{UAH} Rape, racism and how we became a nation of pathetic xenophobics - Comment - www.theeastafrican.co.ke
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Rape, racism and how we became a nation of pathetic xenophobics - Comment
I didn't know we Ugandans were such pathetic xenophobes until an unfortunate young lady was raped by some bloody maniacs originating from somewhere in Asia.
When the terrible incident came to public notice, the issue all around was the nationality of the rapists, rather than their crime. Suddenly people were talking of work permits and illegal immigrants!
My mind raced back several years to when an army brigadier was court-martialled in Kampala for making political utterances on radio.
The brigadier's civilian lawyer was receiving what he considered shabby treatment from the court martial chairman, a general, and protested that he was entitled to being treated with respect because he "robed." This was in reference to the robe he was wearing as an officer of court. But the general, though a university graduate himself, thought the lawyer was talking about being robbed – being forcefully deprived of property.
"Are you the first person to be robbed?" the general quipped. "Every day, people are being robbed in Kampala, so what's special about you being robbed?"
At the time, people who read the verbatim court report in newspapers laughed at the general because his not grasping the finer aspects of the English language was reminiscent of another era when soldiers gave us many gems of linguistic murder like calling identity cards "density," an ID photo "diagram" and the morning meal "breakdown."
But wait a minute, should anyone be robbed and others be spared? Maybe the court martial chairman had a point.
So back to the unfortunate rape victim who is now struggling for her life after repeated gang rape by the beasts who imprisoned her for months in a suburban house.
Does it matter what country her tormentors came from? At first, the story was over Pakistani rapists. "Those Pakistanis!" the angry public was yelling. Then when two suspects were arraigned and on closer scrutiny were found to be Indians, the activists got confused. Should they take back their angry words about Pakistan and start to curse India instead?
Recently, some jilted Ugandan animal stabbed his ex to death in London. Should British immigration hunt down all Ugandans in UK as a result?
Meanwhile, the Kampala Resident City Commissioner vowed to close the car shop where the rape suspects worked if their accomplices still at large were not apprehended within 48 hours.
Very good move. But why not close offices and (especially) churches where Ugandan rape suspects work until they are arrested?
For the record, the poor girl was raped in a residence, not the workplace of the despicable rapists. Is the public and the state only sympathising with the poor girl because the rapists are foreigners? Why don't we show the same anger at Ugandan pastors who grievously rape little boys?
What seemed to be lost on the public and all the angry activists was the fact that this particular rape came to the fore just a couple of weeks after a government minister was widely reported to have called for the rape of all girls who are found wearing miniskirts, and actually called for the rape victims' prosecution for causing their rape!
How I wish the Kampala Resident City Commissioner closed that minister's ministry until he was apprehended! The general was actually right. Robbery is robbery, regardless of the robber. And rape is rape, whatever the nationality of the rapist.
http://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/OpEd/comment/How-Uganda-became-a-nation-of-pathetic-xenophobics-/-/434750/2047810/-/h7c8pg/-/index.html
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