When security agencies subjected opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye to brutal arrests during the walk to work protests in April and May, they unwittingly placed Uganda into the spotlight of failed states.
Today, the country ranks among the top 30 failed states on the index dubbed Postcards From Hell, 2011. The index published by the influential Foreign Policy (FP) magazine on June 20 specifically cites Besigyes violent arrests as the reason Uganda places twenty-first out of 117 countries.
From all appearances, the democratic opening in Uganda is closing and human rights are the collateral damage. Protests have been blocked; cell-phone service has been sporadically cut off, the index notes.
Ugandans hoping for relief for the growing ranks of the poor will also be disappointed. Analysts blame [President] Musevenis government for spending more to win elections than to ensure public welfare.
Uganda is followed, in 22nd position, by North Korea, a regime that has been bashed by the West for being: fastidious about keeping news from getting out and keeping the world from getting in.
The country has company among the failed states class, faring slightly better than some of her neighbours in the East African region and neighbouring states: Somalia (1), Sudan (3), DR Congo (4), Burundi (17), Kenya (16), Zimbabwe (6), Ethiopia (20) and Central Africa Republic (8). Rwanda is in 34th position.
According to FP, Somalia, Chad, and Sudan have topped the list of failed states for four consecutive years. This 2011 failed states ranking was prepared by the Fund for Peace and looks at the worlds most vulnerable countries.
Source: Observer
Today, the country ranks among the top 30 failed states on the index dubbed Postcards From Hell, 2011. The index published by the influential Foreign Policy (FP) magazine on June 20 specifically cites Besigyes violent arrests as the reason Uganda places twenty-first out of 117 countries.
From all appearances, the democratic opening in Uganda is closing and human rights are the collateral damage. Protests have been blocked; cell-phone service has been sporadically cut off, the index notes.
Ugandans hoping for relief for the growing ranks of the poor will also be disappointed. Analysts blame [President] Musevenis government for spending more to win elections than to ensure public welfare.
Uganda is followed, in 22nd position, by North Korea, a regime that has been bashed by the West for being: fastidious about keeping news from getting out and keeping the world from getting in.
The country has company among the failed states class, faring slightly better than some of her neighbours in the East African region and neighbouring states: Somalia (1), Sudan (3), DR Congo (4), Burundi (17), Kenya (16), Zimbabwe (6), Ethiopia (20) and Central Africa Republic (8). Rwanda is in 34th position.
According to FP, Somalia, Chad, and Sudan have topped the list of failed states for four consecutive years. This 2011 failed states ranking was prepared by the Fund for Peace and looks at the worlds most vulnerable countries.
Source: Observer
