Politics
From Zionism to Pan-Islamism: The Evolution of an African Leader Idi Amin Dada
Editorial*
Anyone familiar with the history of Zionism knows that Uganda was once considered a potential homeland for Jews. However, what many may not realise is that Zionists still maintain an interest in Uganda, even though their focus has primarily been on the Palestinian territories. In this case, Uganda is seen as a strategic location rather than a homeland. Despite being landlocked, Uganda is known for its rich underground resources and gained independence from Britain in 1962. However, it was not the resources themselves that attracted the Zionists’ attention. One of the main draws is that the Nile River, often seen as the symbolic border of Israel, originates in Uganda’s Jinja region. Clearly, the Nile holds great socioeconomic significance. Additionally, until South Sudan was established in 2011, Uganda served as a convenient launching point for operations targeting Egypt and Sudan, two Arab Muslim countries.
The Zionists were aware of all these factors and began establishing relations with many African countries to engage in socio-political and political activities after the establishment of Israel. While Uganda was given significant importance in these activities, Israel started developing a close relationship with the country in the late 1950s. When the British withdrew from Ugandan politics in 1962, Israel seemed to fill the void. During the 1960s, Israel’s activities in Uganda encompassed various sectors, including agriculture, industry, education, and technical cooperation. Their goal was to train local individuals to govern their nation. Both public and private Israeli companies were involved in road construction, airport development, housing construction, and the advancement of water resources. It’s worth noting that extensive military cooperation also took place. However, it was Idi Amin Dada, one of the most notorious despots of the modern world, who himself was brought to power and supported by the Zionists, that will put an end to these activities.
Who is Idi Amin?
Idi Amin is known for his giant stature and funny gestures. He was a Muslim born in Koboko, Uganda, on Eid al-Adha in 1928. His father was forcibly conscripted into the First World War on the British side and later became a policeman for the colonial government. His mother, who separated from his father in childhood, joined the anti-imperialist Yakani movement. Amin left primary school and joined the colonial army. During this period, he carried out some of the colonial occupations, such as suppressing rebellions in the region. These duties and his success in sports attracted the attention of the British. Idi Amin, who only got a half-baked education, was left as one of the two officers in the country when Uganda gained independence. This position enabled him to rise in the army and politics. But then, there was something in common between Israel and Idi Amin. Amin, who belonged to the Kakwa ethnicity found in Uganda and South Sudan, wanted an independent South Sudanese state devoid of Arab domination. This idea coincided with the strategic interests of Israel, an important player in Uganda at the time.
His Path to Leadership
At the time of Uganda’s independence, King Mutesa of the southern Kingdom of Buganda was elected ceremonial President, while Milton Obote was inaugurated as the executive prime minister. However, four years later, Obote deposed Mutesa and took over the government with the help of Idi Amin, who was then the army chief. While the relationship between Obote and Amin was initially good, they eventually fell out. During this period, Obote started to align himself with the Soviet Union. These actions concerned Britain, as it had a significant interest in Uganda’s capitalist economy. As a result, Obote’s downfall appeared to be inevitable.
On January 25, 1971, while Obote was attending the Commonwealth summit in Singapore, Idi Amin staged a coup and seized power. Colonel Bar-Lev, the Israeli defence attaché who was with Idi Amin on the morning of the coup, was believed to have provided technical assistance. Immediately after the coup, the Kenyan government, loyal to Britain, recognised the regime of Idi Amin. The UK and other countries followed this recognition. Amazingly, Amin’s first foreign visit was to Israel, where he was welcomed and provided with a personal jet, tanks, and small arms. The Israelis also promised him further investment in his country. However, Idi Amin’s honeymoon with the Zionists was short-lived.
President Idi Amin and Israeli Armed Forces Commander Chaim Bar-Lev
Parting of ways with the Zionists
In his first year in power, Idi Amin began to feel that he had not been fully compensated for his services to the Zionists. He wanted to have modern war technology like the Israelis and then demanded more aid and debt relief. However, Israel was not receptive to these demands. In 1972, Idi Amin began seeking new allies by contacting Egyptian President Anwar Sadat. This interaction angered Israel, leading to negative news about Idi Amin being spread in Israeli newspapers. While Sadat could not assist Idi Amin directly, he referred him to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Gaddafi presented an offer that would completely change Amin’s policy. He promised to provide everything Amin desired on the condition that he severed ties with Israel. Hence, Idi Amin ended all agreements with Israel and gave up his dream of South Sudan. Not only that, but Idi Amin also started targeting Britain. The Indians that Britain had brought to Uganda controlled much of the country’s economy at this time. Idi Amin decided to expel Indians from the country. In the context of this ill-conceived economic policy of indigenisation, first, Indians with British citizenship and then the entire Indian population were expelled.
Idi Amin as an Antizionist
After 1972, Idi Amin shifted his allegiance away from Israel and aligned himself with the “oil-rich” Muslim countries. He increasingly emphasised his religious identity and joined the Palestinian cause. Although Muslims made up only 12% of the population in his country, he appointed Muslims and individuals from ethnic groups he trusted to critical positions in the government administration. In this process, he started showing extreme harshness against his newly acquired external enemies and internal ethnic and perceived enemies. He gave unlimited powers to his military, which led to serious human rights violations in the country. Dissidents fleeing Idi Amin’s rule often sought refuge in the UK, where they sometimes made exaggerated claims about Idi Amin to please their hosts. However, it is difficult to verify these claims as there was no freedom of the press in Uganda.
Idi Amin’s animosity towards his former allies, the Zionists, reached its peak on September 11, 1972. In a telegram addressed to the UN Secretary-General, he not only celebrated the massacre of Israeli Olympic athletes in Munich but also praised Hitler and advocated for the expulsion of Israelis from the United Nations. Amin’s antagonism towards Israel climaxed when he openly supported the hijacking of a plane in 1976, explicitly targeting Israelis.
Idi Amin and Gadaffi
In 1976, a plane carrying 246 passengers, primarily Jewish and Israeli, from Tel Aviv was hijacked by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - External Operations (PFLP-EO) and the German Revolutionary Cells. The aircraft was first directed to Libya for refuelling and then to Entebbe Airport in Uganda. The Israeli citizens and Jews on the plane were taken captive, and in return, a ransom and the release of Palestinian prisoners were demanded from Israel. After several days of delaying tactics, Israel carried out an operation at Entebbe Airport with the help of intelligence personnel trained in Uganda and the government of neighbouring Kenya. In the operation, 45 Ugandan soldiers and all the hijackers were killed, five Israeli soldiers were wounded, and one was killed. The dead Israeli soldier was Yonatan Netanyahu, an older brother of the murderous Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The downfall of Idi Amin
While Operation Entebbe was a success and a publicity coup for Israel, it was the beginning of a nightmare for Idi Amin. His internal and external enemies increased, and his former Western allies wanted to remove him. However, his relations with the Soviets were good. Idi Amin resorted to killing those whom he perceived as traitors and coup plotters to protect his throne. Members of the administration who escaped from him mostly took shelter in neighbouring Tanzania. His former boss, Milton Obote, was also in Tanzania. These disturbed Idi Amin and made him launch an attack on Tanzania, which was close to the West; but Tanzania not only resisted, but its soldiers also advanced as far as Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Despite Gaddafi’s trying to help Idi Amin, everything was too late. Idi Amin was forced to flee Uganda and was first exiled to Libya and then to Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia provided Idi Amin with a comfortable life on the condition that he would not get involved in politics.
Criticism of Idi Amin’s Administration
A thorough analysis of Idi Amin’s actions after he started opposing the Zionists, who had played a significant role in bringing him to power, reveals numerous mistakes he made. It is worth noting that Amin, like many Muslims during British colonial rule, was denied access to educational institutions. Thus, he was not educated enough to handle some issues properly. The fact that he did not surround himself with well-qualified people also created serious weaknesses in his governance. He aimed to localise the economy but failed because he did not lay the necessary foundations. Idi Amin’s government received aid from Libya and Saudi Arabia, but it did not receive it in the form of large investments. Instead, it was more in the form of funds, and many of these funds were used to buy ammunition. This meant that the donor countries were indirectly helping the countries that were selling the arms. Before Idi Amin cut his ties with the Zionists, there were various investments in Uganda. However, the aid from Muslim countries was directed towards short-term financial support and arms purchases rather than long-term investments in economic development. This can be considered as one of the strategic mistakes of the Muslim countries.
Nevertheless, some of Idi Amin’s cultural initiatives are worth mentioning. For example, Idi Amin, who saw English as an imperialist language, facilitated the use of Swahili, one of the most spoken languages of East Africa, in the military. Since then, various countries have adopted Swahili as an official language or taught it in the curriculum. Idi Amin’s contribution to the status of Ugandan Muslims is also undeniable. Compared to other East African countries where Muslims are a minority, Ugandan Muslims stand out. In 1974, when Uganda joined the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Muslims in the country had the opportunity to establish closer ties with Muslims around the world. They have benefited from the training programs of the OIC and its affiliated institutions. With Uganda’s accession to the OIC in 1974, the idea of an institution of higher education for the Muslim community in East Africa began to be considered. As a result, the Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) was established in 1988. This university has become an important educational institution for Muslim students in the region.
Idi Amin, who died in Saudi Arabia in 2003, will go down in history as one of the leaders subjected to the greatest media propaganda. Dozens of smear films were made about him. While these films exaggeratedly told true information, they sometimes included wholly fabricated stories. Considering that the people who made these films were always his enemies, one wonders if they intended to undermine Idi Amin’s life and some of his actions.
Allah knows, but like everyone else, he made mistakes. May Allah have mercy on him.
References
*Translated from Turkish to English by Ali Fahd
*This text was adapted from the 204th episode of the Weekly Graduate Student Debate organized by Kayseri International Student Association (KUDER) presented by Shah Mahmud Muhammadi, Oumar Tandjigora and Ifeoluwa Siddiq Oyelami.
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