He is remembered as a bloody dictator by Western states, but as a great hero by Muslim countries. He became the most talked-about name of an era with his coming to power, his relationship with the public, his way of governing the state, and the extraordinary steps he took in foreign policy.
Many allegations were made about him, thousands of articles were written, dozens of documentaries were prepared, and he was held responsible for the deaths of 500 thousand of people. These products, which emerged as a result of biased publications and insufficient research, are not enough to fully describe him. Here is Idi Amin with all his unknowns…
Idi Amin Dada Oumee (1925 – 16 August 2003) was a Ugandan military officer and politician who served as the third president of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. He ruled as a military dictator and is considered one of the most brutal despots in modern world history.
Ugandan soldier. He served as president from 1971 to 1979. He was born in Koboko. He left his education in the second grade of primary school. He participated in World War II and was wounded. In 1946 the British military in Uganda entered the colonial contingent. (He held the heavyweight boxing championship in the army for ten years.) He became chief of staff in 1966. He seized power in a coup in 1971 while President Milton Obote was abroad for the British Commonwealth meeting. Although he said he would hand over power to the civilian administration through elections, he later declared himself head of state for life. He maintained the ban on opposition parties during the Obote era. He repealed some parts of the constitution. He dissolved the National Assembly. In 1972, he failed an attempt to restore Obote, backed by Tanzania, to power. In the same year, it deported 80,000 Asians who did not have citizenship rights but who largely controlled the country's economy. In 1979, Tanzanian forces overthrew Idi Amin and captured the capital, Kampala. Amin fled to Libya.
Life story
He was born in 1925 in a region that we can call the country's countryside. At the age of 20, he joined the British Royal African Rifle Corps. He has always been one of the favorite soldiers with his 1.94 height and large body. He proved himself with his courage in the operations to suppress the conflicts and uprisings he entered. That's why he became one of only two blacks who were given the rank of an officer when Uganda gained its independence in 1962. The other officer was Milton Obote, his fateful partner, and nemesis. Idi Amin quickly climbed the career ladder after independence. Milton Obote was President and Idi Amin was Chief of Staff. All the soldiers of the country were under the command of Idi Amin.
Uganda's geopolitical position makes it a critical country. Although it does not have a coast to the ocean, it is at the junction where the countries within the continent connect to the ocean. On the other hand, it is a safe harbor where those fleeing rebellions and wars in the surrounding countries take shelter. There were serious allegations against Idi Amin that he was smuggling weapons by using this strategic position while he was the chief of general staff. It was stated that he got rich, especially through the weapons he sold to the rebels in South Sudan. Sources I interviewed, whom I cannot name, confirmed this. This extreme wealth and power compelled Amin to take action for the next position.
Frictions soon broke out between Idi Amin, who was strong in character and position, and President Milton Obote. Seeing Idi Amin as a threat, Milton Obote devised a plan. Although most of the information in the media says that Idi Amin staged a coup, the truth of the matter is not like that. Obote, who went to Singapore for the meeting of the Commonwealth of Nations, ordered the soldiers close to him to arrest Idi Amin. Thus, he planned to get rid of his biggest rival. Idi Amin, who was loved and highly respected by his soldiers, foreshadowed this situation. Thereupon, he launched a counter-operation, had the soldiers working with Obote killed and saved his life. Of course, he was not satisfied with this, he took advantage of the gap and took over the country's administration by making a coup. This very bloody coup process resulted in the death of hundreds of people. Now the doors of a new era had been opened for Uganda. Let alone Africa, the era of Idi Amin has begun in Uganda, with a management style that even the world has not seen, and with his idiosyncratic decisions.
Idi Amin painted a portrait of a ruler who mingled with the people, went to the most remote parts of the country, and was loved and adopted by the people in a short time with his cheerful demeanor. However, this situation was not the same for everyone living in the country. Because, with a shocking decision he took one year after he seized power, he caused great grievances. He made a decision for the Ugandans of Asian descent, who dominate most of the trade. This decision particularly concerned the Indians. He ordered them to leave the country within 90 days. They were only allowed to take one suitcase with them when they left. This group, which dominates the country's trade, was asked to leave the country at once, leaving all their assets and savings behind. Otherwise, they were told they would be sentenced to prison and death sentences. Adopting a nationalist stance, Idi Amin became the focus of criticism after this decision. His aim was to drive out foreigners who had become rich by trading and distributing their wealth to Ugandans. Of course, this process led to great persecution and human rights violations. The goods and shops left by the Indians were shared among the followers of Idi Amin. For many years, people who were in the trade were replaced by people who did not understand trade and who owned property unjustly. These disrupted the supply-demand balance and the market, dragging Uganda into years of misery. Although Idi Amin's relatives defended this decision, close colleagues I spoke to said it was a wrong decision. Today, citizens of Asian origin, especially Indians, dominate the country's trade.
The expulsion of people of Asian descent was actually the first step in a series of problematic decisions. Later, the hijacking of the Air France flight and the arrest of the British journalist was important breaking points. Idi Amin hardened his nationalist and conservative stance with each passing day. On July 3, 1976, the Air France flight from Tel Aviv to France was hijacked with its 12 crew and 248 passengers. The plane, hijacked by members of the Palestine Liberation Organization, first landed in Libya. Then he arrived at Uganda's Entebbe Airport. Idi Amin's permission to the demonstrators to use the airport and being a part of this action had a great impact on the world. As negotiations continued, Israel secretly sent a contingent of select soldiers to Uganda. As a result of an operation that lasted for 58 minutes, all the activists were killed. During the clashes, three hostages were killed and five Israeli soldiers were injured. In addition, Israeli commandos killed 45 Ugandan soldiers and destroyed 11 Ugandan Air Force fighter jets while they were parked. One of the wounded Israeli soldiers died in the hospital where he was being treated. That soldier is Yonatan Netanyahu, the commander of the operation and also the brother of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This operation found a wide place on the world agenda. Idi Amin's charisma was seriously shaken at home and abroad.
In addition to all these, we come across a portrait of Amin who visits the tribes living in the most extreme regions of the country, accompanies their dances, constantly enters the public, and shakes hands with them. We also witness that he enjoyed serious public support and sympathy during his lifetime. He garnered great sympathy not only in Uganda but also in the entire African continent, especially with his photograph of himself portrayed by white people. It was giving the message that we are no longer slaves but masters to the oppressed, despised blacks who cherish their white masters. Of course, while doing this, his populist moves towards a conservative-nationalist understanding were of considerable size.
Idi Amin was loved by most, if not all, of the people, with his height of nearly two meters, his large body, and his colorful personality. The Muslims and Christians I spoke to from the local people, who did not want to share his name, expressed their love for Idi Amin. Muslims expressed their love for their contribution to their religion, and Christians for defending their country against Asians and Westerners.
The End of Amin's Power
Idi Amin was known for his sudden decisions in domestic and foreign policies. He aspired to become a recognized power on the entire African continent. As a result of this desire and desire to stay in power, the neighboring country declared war on Tanzania and attempted to occupy it. This was the move that brought the end of Idi Amin's rule. As a result of the defeat he suffered in this war, he had to leave the country. Although he attempted to return to his country, he was unsuccessful and lived until his death in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The Last King of Scotland is about the life of Idi Amin. Forest Whitaker, who portrayed Amin, won an Oscar for best actor. There is a movie called Victory in Entebbe, which also stars Anthony Hopkins, and is also about Idi Amin. The movie 7 Days in Entebbe, which made its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in 2007, also deals with Idi Amin and the hostage crisis. There are dozens of books about Idi Amin and a documentary prepared by the BBC.
Idi Amin, who is one of the leaders that tens of movies have been made about, thousands of articles have been written about, and one of the most talked about leaders in the world is today known as the "Butcher of Uganda". Although many of the exaggerated claims about him are speculation, it is difficult to say that Amin is completely innocent. Although it has won the admiration and love of its people and close colleagues, there are allegations of the massacre that are hard to hide and hard to deny. There are thousands of civilians displaced from their homes and their property confiscated.