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Baby shot dead, Besigye jailed as protests escalate in Uganda Saturday, 23 April 2011 10:02
By Michael J. Ssali, The Citizen Correspondent
Masaka. The unexpected finish to two-year-old Juliana Nalwangas life was sharp and brutal. Two of many bullets fired by security forces dispersing protestors in downtown Masaka town, on Thursday ripped through her head and chest.
Part of her brain spilled on the forehead as blood streamed all over the body. Within minutes, the toddler, fondly called Gift, was kicking in the air, gasping for breath where acrid and suffocating teargas smell dominated. Moments before, she was a lively kid running in the family compound satisfied after breakfast.
The mother, overcome by sorrow, looked on helplessly at the way state actors excessive use of force was snatching a precious life - and with it the familys dreams. A rush by sympathisers to resuscitate the infant bore nothing.Quickly, they put her in a vehicle for emergency treatment at Masaka Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
Baby Nalwanga becomes the fifth person allegedly killed by security forces since the opposition-led Walk-to-Work demonstration over escalating food and fuel prices began on April 11. Yesterday, seven people were seriously injured in Masaka, two of them policemen. A total of 30 people were arrested.
Police last night tried to explain away Nalwangas death, saying stray bullets hit her as security forces shot in the air to scare protestors who had barricaded all access routes to Masaka town.
Asked how high the police fired the bullets since the baby killed was hardly a metre-tall, Mr Noah Sserunjogi, the Southern Region police spokesman, instead said: We are still investigating.
The Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU), he said, had taken over the matter and the units regional head, Mr Peter Wasswa, would lead the investigations.
According to Mr Sserunjogi, opposition supporters, mainly from the crowded Nyendo/Ssenyange Division, used boulders, metallic pieces and torched logs as well as car tyres to obstruct traffic flow on the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway and the towns inter-connecting roads.
By Michael J. Ssali, The Citizen Correspondent
Masaka. The unexpected finish to two-year-old Juliana Nalwangas life was sharp and brutal. Two of many bullets fired by security forces dispersing protestors in downtown Masaka town, on Thursday ripped through her head and chest.
Part of her brain spilled on the forehead as blood streamed all over the body. Within minutes, the toddler, fondly called Gift, was kicking in the air, gasping for breath where acrid and suffocating teargas smell dominated. Moments before, she was a lively kid running in the family compound satisfied after breakfast.
The mother, overcome by sorrow, looked on helplessly at the way state actors excessive use of force was snatching a precious life - and with it the familys dreams. A rush by sympathisers to resuscitate the infant bore nothing.Quickly, they put her in a vehicle for emergency treatment at Masaka Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
Baby Nalwanga becomes the fifth person allegedly killed by security forces since the opposition-led Walk-to-Work demonstration over escalating food and fuel prices began on April 11. Yesterday, seven people were seriously injured in Masaka, two of them policemen. A total of 30 people were arrested.
Police last night tried to explain away Nalwangas death, saying stray bullets hit her as security forces shot in the air to scare protestors who had barricaded all access routes to Masaka town.
Asked how high the police fired the bullets since the baby killed was hardly a metre-tall, Mr Noah Sserunjogi, the Southern Region police spokesman, instead said: We are still investigating.
The Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU), he said, had taken over the matter and the units regional head, Mr Peter Wasswa, would lead the investigations.
According to Mr Sserunjogi, opposition supporters, mainly from the crowded Nyendo/Ssenyange Division, used boulders, metallic pieces and torched logs as well as car tyres to obstruct traffic flow on the Kampala-Masaka-Mbarara highway and the towns inter-connecting roads.
