{UAH} *COPIED FROM A UGANDAN RWANDAN, NOW AMERICAN*

Context, context: 

Not too many people know that  Uganda is: 

1. The second largest host country of refugees and IDP in the world. Turkey is #1 only because of the recent cataclysm  in Syria, Iran, Iraq and Lebanon . Before 2001, Uganda was (as percentage of her native population) was actually the largest host of refugees ON EARTH. 

2. Not too many people know that Uganda was the first host of Jews in Karamoja in 1945-1946; even before Israel became a viable destination (Canada at Halifax; and the US had rejected mass settlement by European jews, mainly from Poland, Ukrainian,  Romania, and other Slav countries. 

3. The 1948 Uganda Census (done by a Budonian--by the way) listed "non-native " populations as "significant linguistic blocks"

4.Banyarwanda refugees ( yes, I concede a bias here but will try to keep a "scholarly distance") and Sudanese settlements in Arua down to Bombo outnumbered native groups.

5. Why! Why is Uganda such an "attractive " destination-- or so it seems, to the undiscerning eye? Is it on account of Geography? Really? 

6. This area of ugandan history is personal for me. Less, because of my own identity or an apparent "altruism " on the part of Uganda herself.

7. The "Anyanya Settlement " of Southern Sudanese 1975-1986 in Uganda is actually a pivotal ---point of departure in UG history.

Cotton and coffee cultivation in Masaka, Toro, Masinde was a "migrant labor" affair. 

Now, we have afghans:  Yes, not "vetted " by UNHCR but rather by my old outfit, 82 Airborne, US Army! Commodore Peter Bazalaki is probably just off South China sea, on the 6th fleet, running the whole "shebang " 

Uganda had Jews,Banyarwanda, Sudanese, (did I mention Indians--a subject onto itself--Ethiopians and Somalis before it had afghans--who knows who is next. 

Its own people are genuinely "baffled" ---is it kindness?, a money "scheme" ,  is it their destiny? Kenya and Tanzania  are far larger countries but  take fewer refugees....why?

Uganda actually holds a special place in human kindness, acceptance and embrace and assimilation--with all the hiccups that go with it.

I wouldn't mind dying for Uganda, you know!

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