The United States said it has raised its concerns with Uganda over the treatment of Ugandan opposition leader Kizza Besigye who was arrested Thursday for a fourth time this month.
"We have expressed our concern about what appears to be harassment of Dr. Besigye," Johnnie Carson, the assistant secretary of State for African affairs, told reporters.
The United States has "urged that the Ugandan government act both in a responsible and civil fashion in dealing with the arrests of individuals attempting to carry out peaceful protests," he said.
Carson, the top US diplomat for Africa, said he raised these concerns directly with Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa in a telephone call on Thursday.
"I spoke to the foreign minister today and it was specifically concerning the apparent ill treatment of Dr. Besygi as well as the government's reaction to peaceful protest by others," Carson said.
"I urged political outreach and reconciliation to resolve the differences that the government has with opposition leders," he said.
"I also encouraged that there be scope for civil and peaceful protests and that government reaction to those protests should be tempered, responsible and civil," he added.
Ugandan police on Thursday arrested Besigye for the fourth time this month, after smashing his car windows and teargassing him.
Besigye, who was released from a week in custody after being granted bail on Wednesday, was taken to Kasangati police station, close to his home in the Kampala suburbs, then transferred to court, where he had to be led in, his eyes covered with ointment and a handkerchief.
The opposition leader had attempted another "walk to work" demonstration to protest against rising prices, but he was blocked from walking by the police and eventually drove from his home into the city center.
Source: Daily Monitor, Posted Friday, April 29 2011 at 11:03
Source: Daily Monitor, Posted Friday, April 29 2011 at 11:03
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