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'''Idi Amin''' was a commander in the Ugandan army who ousted President Milton Obote in 1971, abolishing parliament and declaring himself president for life. As many as 300,000 Ugandans are said to have died during his eight-year reign, another 250,000 fled to Kenya, and many others lived in exile in Britain. | '''Idi Amin''' was a commander in the Ugandan army who ousted President Milton Obote in 1971, abolishing parliament and declaring himself president for life. As many as 300,000 Ugandans are said to have died during his eight-year reign, another 250,000 fled to Kenya, and many others lived in exile in Britain. | ||
“Big Daddy,” as he liked to call himself, a 270-pound former military boxing champion, drew worldwide attention by his flamboyant eccentricity in foreign policy, outspoken belligerence toward other nations and their leaders (particularly Israel and neighboring Tanzania), and his ruthless purges. These included the periodic liquidation of prominent Ugandans and several thousand Lango and Acholi tribesmen who had supported Obote. “On any given day it was not unusual for 100 to 150 Ugandans to be killed,” Reader’s Digest reported in January 1980. “Entire villages were wiped out. Bodies floated down the Nile by the hundreds.” | “Big Daddy,” as he liked to call himself, a 270-pound former military boxing champion, drew worldwide attention by his flamboyant eccentricity in foreign policy, outspoken belligerence toward other nations and their leaders (particularly Israel and neighboring Tanzania), and his ruthless purges. These included the periodic liquidation of prominent Ugandans and several thousand Lango and Acholi tribesmen who had supported Obote. “On any given day it was not unusual for 100 to 150 Ugandans to be killed,” ''Reader’s Digest'' reported in January 1980. “Entire villages were wiped out. Bodies floated down the Nile by the hundreds.” | ||
Described as a man who could turn in a moment from gentle and charming to demonic, Amin’s bizarre conduct led to persistent rumors about his mental stability. In a blatant show of | Described as a man who could turn in a moment from gentle and charming to demonic, Amin’s bizarre conduct led to persistent rumors about his mental stability. In a blatant show of racism, Amin expelled the 50,000 Asians living in Uganda in 1972, only to strip the country of the trained personnel vital to its economy. When Britain cut off all aid following renewed reports of torture and brutality, Amin confiscated British businesses in Uganda without compensation—later claiming that relations with Britain went awry because he would not marry an Englishwoman. | ||
In 1977, Anglican archbishop of Uganda Janani Luwum and two of Amin’s cabinet ministers were killed, beginning the persecution and slaughter of many Christians and non-Muslims (Amin was a convert to Islam). | In 1977, Anglican archbishop of Uganda Janani Luwum and two of Amin’s cabinet ministers were killed, beginning the persecution and slaughter of many Christians and non-Muslims (Amin was a convert to Islam). | ||