Idi Amin 70842 225737415 2008-07-15T04:09:20Z Epischedda 1627185 /* Portrayal in media and literature */ Added material w/ related MySpace web-site ref. {{Infobox President |name =Idi Amin Dada |nationality =Ugandan |image =Uganda-Amin-10-Shillings-cr.jpg |caption = |order =3rd [[President of Uganda]] |term_start =1971 |term_end =1979 |vicepresident =[[Mustafa Adrisi]] |predecessor =[[Milton Obote]] |successor =[[Yusufu Lule]] |birth_date =Mid-1920s |birth_place =[[Koboko District|Koboko]] or [[Kampala]]<ref name=birth_date_place>Many sources, like Encyclopædia Britannica, Encarta and the Columbia Encyclopedia, hold that Amin was born in Koboko or Kampala circa 1925, and that the exact date of his birth is unknown. Researcher Fred Guweddeko claimed that Amin was born on [[17 May]] [[1928]],[http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/special_adi-amin-profile/Rejected_then_taken_in_by_dad_a_timeline_2.shtml], but that is disputed.[http://www.mail-archive.com/ugandanet@kym.net/msg06472.html] The only certainty is that Amin was born some time during the mid-1920s.</ref> |death_date ={{death date|2003|8|16|mf=y}} |death_place =[[Jeddah]], [[Saudi Arabia]] |religion =[[Islam]] |constituency = |party = |spouse =<small>Malyamu Amin (divorced)<br />Kay Amin (divorced)<br />Nora Amin (divorced)<br />Madina Amin<br />Sarah Amin</small> |profession =Military officer |signature = |footnotes = }} '''Idi Amin Dada''' (mid-1920s <ref name=birth_date_place>Many sources, like Encyclopædia Britannica, Encarta and the Columbia Encyclopedia, hold that Amin was born in Koboko or Kampala circa 1925, and that the exact date of his birth is unknown. Researcher Fred Guweddeko claimed that Amin was born on [[17 May]] [[1928]],[http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/special_adi-amin-profile/Rejected_then_taken_in_by_dad_a_timeline_2.shtml], but that is disputed.[http://www.mail-archive.com/ugandanet@kym.net/msg06472.html] The only certainty is that Amin was born some time during the mid-1920s.</ref> &ndash; [[16 August]] [[2003]]), commonly known as '''Idi Amin''', was a [[Military dictatorship|military dictator]] and the [[President]] of [[Uganda]] from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the [[British colony|British colonial]] regiment, the [[King's African Rifles]] in 1946, and advanced to the rank of [[Major General]] and [[Commander]] of the Ugandan Army. He took power in a [[1971 Ugandan coup d'état|military coup]] in January 1971, deposing [[Milton Obote]]. His rule was characterized by [[human rights]] abuses, [[political repression]], [[ethnic persecution]], [[Extrajudicial punishment|extra-judicial killing]]s and the [[Expulsion of Asians in Uganda in 1972|expulsion of Asians from Uganda]]. The number of people killed as a result of his regime is unknown; estimates from human rights groups range from 100,000 to 500,000. From 1977 to 1979, Amin titled himself as "[[Excellency|His Excellency]], [[President for Life]], [[Field Marshal (Uganda)|Field Marshal]] [[Hajji|Al Hadji]] [[Doctor of Laws|Doctor]]<ref name=doctorate>He conferred a [[Juris Doctor|doctorate of law]] on himself from [[Makerere University]]. {{cite news|url = http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1390595,00.html|title = Idi Amin: a byword for brutality|work=[[News24]]|accessdate = 2007-12-02|date = 2003-07-21}}</ref> Idi Amin Dada, VC,<ref>Victorious Cross (VC) was a medal made to emulate the British [[Victoria Cross]].</ref> [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Military Cross|MC]], Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the [[British Empire]] in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular."<ref>{{cite book|last=Appiah|first=K. Anthony|authorlink=Kwame Anthony Appiah|coauthors=[[Henry Louis Gates, Jr.]] (eds.)|year=1999|title=Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African American Experience|publisher=[[Basic Books]]|location=[[New York City|New York]]|isbn=0-465-00071-1}}</ref> In 1975 &ndash; 1976, despite opposition{{Fact|date=June 2008}}, Amin became the Chairman of the [[Organisation of African Unity]], a [[Pan-Africanism|pan-Africanist]] group designed to promote solidarity of the African states.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.ugandamission.net/aboutug/articles/amin.html |title = Idi Amin: a byword for brutality |accessdate = 2007-12-02 |date = July 21, 2003 }}</ref> During the 1977-1979 period, Uganda was appointed to the [[United Nations Commission on Human Rights]].<ref>[http://www.ypfp.org/the_last_king_of_scotland_idi_amin_and_the_united_nations The Last King of Scotland, Idi Amin, and the United Nations]</ref> Dissent within Uganda, and Amin's attempt to [[annexation|annex]] the [[Kagera Region|Kagera]] province of [[Tanzania]] in 1978, led to the [[Uganda-Tanzania War]] and the fall of his regime in 1979. Amin fled to [[Libya]], before relocating to [[Saudi Arabia]] in 1981, where he died in 2003. Amin and his regime have been the subject of films and documentaries including ''[[General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait]]'' (1974), ''[[Rise and Fall of Idi Amin]]'' (1980) and ''[[The Last King of Scotland (film)|The Last King of Scotland]]'' (2006). ==Early life and military career== Amin never wrote an autobiography or authorized any official account of his life. There are discrepancies as to when and where he was born. Most biographical sources hold that he was born in either [[Koboko District|Koboko]] or [[Kampala]] around 1925.<ref name="britannica">"[http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9007180 Idi Amin]", ''Encyclopædia Britannica''</ref> According to Fred Guweddeko, a researcher at [[Makerere University]], Idi Amin was the son of Andreas Nyabire (1889–1976). Nyabire, a member of the [[Kakwa]] ethnic group, converted from [[Roman Catholicism]] to [[Islam]] in 1910 and changed his name to Amin Dada. Abandoned by his father, Idi Amin grew up with his mother's family. Guweddeko states that Amin's mother was called Assa Aatte (1904–1970), an ethnic [[Lugbara]] and a traditional [[herbalist]], who treated members of [[Buganda]] royalty, among others. Amin joined an Islamic school in [[Bombo, Uganda|Bombo]] in 1941, where he excelled in reciting the [[Qur'an]]. After a few years he left school and did odd jobs before being recruited to the army by a British colonial army officer.<ref name="monitor_01012004">"[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/index.php Rejected then taken in by dad; a timeline]", ''[[The Monitor]]'', [[March 1]], [[2004]].</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="float: right; margin-left: 3.5em; padding-left: 2em; font-size: 85%;" | colspan="2" bgcolor="#CCCC66" align=center | '''Chronology of Amin's military promotions''' |- | colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" height="2"| &nbsp; |- | colspan="2" bgcolor="#EEEEEE" align="center"| '''King's African Rifles''' |- | 1946 | Joins [[King's African Rifles]] |- | 1947 | [[Private (rank)|Private]] |- | 1952 | [[Corporal]] |- | 1954 | [[Effendi]] ([[Warrant Officer]]) |- | 1961 | First Ugandan [[Officer (armed forces)|Commissioned Officer]], [[Lieutenant]] |- | colspan="2" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" height="2"| &nbsp; |- | colspan="2" bgcolor="#EEEEEE" align="center"| '''Uganda Army''' |- | 1962 | [[Captain (OF-2)|Captain]] |- | 1963 | [[Major]] |- | 1964 | Deputy [[Commander|Commander of the Army]] |- | 1965 | [[Colonel]], Commander of the Army |- | 1968 | [[Major General]] |- | 1971 | [[Head of State]]<br />Chairman of the Defence Council<br />[[Commander-in-Chief]] of the armed forces<br />Army [[Chief of staff (military)|Chief of Staff]] and Chief of Air Staff |- 1971-1972 [This violent dictator of Uganda, announced that all Ugandans of Asian descent would be forced to leave the country or potentially lose their lives. Between 1972 and 1973 , 7000 Ugandan Asians came to Canada | 1975 | [[Field Marshal]] |} ===Colonial British army=== Amin joined the [[King's African Rifles]] (KAR) of the [[History of the British Army|British Colonial Army]] in 1946 as an assistant cook.<ref name="britannica"/> He claimed he was forced to join the Army during [[World War II]] and that he served in the [[Burma Campaign]],<ref>{{cite video|publisher = Le Figaro Films| title = General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait|year2=1974|ISBN=0-78002-507-5}}</ref> but records indicate he was first enlisted after the war was concluded.<ref name="guardian_obit">{{cite news |last=Keatley |first=Patrick |title=Obituary: Idi Amin |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,3604,1020657,00.html |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=[[2003-08-18]] |accessdate=2008-03-18 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.strategypage.com/on_point/20030820.aspx Why Didn't Amin Rot and Die in Jail?], ''Strategy Page'', August 20, 2003</ref> He was transferred to Kenya for infantry service as a [[Private (rank)|private]] in 1947 and served in the 21st KAR infantry battalion in [[Gilgil, Kenya|Gilgil]], [[Kenya]], until 1949. That year, his unit was deployed to [[Somalia]] to fight the Somali [[Shifta]] rebels who were [[cattle raiding|rustling cattle]] there.<ref name="ContWldHist">Jan Palmowski, ''Dictionary of Contemporary World History: From 1900 to the present day. Second Edition'', Oxford University Press, 2003 (ISBN 0-19-860539-0)</ref> In 1952 his brigade was deployed against the [[Mau Mau]] rebels in Kenya. He was promoted to corporal the same year, then to sergeant in 1953.<ref name="monitor_01012004">"[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/index.php Rejected then taken in by dad; a timeline]", ''[[The Monitor]]'', 2004-03-01</ref>. In 1954 Amin was made ''[[effendi]]'' ([[warrant officer]]), the highest rank possible for a [[Black people|Black African]] in the colonial British army of that time. Amin returned to Uganda the same year, and in 1961 he was promoted to [[lieutenant]], becoming one of the first two Ugandans to become [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned officers]]. He was then assigned to quell the cattle rustling between Uganda's [[Karamojong]] and Kenya's [[Turkana]] [[nomad]]s. In 1962 he was promoted to captain and then, in 1963, to [[major]]. The following year, he was appointed Deputy Commander of the Army.<ref name="monitor_01012004"/> Amin was an active athlete during his time in the army. At 193 cm (6 ft 4 in), he was the Ugandan [[light heavyweight]] [[boxing]] champion from 1951 to 1960, and a swimmer and rugby player.<ref name=Scotsman>[http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=972&id=906002003 Idi Amin], ''Scotsman'', August 16, 2003</ref><ref>[http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/print.asp?ID=450 Idi Amin Dada: A Hero in Ugandan Sports?]</ref> ===Army commander=== In 1965 [[Prime Minister of Uganda|Prime Minister]] [[Milton Obote]] and Amin were implicated in a deal to smuggle [[ivory]] and [[gold]] into Uganda from the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]. The deal, as later alleged by General Nicholas Olenga, an associate of the former Congolese leader [[Patrice Lumumba]], was part of an arrangement to help troops opposed to the Congolese government trade ivory and gold for arms supplies secretly smuggled to them by Amin. In 1966, [[Parliament]] demanded an investigation. Obote imposed a new constitution abolishing the ceremonial presidency held by ''[[Kabaka]]'' (King) [[Edward Mutesa II]] of [[Buganda]], and declared himself executive president. He promoted Amin to [[colonel]] and army commander. Amin led [[Battle of Mengo Hill|an attack]] on the ''Kabaka's'' palace and forced Mutesa into [[exile]] to the United Kingdom, where he remained until his death in 1969.<ref>Library of Congress Country Studies: Uganda. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ugtoc.html#ug0159 Independence: The Early Years]</ref><ref name=bookrags>[http://www.bookrags.com/biography/idi-amin-dada Encyclopedia of World Biography: Idi Amin Dada Biography]</ref> Amin began recruiting members of [[Kakwa]], [[Lugbara]], [[Nubian]], and other ethnic groups from the [[West Nile sub-region|West Nile]] area bordering [[Sudan]]. The Nubians had been residents in Uganda since the early 20th century, having come from Sudan to serve the colonial army. In Uganda, Nubians were commonly perceived as Sudanese foreigners and erroneously referred to as [[Anyanya]] (Anyanya were southern Sudanese rebels of the [[First Sudanese Civil War]] and were not involved in Uganda). Because many ethnic groups in northern Uganda inhabit both Uganda and Sudan, allegations persist that Amin's army consisted substantially of Sudanese soldiers.<ref name="Anyanya">Nantulya Paul, [http://www.kas.org.za/Publications/SeminarReports/PoliticsofIdentityandExclusion/nantulya.pdf#search=%22%22idi%20amin%22%20anyanya%22 ''Exclusion, Identity and Armed Conflict: A Historical Survey of the Politics of Confrontation in Uganda with Specific Reference to the Independence Era''], (2001) Konrad Adenauer Stiftung</ref> ==Seizure of power== [[Image:Amin takes oath.jpg||thumb|right|270px|Amin at the [[February 2]], [[1971]] presidential swearing-in ceremony.]] Eventually, a rift developed between Amin and Obote, worsened by the support Amin had built within the army by recruiting from the West Nile region, his involvement in operations to support the [[First Sudanese Civil War|rebellion in southern Sudan]], and an attempt on Obote's life in 1969. In October 1970, Obote himself took control of the armed forces, reducing Amin from his months-old post of commander of all the armed forces to that of commander of the army.<ref name=britishcouncil>[http://www.britishcouncil.org/learnenglish-central-history-amin.htm British Council: General Idi Amin overthrows Ugandan government ([[February 2]], [[1971]])]</ref> Having learned that Obote was planning to arrest him for misappropriating army funds, Amin seized power in a [[1971 Ugandan coup d'état|military coup]] on [[January 25]], [[1971]], while Obote was attending a [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] summit meeting in [[Singapore]]. Troops loyal to Amin sealed off [[Entebbe International Airport]], the main artery into Uganda, and took Kampala. Soldiers surrounded Obote's residence and blocked major roads. A broadcast on [[Uganda Broadcasting Corporation|Radio Uganda]] accused Obote's government of corruption and preferential treatment of the [[Lango sub-region|Lango region]]. Cheering crowds were reported in the streets of Kampala after the radio broadcast.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/january/25/newsid_2506000/2506423.stm Idi Amin ousts Ugandan president], ''BBC'', January 25, 1971</ref> Amin announced that he was a soldier, not a politician, and that the [[military government]] would remain only as a [[caretaker government|caretaker regime]] until new elections, which would be announced as soon as the situation was normalised. He promised to release all [[political prisoner]]s.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/fromthearchive/story/0,,1004256,00.html Curfew in Uganda after military coup topples Obote], ''The Guardian'', January 26, 1971</ref> Amin was initially welcomed both within Uganda and by the international community. In an internal memo, the [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Foreign Office]] described him as "a splendid type and a good [[Football (soccer)|football]] player".<ref>Bryan Appleyard, [[The Sunday Times]], [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,14931-2529504,00.html ''A wolf in sheep’s clothing''], January 7, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.</ref> He gave former king and president Mutesa (who had died in exile) a state burial in April 1971, freed many political prisoners, and reiterated his promise to hold free and fair elections to return the country to [[democracy|democratic]] rule in the shortest period possible.<ref>Jude Mbabaali, ''[http://tanzania.fes-international.de/arusha-2005/docs/the-role-of-opposition-parties-in-a-democracy.uganda.pdf The Role of Opposition Parties in a Democracy: The Experience of the Democratic Party of Uganda]'', August 2005. Retrieved March 7, 2007. </ref> ==Presidency== {{Main|Uganda under Idi Amin}} ===Establishment of military rule=== On [[February 2]], [[1971]], one week after the coup, Amin declared himself President of Uganda, [[Commander-in-Chief]] of the Armed Forces, Army [[Chief of staff (military)|Chief of Staff]] and Chief of Air Staff. He announced that he was suspending certain provisions of the [[Constitution of Uganda|constitution]] and soon instituted an Advisory Defence Council composed of military officers, with himself as the chairman. Amin placed [[military tribunal]]s above the system of [[civil law]], appointed soldiers to top government posts and [[parastatal]] agencies, and informed the newly inducted civilian [[cabinet|cabinet ministers]] that they would be subject to [[Military courtesy|military discipline]].<ref name=britishcouncil/><ref name=LOC_Rule_Under_Amin>Library of Congress Country Studies: Uganda. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ugtoc.html#ug0159 Military Rule Under Amin]</ref> Amin renamed the presidential lodge in Kampala from Government House to "The Command Post". He disbanded the General Service Unit (GSU), an intelligence agency created by the previous government, and replaced it with the State Research Bureau (SRB). SRB headquarters at the Kampala suburb of Nakasero became the scene of torture and executions over the next several years.<ref name=LOC_Security>Library of Congress Country Studies: Uganda. [http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/ugtoc.html#ug0159 Uganda: Post-Independence Security Services]</ref> Other agencies used to root out political dissent included the [[military police]] and the Public Safety Unit (PSU).<ref name=LOC_Security/> Obote took refuge in Tanzania, having been offered sanctuary there by Tanzanian President [[Julius Nyerere]]. He was soon joined by 20,000 Ugandan refugees fleeing Amin. In 1972, the exiles attempted to regain the country through a poorly organized coup attempt, without success.<ref name=invasion>"[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,946151-1,00.html An Idi-otic Invasion]", ''Time Magazine'', November 13, 1978</ref> ===Persecution of ethnic and other groups=== [[Image:Luwum and Amin.jpg||thumb|right|270px|Amin with Archbishop [[Janani Luwum]] (right). The archbishop was later murdered.]] Amin retaliated against the attempted invasion by Ugandan exiles in 1972 by purging the army of Obote supporters, predominantly those from the [[Acholi]] and [[Lango]] ethnic groups.<ref name=AboutBio>"[http://africanhistory.about.com/od/biography/a/bio_amin.htm Biography: Idi Amin Dada]," About.com</ref> In July 1971, Lango and Acholi soldiers were massacred in the [[Jinja, Uganda|Jinja]] and [[Mbarara]] [[Barracks]],<ref>Sue Lautze, ''[http://www.livesandlivelihoods.com/files/25826548.pdf Research on Violent Institutions in Unstable Environments: The livelihoods systems of Ugandan army soldiers and their families in a war zone]'', Hertford College, Oxford University1</ref> and by early 1972, some 5,000 Acholi and Lango soldiers, and at least twice as many civilians, had disappeared.<ref name=telegraph_obituary>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/18/db1801.xml&page=1 Obituary: Idi Amin], ''Daily Telegraph'', 17 September, 2003.</ref> The victims soon came to include members of other [[ethnic groups]], religious leaders, journalists, senior bureaucrats, judges, lawyers, students and intellectuals, criminal suspects, and foreign nationals. In some cases entire villages were wiped out.<ref> {{cite web |url = http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/amin.html |title = killer file: Idi Amin |accessdate = 2007-12-04 |year = updated 2 May 2007 |publisher = moreorless : heroes & killers of the 20th century |language = English }}</ref> In this atmosphere of violence, many other people were killed for criminal motives or simply at will.<ref>Amnesty International: "[http://web.amnesty.org/aidoc/aidoc_pdf.nsf/d45725da5fa95f1f80256a2b00642199/cde8ef35a67e99e3802569a70019299e/$FILE/a3307593.pdf Disappearances" and Political Killings: Human Rights Crisis of the 1990s: A Manual for Action].</ref> Bodies floated on the River [[Nile]] in quantities sufficient to clog the [[Nalubaale Power Station|Owen Falls Hydro-Electric Dam]] in Jinja on at least one occasion.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/08/16/amin.obituary/index.html Idi Amin: 'Butcher of Uganda'], ''CNN'', August 16, 2003</ref> The killings, motivated by ethnic, political and financial factors, continued throughout Amin's eight-year reign.<ref name=telegraph_obituary/> The exact number of people killed is unknown. The [[International Commission of Jurists]] estimated the death toll at no fewer than 80,000 and more likely around 300,000. An estimate compiled by exile organizations with the help of [[Amnesty International]] puts the number killed at 500,000.<ref name=guardian_obit/> Among the most prominent people killed were [[Benedicto Kiwanuka]], the former [[Prime Minister of Uganda|prime minister]] and later [[chief justice]]; [[Janani Luwum]], the [[Anglican Church|Anglican]] [[archbishop]]; [[Joseph Mubiru]], the former governor of [[Bank of Uganda|the Central Bank]]; Frank Kalimuzo, the vice chancellor of [[Makerere University]]; Byron Kawadwa, a prominent playwright; and two of Amin's own cabinet ministers, [[Erinayo Wilson Oryema]] and [[Charles Oboth Ofumbi]].<ref>"[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/amin6.php Who were Amin's victims?]", ''Monitor'' Special report</ref> In 1977, [[Henry Kyemba]], Amin's health minister and a former official of the first Obote regime, [[defection|defected]] and resettled in Britain. Kyemba wrote and published ''A State of Blood'', the first insider exposé of Amin's rule. In August 1972, Idi Amin declared what he called an "economic war", a set of policies that included the expropriation of properties owned by Asians and Europeans. Uganda's 80,000 Asians were mostly [[India]]ns born in the country, whose ancestors had come to Uganda when the country was still a British colony. Many owned businesses, including large-scale enterprises, that formed the backbone of the Ugandan economy. On [[August 4]], [[1972]], Amin issued a decree ordering the [[expulsion of Indians in Uganda in 1972|expulsion]] of the 60,000 Asians who were not Ugandan citizens (most of them held [[British passport]]s). This was later amended to include all 80,000 Asians, with the exception of professionals, such as doctors, lawyers and teachers. A plurality of the Asians with British passports, around 30,000, emigrated to Britain. Others went to [[Australia]], [[Canada]], [[India]], [[Sweden]], and the [[United States|U.S.]]<ref>[http://www.ugandamission.net/aboutug/articles/amin.html Amin's Economic War Left Uganda on Crutches], ''New Vision'', July 29, 2003</ref><ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/august/7/newsid_2492000/2492333.stm 1972: Asians given 90 days to leave Uganda]", August 7, 2006. Retrieved January 27, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906327,00.html Flight of the Asians], ''Time'', September 11, 1972</ref> Amin expropriated businesses and properties belonging to the Asians and handed them over to his supporters. The businesses were mismanaged, and industries collapsed from lack of maintenance. This proved disastrous for the already declining economy.<ref name=LOC_Rule_Under_Amin/> ===International relations=== {{Further|[[Foreign relations of Uganda]]}} Following the expulsion of Indians in 1972, [[India]] severed diplomatic relations with Uganda. The same year, as part of his "economic war", Amin broke diplomatic ties with Britain and [[nationalization|nationalized]] 85 British-owned businesses. He also expelled [[Israel]]i military advisers and turned to [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]] of [[Libya]] and the [[Soviet Union]] for support.<ref name=AboutBio/> In 1973, U.S. Ambassador [[Thomas Patrick Melady]] recommended that the United States reduce its presence in Uganda. Melady described Amin's regime as "[[racism|racist]], erratic and unpredictable, brutal, inept, bellicose, irrational, ridiculous, and [[militarism|militaristic]]".<ref>[http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/frus/nixon/e6/66834.htm Telegram 1 From the Embassy in Uganda to the Department of State, January 2, 1973]</ref> Accordingly, the United States closed its embassy in [[Kampala]]. In June 1976, Idi Amin allowed an [[Air France]] aeroplane hijacked by two members of the [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations]] (PFLP-EO) and two members of the [[Germany|German]] [[Revolutionary Cells (RZ)|Revolutionäre Zellen]] to land at [[Entebbe International Airport|Entebbe Airport]]. There, the hijackers were joined by three more. Soon after, 156 hostages who did not hold Israeli passports were released and flown to safety, while 83 Jews and Israeli citizens, as well as 20 others who refused to abandon them, continued to be held hostage. In the subsequent Israeli rescue operation, codenamed Operation Thunderbolt (popularly known as [[Operation Entebbe]]), nearly all of the hostages were freed. Three hostages died and 10 were wounded; six hijackers, 45 Ugandan soldiers, and one Israeli soldier, [[Yoni Netanyahu]], were killed. This incident further soured Uganda's international relations, leading Britain to close its [[High Commissioner|High Commission]] in Uganda.<ref>BBC on July 7, 1976.[http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/july/7/newsid_2496000/2496095.stm British grandmother missing in Uganda]</ref> Uganda under Amin embarked on a large military build-up, which raised concerns in [[Kenya]]. Early in June 1975, Kenyan officials impounded a large convoy of [[Soviet Union|Soviet]]-made arms en route to Uganda at the port of [[Mombasa]]. Tension between Uganda and Kenya reached its climax in February 1976 when Amin announced that he would investigate the possibility that parts of [[southern Sudan]] and western and central Kenya, up to within {{convert|32|km|mi}} of [[Nairobi]], were historically a part of colonial Uganda. The [[Politics of Kenya|Kenyan Government]] responded with a stern statement that Kenya would not part with "a single inch of territory". Amin backed down after the Kenyan army deployed troops and [[armored personnel carrier]]s along the Kenya-Uganda border.<ref>[http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/17082003/News/Amin_News170820039.html 'Dada' always rubbed Kenya the wrong way]", ''Sunday Nation'', [[August 17]], [[2003]].</ref> == Erratic behaviour == As the years went on, Amin became increasingly erratic and outspoken. In 1977, after Britain had broken diplomatic relations with his regime, Amin declared he had beaten the British and conferred on himself the decoration of CBE (Conqueror of the British Empire). Radio Uganda then read out the whole of his new title: "''[[Excellency|His Excellency]] [[President for Life]], [[Field Marshal (Uganda)|Field Marshal]] [[Hajji|Al Hadji]] [[Juris Doctor|Doctor]]<ref name=doctorate/> Idi Amin Dada, VC,<ref>The Victorious Cross (VC) was a medal made to emulate the British [[Victoria Cross]] [http://www.ganews.co.uk/archive/antiques0404.html]</ref> [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Military Cross|MC]], CBE.''"<ref name="guardian_obit"/> In 1971, Amin and [[Zaire]]'s president [[Mobutu Sese Seko]] changed the names of [[Lake Albert (Africa)|Lake Albert]] and [[Lake Edward]] to Lake Mobutu Sese Seko and Lake Idi Amin Dada, respectively.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,906577,00.html Purges and Peace Talks], ''Time'' [[October 16]], [[1972]].</ref> Amin became the subject of rumours and myths, including a widespread belief that he was a [[cannibalism|cannibal]].<ref>{{Citation |last=Orizio |first=Riccardo |title= Idi Amin's Exile Dream |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F01EFDA1F30F932A1575BC0A9659C8B63 |publisher=''[[New York Times]]'' |date=2003-08-21 |accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last= |first= |title=Museveni, munificent with monarch |url=http://www.economist.com/world/africa/PrinterFriendly.cfm?story_id=10216508 |publisher=''[[The Economist]]'' |date=2007-11-29 |accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |last=Derbyshire |first=John |title=Prospering in Wickedness |url=http://www.nationalreview.com/script/printpage.p?ref=/derbyshire/derbyshire051502.asp |publisher=''[[National Review]]'' |date=2002-05-15 |accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref> Some of the unsubstantiated rumours, such as the mutilation of one of his wives, were spread and popularised by the 1980 film, ''[[Rise and Fall of Idi Amin]]''.<ref>"[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/amin9.php The myths surrounding Idi Amin]", Moses Serugo, ''The Monitor'' Special report</ref> During Amin's reign, popular media outside of Uganda often portrayed Amin as an essentially comic figure. In a 1977 assessment typical of the time, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine article described him as a "killer and clown, big-hearted buffoon and strutting martinet".<ref name=time>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,918762-1,00.html "Amin:The Wild Man of Africa"], ''Time Magazine'', [[February 28]], [[1977]]</ref> For focusing on Amin's excessive tastes and self-aggrandizing eccentricities, the foreign media was often criticized for downplaying or excusing his murderous behavior.<ref name=Kibazo1>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,1989587,00.html "A Brute, Not a Buffoon"] Joel Kibazo, ''The Guardian'', [[January 13]], [[2007]] "... Amin was widely portrayed as a comic figure. Yes, he had expelled the Asians and murdered a few people, but isn't that what was expected of Africa, I used to hear."</ref> Other commentators even suggested that Amin had deliberately cultivated his reputation in the foreign media as an easily-parodied buffoon in order to defuse international concern over his administration of Uganda.<ref name="telegraph_obit">[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/08/18/db1801.xml Idi Amin] [[The Daily Telegraph]] [[August 17]], [[2003]] "Throughout his disastrous reign, he encouraged the West to cultivate a dangerous ambivalence towards him. His genial grin, penchant for grandiose self-publicity and ludicrous public statements on international affairs led to his adoption as a comic figure. He was easily parodied ... however, this fascination, verging on affection, for the grotesqueness of the individual occluded the singular plight of his nation."</ref> ==Deposition and exile== {{Further|[[Uganda-Tanzania War]]}} By 1978, the number of Amin's close associates had shrunk significantly, and he faced increasing dissent from within Uganda. After the killings of Luwum and ministers Oryema and Oboth Ofumbi in 1977, several of Amin's ministers defected or fled to exile.<ref name=bishop>[http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/archives/2006arch/features/spec/feb/spec200602161.php "Not even an archbishop was spared"], ''The Weekly Observer'', [[February 16]], [[2006]]</ref> Later that year, after Amin's vice president, General [[Mustafa Adrisi]], was injured in a car accident, troops loyal to him [[mutiny|mutinied]]. Amin sent troops against the mutineers, some of whom had fled across the Tanzanian border.<ref name=LOC_Rule_Under_Amin/> Amin accused Tanzanian President [[Julius Nyerere]] of waging war against Uganda, ordered the invasion of [[Tanzania]]n territory, and formally [[annexation|annexed]] a section of the [[Kagera Region]] across the boundary.<ref name=LOC_Rule_Under_Amin/><ref name=invasion/> Nyerere mobilized the [[Tanzania People's Defence Force]] and counterattacked, joined by several groups of Ugandan exiles who had united as the [[Uganda National Liberation Army]] (UNLA). Amin's army retreated steadily, and despite military help from [[Libya]]'s [[Muammar al-Gaddafi]], he was forced to flee on [[April 11]], [[1979]] when [[The liberation of Kampala|Kampala was captured]]. He escaped first to Libya and ultimately settled in [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref name=britannica/> Amin held that Uganda needed him and never expressed [[remorse]] for the abuses of his regime.<ref name=remorse>Riccardo Orizio, ''Talk of the Devil: Encounters with Seven Dictators'', Walker & Company, 2004 (ISBN 0-8027-7692-2)</ref> In 1989, he attempted to return to Uganda, apparently to lead an armed group organised by Colonel [[Juma Oris]]. He reached [[Kinshasa]], [[Zaire]] (now the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]]), before Zairian President [[Mobutu]] forced him to return to Saudi Arabia. ===Death=== On [[July 20]], [[2003]], one of Idi Amin's wives, Madina, reported that he was in a [[coma]] and near death at [[King Faisal Specialist Hospital]] in [[Jeddah]], [[Saudi Arabia]]. She pleaded with Ugandan President [[Yoweri Museveni]] to allow him to return to die in Uganda. Museveni replied that Amin would have to "answer for his [[sin]]s the moment he was brought back."<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3093613.stm Idi Amin back in media spotlight]", ''BBC'', 25 July, 2003</ref> Idi Amin died in Saudi Arabia on [[August 16]], [[2003]]. He was buried in Ruwais Cemetery in [[Jeddah]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/08/17/saudi.amin/index.html Ugandan dictator Idi Amin buried], ''CNN'', August 17, 2003</ref> ==Family and associates== A [[polygamy|polygamist]], Idi Amin married at least six women, three of whom he [[divorce]]d. He married his first and second wives, Malyamu and Kay, in 1966. The next year, he married Nora and then Nalongo Madina in 1972. On [[March 26]], [[1974]], he announced on Radio Uganda that he had divorced Malyamu, Nora and Kay.<ref name=life_and_loves>[http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/20082003/News/News122.html The life and loves of a tyrant], ''Daily Nation'', [[August 20]], [[2003]]</ref><ref>[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/amin8.php Big Daddy and his women], ''The Monitor'' Special Report</ref> Malyamu was arrested in [[Tororo]] on the Kenyan border in April 1974 and accused of attempting to smuggle a bolt of fabric into Kenya. She later moved to [[London]].<ref name=life_and_loves/><ref name=Amin_is_dead>[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/news1.php Idi Amin is dead], ''The Monitor'', August 17, 2003</ref> Kay died on [[August 13]], [[1974]], reportedly from an attempted [[surgery|surgical]] [[abortion]] performed by her lover Dr. Mbalu Mukasa (who himself committed [[suicide]]). Her body was found [[dismemberment|dismembered]]. In August 1975, during the [[Organisation of African Unity]] (OAU) summit meeting in Kampala, Amin married Sarah Kyolaba. Sarah's boyfriend, whom she was living with before she met Amin, vanished and was never heard from again. According to ''The Monitor'', Amin married a wife a few months before his death in 2003.<ref name=Amin_is_dead/> Sources differ widely on the number of children Amin fathered; most say that he had 30 to 45.<ref>According to Henry Kyema, in ''State of Blood'' (published in 1977), Idi Amin had 34 children. Some sources say Amin claimed to have fathered 32 children.[http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,3604,1020657,00.html]. A report in ''[[The Monitor (Uganda)]]'' says he was survived by 45 children.[http://www.monitor.co.ug/specialincludes/ugprsd/amin/articles/news1.php], while another in the BBC gives the figure of 54[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3179085.stm].</ref> Until 2003, Taban Amin, Idi Amin's eldest son, was the leader of [[West Nile Bank Front]] (WNBF), a rebel group opposed to the government of [[Yoweri Museveni]]. In 2005, he was offered [[amnesty]] by Museveni, and in 2006, he was appointed Deputy Director General of the [[Internal Security Organisation]].<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/12/wuganda12.xml Return of Idi Amin's son casts a shadow over Ugandan election], ''The Daily Telegraph'', December 2, 2006.</ref> Another of Amin’s sons, Haji Ali Amin, ran for election as Chairman (i.e. mayor) of [[Njeru Town]] Council in 2002 but was not elected.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1740272.stm Amin's son runs for mayor], ''BBC'', January 3, 2002 </ref> In early 2007, the award-winning film ''[[The Last King of Scotland (film)|The Last King of Scotland]]'' prompted one of his sons, Jaffar Amin, to speak out in his father's defense. Jaffar Amin said he was writing a book to counter his father's reputation.<ref>"[http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2007-02-22-amin-protest_x.htm Idi Amin's son lashes out over 'Last King']", ''USA Today'', [[February 22]], [[2007]]</ref> On August 3, 2007, Faisal Wangita, one of Amin's sons, was convicted for playing a role in a murder in London.<ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6929285.stm Idi Amin's son jailed over death]", ''BBC News'', [[August 3]], [[2007]]</ref> Among Amin's closest associates was the British-born [[Bob Astles]], who is considered by many to have been a malign influence, and by others as a moderating presence.<ref>[http://www.rhodesia.com/oz_wa/bt1998/aprmay.htm#wobbly Dictator's 'white rat' now a Wimbledon wobbly], ''Bundu Times'', April - May 1998</ref> [[Isaac Malyamungu]] was an instrumental affiliate and one of the more feared officers in Amin's army.<ref name=bishop/> ==Portrayal in media and literature== ===Film dramatisations=== *''[[Victory at Entebbe]] '' (1976), a TV film about [[Operation Entebbe]]. [[Julius Harris]] plays Amin. [[Godfrey Cambridge]] had originally been cast as Amin in the production, but died of a heart attack on the set. *''[[Raid on Entebbe (film)|Raid on Entebbe]]'' (1977), a film depicting the events of Operation Entebbe. [[Yaphet Kotto]] plays Amin. *''[[Mivtsa Yonatan (film)|Mivtsa Yonatan]]'' (1977) (also known as ''Operation Thunderbolt''), an Israeli film about Operation Entebbe. [[Mark Heath]] plays Amin. *''[[Rise and Fall of Idi Amin]]'' (1980), a film recreating Idi Amin's atrocities. Amin is played by [[Joseph Olita]]. *''[[Mississippi Masala]]'' (1991), a film depicting the resettlement of an Indian family after the expulsion of Asians from Uganda by Idi Amin. [[Joseph Olita]] again plays Amin. *''[[The Last King of Scotland (film)|The Last King of Scotland]]'' (2006), a film adaptation of [[Giles Foden]]'s 1998 fictional [[The Last King of Scotland|novel of the same name]]. For his portrayal of Idi Amin in this film, actor [[Forest Whitaker]] won a [[Golden Globe award]], a [[BAFTA]], the [[Screen Actors' Guild]] award for Best Actor (Drama), and the [[Academy Award for Best Actor]]. ===Documentaries=== *''[[General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait]]'' (1974), directed by French filmmaker [[Barbet Schroeder]]. *''[[Idi Amin: Monster in Disguise]]'' (1997), a television documentary directed by [[Greg Baker]]. ===Books=== *''[[State of Blood]]: The Inside Story of Idi Amin'' (1977) by [[Henry Kyemba]] *''[[Ghosts of Kampala]]: The Rise and Fall of Idi Amin'' (1980) by [[George Ivan Smith]] *''[[The Last King of Scotland]]'' (1998) by [[Giles Foden]] (fictional) *''[[Idi Amin Dada: Hitler in Africa]]'' (1977) by [[Thomas Patrick Melady]] *''General Amin'' (1975) by [[David Martin]] *''The Collected Bulletins of Idi Amin'' (1974) by [[Alan Coren]], portraying Amin as an amiable, if murderous, buffoon in charge of a tin-pot dictatorship *''I Love Idi Amin: The Story of Triumph under Fire in the Midst of Suffering and Persecution in Uganda'' (1977) by [[Festo Kivengere]] *''Impassioned for Freedom: Uganda, Struggle Against Idi Amin'' (2006) by [[Eriya Kategaya]] ===Song=== *''Idi Amin is my Yardman'' (''circa'' 1980), by the [http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=191645989 Uranium Savages] of Austin, Texas, USA. == See also == * [[Political parties of Uganda]] * [[Politics of Uganda]] * [[President for Life]] ==References== * {{cite book|last=Avirgan|first=Tony|authorlink=|coauthors=Martha Honey|year=1982|title=War in Uganda: The Legacy of Idi Amin|publisher=Lawrence Hill & Co. Publishers|location=[[Westport, Connecticut|Westport]]|isbn=0882081365}} * {{cite book|last=Decalo|first=Samuel|authorlink=|coauthors=|year=1989|title=Psychoses of Power: African Personal Dictatorships |publisher=[[Westview Press]]|location=[[Boulder, Colorado|Boulder]]|isbn=0813376173}} * {{cite book|last=Gwyn|first=David|authorlink=|coauthors=|year=1977|title=Idi Amin: Death-Light of Africa |publisher=[[Little, Brown and Company]]|location=[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]]|isbn=0316332305}} * {{cite book|last=Kyemba|first=Henry|authorlink=Henry Kyemba|coauthors=|year=1977|title=A State of Blood: The Inside Story of Idi Amin |publisher=[[Ace Books]]|location=New York|isbn=0441785244}} * {{cite book|last=Melady|first=Thomas P.|authorlink=|coauthors=Margaret B. Melady|year=1977|title=Idi Amin Dada: Hitler in Africa |publisher=Sheed Andrews and McMeel|location=[[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]]|isbn=0836207831}} ==Notes== {{reflist|2}} ==External links== {{wikiquote}} *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3156011.stm The Idi Amin I knew], Brian Barron, ''BBC'', 16 August, 2003. Includes a video of [http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/cta/events03/world/africa/barron_1999_legacy.ram Brian Barron interviewing Idi Amin] in exile in 1980. *[http://www.mail-archive.com/ugandanet@kym.net/msg06472.html Separate fact from fiction in Amin stories.], Billie O'Kadameri, originally published in ''[[The Monitor (Uganda)|The Monitor]]'', [[September 1]], [[2003]] *[http://www.idiamindada.com/ idiamindada.com], a website devoted to Idi Amin's legacy created by his son Jaffar Amin *{{imdb name|id=0024907|name=Idi Amin}} {{start box}} {{succession box|title=[[President of Uganda]]|before=[[Milton Obote]]|after=[[Yusufu Lule]]|years=1971–1979}} {{end box}} {{UgandaPresidents}} {{African Union chairpersons}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Amin, Idi}} [[Category:Idi Amin|*]] [[Category:Presidents of Uganda]] [[Category:Field Marshals]] [[Category:Leaders who took power by coup]] [[Category:Ugandan military personnel]] [[Category:Ugandan politicians]] [[Category:Cold War leaders]] [[Category:Ugandan Muslims]] [[Category:Ugandan boxers]] [[Category:Jeddah]] [[Category:People from Kampala]] [[Category:1925 births]] [[Category:2003 deaths]] [[Category:Deaths from renal failure]] [[Category:British colonial army soldiers]] [[af:Idi Amin]] [[ar:عيدي أمين]] [[bn:ইদি আমিন]] [[be:Ідзі Амін]] [[be-x-old:Ідзі Амін]] [[bg:Иди Амин]] [[cs:Idi Amin]] [[da:Idi Amin]] [[de:Idi Amin]] [[et:Idi Amin]] [[el:Ιντί Αμίν]] [[es:Idi Amin]] [[eo:Idi Amin]] [[fr:Idi Amin Dada]] [[ko:이디 아민]] [[hr:Idi Amin Dada]] [[io:Idi Amin Dada]] [[id:Idi Amin]] [[is:Idi Amin]] [[it:Idi Amin Dada]] [[he:אידי אמין]] [[sw:Idi Amin]] [[la:Idis Amin Dada]] [[hu:Idi Amin Dada]] [[mr:ईदी अमीन]] [[nl:Idi Amin]] [[ja:イディ・アミン]] [[no:Idi Amin]] [[pl:Idi Amin]] [[pt:Idi Amin]] [[ru:Амин, Иди]] [[simple:Idi Amin]] [[sl:Idi Amin Dada]] [[fi:Idi Amin]] [[sv:Idi Amin]] [[ta:இடி அமீன்]] [[vi:Idi Amin Dada]] [[tg:Иди Амин]] [[tr:İdi Amin]] [[uk:Амін Іді]] [[ur:عیدی امین]] [[yo:Idi Amin Dada]] [[zh:伊迪·阿敏]]