Kampala is known for its lively nightlife but many patrons
are now staying away after the twin bomb on World Cup day.
AFP
By Ben Simon (AFP)
Friday, July 23, 2010
Bomb blasts that killed 76 people in Kampala this month have left the city’s bustling nightlife in tatters, with paltry crowds and dwindling drink orders curtailing business prospects. Suicide bombers detonated deadly explosives in the midst of revellers watching the World Cup final on the night of July 11 in two separate entertainment venues in the Ugandan capital. Scores of people were also left injured. “People thought it was a bomb that killed people. But it’s a bomb that killed also business,” said Paul Kato, who organises bands and DJs in several venues in the city’s Kabalagala district. Kampala is known for its lively nightlife. Kabalagala, where a suspected suicide bomber killed 15 patrons in an Ethiopian restaurant, has the highest concentration of bars and clubs. Locals and expatriates frequent Kabalagala in the south of the city, where bouncers usually observed a relaxed policy towards commercial sex workers. Read more.
20 Arrested Over Attacks in Uganda (The New York Times)
By JOSH KRON
Published: July 17, 2010
KAMPALA, Uganda — The police have arrested a second batch of suspects in connection to last Sunday’s terrorist attacks in this capital that killed 76 people, and they said suicide bombers were probably involved in the attacks.
The Shabab, an Islamist insurgency in Somalia, claimed responsibility for the three bombs that struck two popular nightspots where soccer fans had gathered to watch the final match of the World Cup.
The police said that the latest suspects included people from Uganda, Somalia and Ethiopia.
Read more.
Video: Museveni vows to hit al-Shabab (NTV Kenya)
Video: Somalis in Uganda fear backlash after Shabab bombings (Al Jazeera)
Related News:
Ethiopians, Eritreans Face Double Suspicion in Post-Bomb Uganda (VOA)
Uganda bomb probe finds ‘suicide vest’ at dance hall, four suspects arrested
Tadias Magazine
News Summary
Updated: Wednesday, July 14, 2010
New York (Tadias) — Four people have been arrested following Sunday’s twin bomb attacks in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, which killed 76 people watching the final World Cup match on TV.
“Arrests were made late yesterday after an unexploded suicide bomber’s belt was found in the Makindye area (of the capital Kampala),” announced government spokesman Fred Opolot.
According to the New York Daily News, a “‘suicide vest’ filled with ball bearings was discovered by investigators at a dance hall in Uganda’s capital and is similar to the items found at the scene of Sunday’s deadly explosions.” The catch in Kampala led to the arrests of four “foreign’ suspects,” who officials said could be from Somalia.
An al-Qaida-linked Somali militant group- which views Ethiopia as an enemy – claimed responsibility Monday for the bombs that exploded at two locations, including at a popular Ethiopian garden restaurant.
“We will carry out attacks against our enemy wherever they are,” said Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage, a militant spokesman in Mogadishu. “No one will deter us from performing our Islamic duty.”
Ugandan police officials had said on Sunday that they suspected the Somali based Al-Shabab could be behind the synchronized attacks. The group had previously issued repeated threats against Uganda and Burundi, which together have 5,000 troops presence in the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia.
“We can’t rule anything out,” said Kale Kayihura, Uganda’s police inspector general, at the scene of one of the attacks. “This was obviously terrorism, from the way it was targeted at World Cup watchers in public places.”
One bomb went off at a large rugby field in a different Kampala neighborhood where hundreds of people had gathered to watch the the 2010 World Cup between Spain and the Netherlands.
If confirmed, this makes the terror group’s first attack beyond Somalia ‘s borders.
According to the Daily Monitor, which quotes Ethiopia’s ambassador to Uganda – Terfa Mengesha – six Ethiopian nationals are among the dead.
Per AP: One American was killed and at least three others were wounded. “Among the wounded was Kris Sledge, 18, who said a group of six Americans had been watching the World Cup at the Ethiopian restaurant. Sledge, of Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania, had been part of a church group in the country for three weeks. They were supposed to leave Uganda on Tuesday. Three Americans in his group were wounded.”
US President Barack Obama called the deadly explosions “deplorable and cowardly,” a spokesman said. “The president is deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks, and sends his condolences to the people of Uganda and the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured,” National Security Council spokesman Mike Hammer said in a statement. “The United States is ready to provide any assistance requested by the Ugandan government.”
Meanwhile, Ethiopian authorities have condemned the terrorist attack, calling on the international community to focus on worldwide anti-terror response.
Video: Uganda police impound new explosive devices (NTV Kenya)
Video: 2 Bomb Attacks in Uganda; 20 Feared Dead (AP)
Cover photo: AFP
Related:
Containing al-Shabab (BBC)
Somalia: America needs to engage (Guardian.co.uk)
State Department puts Uganda death toll at 76 (CNN)
It is very unfortunate that inoccent people have to pay the price {for all the ills of the world}.
I am deeply saddened to hear this news. Terrorism is evil. It is committed by sick, sick, sick people. Tragic.
wicked act !
The goal of an evil terrorist is to strike fear by killing innocent people. This is the first time, as far as I know, that Ethiopians abroad have been specifically targeted for this type of attack. Of course, there was also the recent Beirut Ethiopian Airlines explosion, still under investigation. Could this be the consequences of bad government policy? Not far fetched. We live in a very dangerous time. Leaders of all sides in Ethiopia (regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political party affiliation) need to look into their hearts and minds and find a way to defuse the tension with people whom we have shared borders for more than a millennium. Please protect us.
What is this world coming to?
They murder innocents on the World Cup Final day? They have to spoil the world’s good mood. Terrorists are a bunch of idiotic and wicked people. very uncool.
I agree. This needs policy review on the highest level of all sectors of society – including civic, religious, government and media – in order to safeguard the future of our country Ethiopia from her enemies. And one side can not have all the solution. It requires a sincere effort to bring dialogging across the country. My heart goes out to the victims and I hope they catch and bring the perpetrators to justice soon!
Until the international community comes to its mind and takes decisive measure against these violent groups, things will keep on getting worse. Today the people of East Africa are carrying the brent of fire, tomorrow it will be everyone.
The usual suspects.
People who are drawn to commit this kind of senseless crime usually have very low-self-esteem and carrying out this type of horrible mission, in a very strange way, makes them feel accomplished.
I agree with Reason .
What a tragic day for the victims and their families. MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES.
God plz bring peace among mankind!!!
Ethiopian religious leaders (both Muslims and Christians), scholars and academics (both at home and abroad) need to start lending megaphone to the TRUTH about Ethiopia and its historic relationship with Islam.
Ethiopia has been home to Christianity, Islam and Jewish religions for more than a thousands years. And the TRUTH is that this type of violence or jihad against Ethiopia is illegal in the Muslim religion.
The nation’s role in providing sanctuary for the earliest Muslims and the “just” and “wise” decision of an Ethiopian Christian king to grant refuge to the family of the Prophet Mohammad, who came to Ethiopia while fleeing from their Arabian-pagan persecutors is well documented, but needs to be shared widely.
Mohammad was very much aware of the generosity of the Ethiopian King, when he dictated the sayings (hadith) of the Prophet that have been recorded and passed on to generations of faithful Muslims, that “Abyssinia is a land of justice in which no one is oppressed.”
In other words, no Jihad or religious war could be waged against Ethiopians. That’s the sacred TRUTH. So violence against Abyssinians will not bring you “virgins,” but rather “fire in hell.”
This is more of a political conflict than a religious one. All Muslims are very respectful of the Prophet’s hadith about leaving Ethiopia alone. However, Ethiopia invaded Somalia few years ago (as a horse for George Bush) completely unprovoked. I regret the unimaginable violence and suffering the unprovoked invasion caused to our cousins and neighbors in Somalia, as I do regret the senseless bombing visited upon my Ethiopian sisters and brothers in Uganda. The solution is to encourage dialogue across the borders based on respect for our commonality to gap our differences. Let us please give peace a chance. That’s the only way forward.
It is naive to say “please protect us.” Which contemporary Ethiopian leader has the balls to step-up to the plate to do that? Sorry yene wondim, I have zero confidence in the current leadership. Egziabher is the only one who will protect Ethiopia, as she has ever since our existence. Amen.
The chickens have come home to roost. Violence breeds more violence. The invasion of Somalia was a mistake of grand proportions.
I too am deeply saddened by the loss of life resulting from these deplorable and cowardly attacks, and sends my condolences to the people of Africa and particularly to Uganda, Ethiopia and to all the loved ones of those who have been killed or injured.
{How do we know that the other dictator in our Northern neighbor does not have a hand in it?}
Why Uganda though?
Abe:
Your insinuation by speculation is rendered mute by Shabab itself, which has claimed responsibility for it. The obvious answer to your questions is no. I would say that is bad wishful thinking.
Re: the incident, there are two symbols here (remember all these guys care about is communicating messages to their powerful enemies – often imaginary) at the expense of the blood of innocent and poor people.
1. World Cup: That is designed to command world attention
2. Ethiopian Restaurant: That’s the message wanted delivered
It sucks.
Ye Oak Town Lij,
It is very easy to simplify the whole situation and boil it down to simple sem and work (wax and gold) of “World Cup” and “Ethiopian restaurant.” Unfortunately, the geopolitics of the Horn of Africa is much more complicated than that. The point is that the Al-Shabab leadership is made of uneducated clerics. Because if they were even remotely erudite about their own religion, they would surly know that directing holly-war against Ethiopia is in direct violation of the codes and teaching of Islam. In a democracy, it would equal to grounds for impeachment. You can not violate the laws of which you have sworn to protect.
Do they know the story of Bilal, an Ethiopian of key importance in Islam? He was one of the most trusted and loyal Sahaba (companion) of Muhammad and of Ali. His respected stature during the birth of Islam is often cited by Muslims as evidence of the importance of pluralism and racial equality in the foundations of the religion.
Bilal ibn Rabah or Bilal al-Habashi was an Ethiopian born in Mecca in the late 6th century, sometime between 578 and 582. The Islamic prophet Muhammad chose Bilal as his muezzin, effectively making him the first muezzin of the Islamic faith. He was among the slaves freed by Abu Bakr (see Muhammad and slavery in Wiki) and was known for his beautiful voice with which he called people to their prayers. His name can also be known as, “Bilal ibn Riyah” or “ibn Rabah” and he is sometimes known as “Bilal al-Habashi” or “Bilal the one from Ethiopia”. He died sometime between 638 to 642, when he was just over sixty years old.
Somali-Ethiopian,
The Ethiopian invasion of Somalia was requested by Somalians. The United Nations had recognised a legitimate government in Somalia, which Al Shabaab was trying to overthrow with support from Al Qaeda and others. This terror attack in Uganda, along with many other terror attacks, only confirms Al Shabaab should never be allowed take power. It would be a disaster for Somalia and the whole Horn of Africa.
It is not about religion, it is politics.
Yes, Ethiopia should never have invaded Somalia. We were never attacked. It was an unjust war. Here we are reaping the negative benefits. Sad.
We were not directly attacked before the invasion, but Al Shabab {was becoming a regional threat} so Ethiopia had to act. Right now, we along with the African Union and United Nations need to stand firm and help the Somalis rid themselves of this {terror group}.
Remadan,
I fail to see where you and I disagree. In fact, I happen to believe, just like tens thousands of concerned Ethiopians, that the invasion of Somalia was the country’s biggest policy blunder of the century…and there have been countless seriously clumsy errors in the last two decades.
My sentiments are exactly with Tariku. The AU and the UN along with their regional partners in East Africa need new and re-energized initiative to combat this growing global menace.
The primary problem is the abject poverty in the region. A concerted worldwide effort to end the cycle of violence should include an economic component as well as military. The international community should not be an idle bystander in the face of this type of carnage.
The is a wake up call to America. While we are embroiled and distracted in Afghanistan, the next generation underwear bombers in Somalia are going international. The Obama administration needs to revive the Clinton era proposal The Greater Horn of Africa Initiative – a U.S. foreign policy initiative launched in 1994 in order to address the recurring cycle of crisis, instability and famine in the Greater Horn of Africa region by improving food security and through the establishment of a system for conflict early warning, prevention and response.
It is all about politics. Stop killing innocent people who have nothing to do with it.
Ethiopian-American (DK):
We don’t have partners in East Africa. They are all dictatorships with the lone exception of Kenya. The Greater Horn Initiative can work if it is updated to bypass the regimes and empower civil societies. Because building strong civil society and creating and empowering none-governmental institutions is the best way of accelerating change and progress.
They are just a bunch of misguided fanatic murderers.
Down with Al-Shabab.
For what they are worth, I wanted to share here few wise words from thoughtful people.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” – Margaret Mead
————-//———————-
“Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow–it has no real substance of its own, it is simply a lack of light. You cannot cause a shadow to disappear by trying to fight it, stamp on it, by railing against it, or any other form of emotional or physical resistance. In order to cause a shadow to disappear, you must shine light on it.” – Shakti Gawain, Author Of “Creative Visualization”
————–//————
If there is light in the soul,
There will be beauty in the person.
If there is beauty in the person,
There will be harmony in the house.
If there is harmony in the house,
There will be order in the nation.
If there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.
-Chinese Proverb
———-//————-
In Germany they came first for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
-Martin Niemoeller (1892-1984)
German Protestant Clergyman