The word revulsion does not capture the feeling, but it comes quite close to describing my reaction to images of last week’s sexual assault on Ingrid Turinawe, the leader of the FDC Women’s League, which was perpetrated by a Uganda Police officer, acting on behalf of the ruling regime. Most of the world did not have any doubt about what happened to Ms. Turinawe. The television images and still photographs reached us in Toronto, as they did all over the world, within minutes of the attack. Uganda’s image took another beating, made worse by the feeble response of the regime’s spokespersons, who could not bring themselves to call the attack what it was – a crime of sexual assault against a citizen. I choose my words very carefully and deliberately. So I invite you, Tingasiga, to note that I have not said “alleged sexual assault.” The crime committed by the policeman was captured live on video. Only those addicted to self-deception would waste time discussing the nature of the crime that was perpetrated against an innocent woman. I hear that the government spin-masters are claiming that the criminal police officer was a woman as if the gender matters. The only civilized action that the government must take against the policeman is to arrest him and charge him with assault causing bodily harm, sexual assault and other crimes that the learned fraternity is adept at compiling. One hopes that Ms Turinawe herself will launch a case against the policeman, the police and government.
http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/OpEdColumnists/MuniiniMulera/-/878676/1396302/-/6ac25jz/-/index.html
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