stakehigh
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- Aug 9, 2019
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In January 1989, Idi Amin attempted to return to Uganda by traveling to Kinshasa, Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), but his plan was thwarted
Details of the Failed Attempt
Details of the Failed Attempt
- Travel and Detection: Amin, traveling with one of his sons on a false Zairian passport and in a disguise, slipped out of Saudi Arabia and made his way to Zaire, likely hoping to cross the remote border into his home area in northwestern Uganda to lead an armed group. He was identified during a stopover in Lagos, Nigeria, by hotel staff and subsequently arrested upon arrival in Kinshasa on January 3, 1989.
- International Diplomacy and Rejection: The Ugandan government, led by President Yoweri Museveni, immediately demanded Amin's extradition to stand trial for the murder of an estimated 100,000 to 500,000 people during his regime. Zaire, which had good relations with Amin's former government, was reluctant to hand him over.
- Forced Return to Saudi Arabia: Amin was deported from Zaire and flown to Dakar, Senegal, to board a commercial flight back to Saudi Arabia. However, the Saudi government, which had granted him asylum on the condition that he stay out of politics, initially declared him "persona non grata" and blocked his immediate return. After diplomatic negotiations and the failure to find any other country willing to accept him, Saudi Arabia eventually reversed its decision and provided him sanctuary again.
- Outcome: Amin was forced to return to Saudi Arabia, where he remained under house arrest and out of the public eye until his death from kidney failure in 2003. He never returned to Uganda or faced trial for his crimes