having our names vetted by either their favoured politicians and or political groups. And those (opposition politicians/parties) are obviously against police and government, accusing us of suppressing their selfish campaigns which America term as ‘freedom of assembly,’” lamented a visibly irritated senior security source.

Cornered with the subject, the police deputy mouthpiece Judith Nabakooba confirmed that some officers have had their study trips cancelled.

“But honestly, I haven’t followed on what could have been the reasons. Kindly give me more time and I crosscheck. But I am afraid I can’t do so now because I am for a course in Entebbe,” she said.
However, our sources confirmed the “problem” extends to UPDF in Special Forces Group (SFG), the elite force tasked with the President’s security.

“They have a list of thousands of us (SFG) and police officers. We believe their ‘work’ is simply to stop us from their courses. We don’t know who they work for but Mzee (President) is investigating. Meanwhile, we are looking in other direction like China and elsewhere for similar benefits (courses),” an SFG source offered.

 HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE

Though no specific reasons are given, alleged human rights abuse is always mildly cited. In a press statement released recently, the public affairs chief at the US embassy, Dan Travis condemned the Ingrid Turinawe’s arrest through which a cop pulled her boob. And as the Embassy, Travis called for conclusive investigations into the matter.

“We condemn any excessive use of force by police or protestors. We urge the Ugandan government to respect citizens’ right to assemble freely and encourage Uganda to investigate allegations of excessive use of force by security services and to hold perpetrators accountable,” wrote Travis. Ingrid was close to a month ago arrested while proceeding to Nansana for a pressure group named ‘For God and my Country’ (4GC) launch.

During the arrest, a policewoman, who Police has since identified as PC Irene Arinda, grabbed Turinawe’s boob in a bid to secure the arrest of the iron opposition lady who had resisted the same and stubbornly parked in the middle of the road. The footage of the arrest was privately recorded and later leaked to a local TV station which exclusively ran.

 The regrettable incident has since grabbed public and police critics’ attention. And the American Embassy is known to have mounted pressure on government to respond to the same.

Indeed, President Museveni last week summoned NTV crew at his country home of Rwakitura, for an exclusive in which, he extensively discussed the matter. The recorded excerpts were run Thursday night on NTV’s popular show On The Spot.

Museveni said police are handling Ingrid’s incident internally and necessary disciplinary action will taken against the offending officer if it is established that she was in the wrong.

However, the President cautioned politicians against provoking the police to manhandle them, saying Ingrid had parked her car in the middle of the road, blocking traffic flow, hence provoking police action.

In the same breadth, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura was due to address a press conference Friday, to issue an official police statement on the infamous Ingrid arrest. This was the first time police was coming out with a statement on the contentious matter. The efforts by Museveni and Kayihura are seen to be a response to America’s pressure over the matter. It is however, not clear whether the US will loosen their grip on the cops’ visas.
  
Police apologise over Ingrid arrest


By ANDREWBAGALA 

Posted  Sunday, May 13  2012 at  00:00

The police have finally apologised to Forum for Democracti Change Women’s League leader Ingrid Turinawe over the manner in which one of its officers gripped her breast while arresting her. But the force also blamed her of being the primary cause of the regrettable incident.

While releasing an investigation report into the April, 20, arrest of Ms Turinawe, at Nansana, a Kampala suburb, the police chief, Lt. Gen. Kale Kayihura, described the incident as improper and unprofessional.
“…on behalf of the Uganda Police, as well as on my own behalf, I regret, and apologise for, the action of one of my police officers, Woman Police Constable (W/PC) Irene Alinda, for improperly and unprofessionally handling Ingrid Turinawe,” Gen. Kayihura said Friday.

On whether she accepts the apology, she said “if (Gen) Kayihura continues to say that the person was a woman, I will not accept it.
abagala@ug.nationmedia.com

 Buganda Riots: Jubilations and tears of joy as court frees suspects


By Ephraim Kasozi & Juliet Kigongo 

Posted  Monday, May 14  2012 at  12:31

In Summary

It was alleged that on September 10, 2009, at Nateete, Kampala District, the group for purposes of influencing government or intimidating the public, or a section of it, for political, social or economic aim, indiscriminately and without due regard to the safety of others or property, attacked or set fire on buildings housing Nateete Police Station and other property including motor vehicles, motor cycles.

There were shouts of joy at the High Court in Kampala after a case in which eleven people charged with terrorism in connection with September 2009 Buganda riots was dismissed.

Justice Ralph Ochan discharged the group, part of an initial 25 people who had been committed to trial over terrorism, saying that they did not have a case to answer.

“We are disappointed by the prosecution and police because they ignored the basic requirements in investigations and fundamental human rights of the accused persons,” said Justice Ochan before a fully packed courtroom.

A total of eleven witnesses, all police officers, testified against the eleven, giving contradictory statements, while others accused their seniors of giving false evidence to court.

Violence broke out in Buganda in September 2009 after government stopped the Kabaka from attending a youth ceremony in Kayunga district where the local community, the Banyala, wanted to break away from Buganda. Security agencies feared that the Kabaka’s attendance would spark violence, and stopped him from attending the ceremonies.

The ensuing riots left at least 30 people dead and 50 injured.
Most of the suspects were accused of torching Nateete police station in the wake of the riots.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com