SATURDAY DIGEST: World's Most Infamous Murders 'Ruthless Amin' (Day 8)

One of the most wicked, ruthless and vilest ruler Africa has ever known joins our list of World's Most Infamous Murders today on duketundesblog SATURDAY DIGEST. Born between 1923-28 as there are discrepancies regarding when and where he was born. 'Field Marshal Alhaji Dr. Idi Amin Dada of Uganda', was the third President of Uganda, ruling from 1971 to 1979.

Idi Amin seized power in a military coup in January 1971, deposing President Milton Obote. He later promoted himself to field marshal while he was head of state. His rule was characterized by human rights abuses, political repression, ethnic persecution, extra-judicial killings, nepotism and corruption.

The number of people killed as a result of his regime is estimated by international observers and human rights groups to range from 100,000 to 500,000. It was reported that the ruthless leader kept the meat of some of his victim for consumption.

Amin who grew up with his mother after his father left at a very tender age, left school with only a fourth-grade  English-language education, and did odd jobs before being recruited to the army by a British colonial army officer. In 1946 he joined the King's African Rifles (KAR) of the British Colonial Army, as an assistance cook and by 1959 rose to the rank of a warrant officer, the highest rank possible for a Black African in the colonial army.

After he became President in 1977, Britain whom had always supported Idi Amin, broke diplmatic relations with Uganda. Amin then went on radio to declare that he had defeated the British and added "CBE" for "Conqueror of the British Empire" to his title and then his entire title also changed to "His excellency President for Life,  Field Marshal Alhaji Dr. Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, CBE".

During his rule people disappeared mysteriously and ethnic persecution were freely carried out, bodies were often dumped into the River Nile. many Ugandan defected and were in exiles in neighboring countries. In the 1974 French-produced documentary film General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait, Amin discussed his plans for war against Israel, using paratroops, bombers, and suicide squadrons.

Idi Amin's road to DOOM....

In June 1976, Amin allowed an Air France airliner from Tel Aviv to Paris hijacked by two members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – External Operations (PFLP-EO) and two members of the German Revolutionäre Zellen to land at Entebbe Airport. There the hijackers were joined by three more. Soon after, 156 non-Jewish 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 (among whom were the captain and crew of the hijacked Air France jet), continued to be held hostage. In the subsequent Israeli rescue operation, codenamed Operation Thunderbolt (popularly known as Operation Entebbe), on the night of 3–4 July 1976, a group of Israeli commandos were flown in from Israel and seized control of Entebbe Airport, freeing nearly all the hostages. Three hostages died during the operation and 10 were wounded; 7 hijackers, about 45 Ugandan soldiers, and 1 Israeli soldier, Yoni Netanyahu, were killed. A fourth hostage, 75-year-old Dora Bloch, an elderly Jewish Englishwoman who had been taken to Mulago Hospital in Kampala before the rescue operation, was subsequently murdered in reprisal. The incident further soured Uganda's international relations, leading the United Kingdom to close its High Commission in Uganda.

In January 1979, several Ugandans in exile, backed by troops mobilised by President Nyerere of Tanzania seized Kampala and Idi Amin was forced to flee in an Helicopter. He escaped first to Libya, where he stayed until 1980 and then to Saudi Arabia, whee he lived until his death on August 16, 2003. He was buried in Ruwais Cemetery in Jeddah in a simple grave without any fanfare.

Reference: Wikipedia