I wish he had also come out openly and condemned all the massacres, tortures, child-soldiers, the high taxation but with social services and/or economical developments only in certain areas, systematic impervorishment and stavation policy of the Museveni/NRM/NRA government in the north and east for all these almost twenty years.  Or at least condemn the recent massacres of almost 300 people in Lira, most of whom were children!!

Best regards,

Nyar'Onyango

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  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: [log in to unmask] 
  To: [log in to unmask] 
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  Sent: Wednesday, March 10, 2004 2:11 AM
  Subject: Attack On 3rd Term Critics Irks Kategaya


  Attack On 3rd Term Critics Irks Kategaya
      
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  New Vision (Kampala)March 9, 2004 
  Posted to the web March 9, 2004 
  John Kakande
  Kampala 

  MOVEMENT historical Eriya Kategaya has condemned the attack on members of the Parliamentary Advocacy Forum (PAFO) and the use of state machinery to stop meetings organised by the anti-third term activists."I was very saddened that not only were the PAFO group stopped, but also there was violence, people were injured and some rogues holding the President's placards stopped other people from airing their views," Kategaya said.

  Kategaya argued that the attack on PAFO was "a sad commentary on our so-called democracy and human rights."Explaining that he did not attend because he had cases in court to handle, Kategaya said, "

  I was surprised that I was a target of these thugs. It was sad. Why should people be stopping these PAFO people? Why don't you listen to them? There are some good people in PAFO.""The Movement was fighting to have everybody in Uganda say what he wants. If the power belongs to the people, then people should listen to different views. 

  There is bit of intolerance, which is coming up, which is against the Movement philosophy," added Kategaya.Kategaya featured at a CBS FM radio programme 'Manya Edembe Lyo' (Know Your Rights), sponsored by the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative presented by Matia Lwanga Bwanika.Kategaya talked about a number of issues including his disagreement with President Museveni, his participation in the five-year bush war and his opposition to the third term.On the human rights situation, Kategaya said: "It is deteriorating. 

  There are incidents I see which are worrying. There is an attempt to use the state functionaries, the police, the intelligence, the state machinery to stop those who are having opposite views not to express them freely.""Those who are for Ekisanja (pro-third term) are given free reign to do what they want. Those who are against are stopped every time, which is absurd," he argued."I feel if this attempt to change the Constitution goes on, they may succeed, it may succeed, but that will be not for the country.

  I can see we are going to have a problem like other African countries where people have no trust in leadership or in politicians," Kategaya said.He reaffirmed his opposition to the third term saying, "It is not good for the stability of this country."Kategaya also attacked lands minister Col. Kahinda Otafiire. "I was really hurt by Hon. Otafiire's remarks during Bushenyi by-elections when he was asking people that do not vote Catholic, vote Protestant.

  Again, it is something which is against what the Movement has been talking about."Kategaya rejected charges by President Museveni that his participation in the struggle did not involve real combat. "He knows very well that he cannot face me and say 'you did not participate'. I did. I was doing underground work here," he said."He (Museveni) cannot erase history. I have been in this struggle since we were in senior five in Ntare School in 1965 and he knows it. I was in the struggle against Amin and he knows about it. I was part of the struggle against Obote."




  Asked about the Movement functionaries, who attack personalities, Kategaya said, "In this country we have had regimes before."For me, one of the signs of these regimes when they are about to collapse is having some individuals who are almost seen to be above the law."




  "The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the state." 

  - Dr. Joseph M. Goebbels - Hitler's propaganda minister 

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