Fairness to all still the solution

By John Nagenda IT WOULD, however well-meant, amount to an insult to those who perished, not to probe into what might lie behind the Eleventh of September, as it will surely come to be called. The task can be misunderstood but it must be done. A good start, indeed the main start, is the US-Israel friendship which, with its overbearing nature, tends often to signal a corresponding rejection of other, mainly Muslim, mainly Arabic, players in the region; as if putting a lock on their own aspirations. Indeed President Bush, even as Israel scored many more “hits” against the Palestinians than the other way round, laid the blame squarely on Arafat than Sharon. Even neutral observers shuddered. Sharon was ecstatic, and, when Eleventh September shortly followed, went as far as to equate Arafat to super terrorist bin Laden. When Sharon 20 years ago oversaw a sickening massacre of innocent Palestinians, including women and children, the world, not least his present Foreign Minister Shimon Perez, called him a disgrace to Israel. Some wanted him to be tried for war crimes; by any index his militaristic tendency is ten times worse than Arafat’s. If he plays the game of saying that Arafat is equal to bin Laden, a brave Tel Aviv mathematician should deduce for him that he, Sharon, is thus ten times worse than bin Laden. Surely the US should never be dragged into favouring the Israel of Sharonian policy over the moral demands of Palestinians and others. What is more, moderate Israelis would say a strong Amen to that. It is the only long-term way forward, for Israel, for Palestine, and for their friends across the globe. And after all, being a friend to one does not necessarily make you an enemy to the other; although try telling that to such as Sharon, or, for that matter to bin Laden! Another big problem is that America over-prides itself on its title: Land of the Free, at times to the verge of anarchy. In this case, it is the insistence that you should be able to step on an aeroplane, even at the very last minute, as you would a bus, without being searched. Shuttles, as they are called, are a fine thing, but surely unrealistic in this naughty world; unless you have armed guards on board; and perhaps many would baulk at that. But it speaks for itself that four aircraft were seized on the same day with such dire consequences. Can such “freedom” be allowed to continue? The same with the antiquated US gun laws, where all have the right to “protect” themselves. The carnage continues unabated. The truth is that for real freedom to exist, it must have some boundaries; must at times be trimmed for greater freedom. All societies are entailed to this. AI (Artificial Insemination, or was it Amnesty International?) in its eternally ludicrous way this week criticised the arrest of Mrs Besigye, although she was accused of having broken the law. But neither Uganda, nor the US, as we are seeing, will shirk their duties to achieve the greater good. President Museveni, as he always does in the strongest terms, condemned what the terrorists did to non-combatants in New York and Washington. By so doing, they forfeited the right to be called freedom fighters. Let all the countries of the world measure themselves against that exacting standard. How many would pass the test? We are not talking tests of might and power. Another question: Was it conceivable that any country on earth could have perpetrated the Eleventh of September? Logic says not. But in view of the horrendous deed done, it seems proper for America to demand any country supporting the responsible terrorists to hand them over immediately, or face the consequences. Most nations back this demand, and not just because nearly 70 of them lost citizens in the outrage. Nonetheless, it remained incredible that a group or groups existed that could plan and carry out such an exercise, under the very noses of the most sophisticated surveillance. It pointed to the obvious conclusion that fairness and equality to all, regardless of their origin, was still the most secure course for keeping the lid on. This was the root of the universal message, including to terrorists. * * * Last week, I gave my personal feelings about Mr Nasur’s recent escape from the hangman. For around 20 years, Nasur had lived under the rope’s dark shadow, after being found guilty of the murder in cold blood of Masaka mayor Francis Walugembe. For saying that he should, in my view, have been hanged, the exceedingly lucky man called me a sadist who “doesn’t want to see people living in harmony.” What people, and in what harmony? The same Monitor which carried his remarks, also carried the heart-chilling story of Walugembe’s son, 14 years of age when his father was made to draw his last breath. John Paul Kato said he was a witness to the fatal bayonet stab by Nasur into Walugembe’s stomach. Walugembe, as a last desperate throw, had at the barracks, “asked the soldiers to refer his case to Abdalla Nasur, who was his friend”. Not a friend in need! Upon hearing that Nasur now wanted to go and visit Walugembe’s family because according to Nasur, “Walugembe was my best friend”, Kato sobbed as he recounted his story and said he had told it many times, since his father was killed on 21 September 1972. (Yesterday’s anniversary!) Your columnist called a sadist for his views on the matter? Dear God, what in that case do you call “Governor” Nasur?