Chief Justice Katureebe hails retired high court judge Choudry

The Chief Justice (CJ) Bart Magunda Katureebe has hailed retired High Court judge Anup Singh Choudry for remembering the Judiciary by donating a book he authored on the genocide that was inflicted on the members of the Sikh community in India 25 years ago.  

Making his remark at a brief occasion that took place in his chambers at the main High Court building in Kampala on Wednesday, Katureebe said the book will enrich the knowledge of the judicial officers and the practicing lawyers that use the library.

"On behalf of the Judiciary, I wish to appreciate your efforts for authoring such an important book and enlightening Ugandans on genocide despite the fact that it happened several miles away from Uganda. I also thank you for donating the book to us, which demonstrates your kind gesture towards the Judiciary for which you worked many years as a judge of the high bench," he stated.

The 944-page-book featuring the genocide that was inflicted upon the members of the Sikh community in India in 1984 is titled: "Sikh Genocide 84". The hard-back book in colours weighs 4kg. It was written by Justice Anup Singh Choudry, the retired High Court judge and his fellow Sikh Surijit Singh Chwdharay who was also born in Uganda, but migrated to Britain during the 1970 British-Asian exodus and now resides in London, where Anup's family also lives.

Choudry, who served in many divisions of the High Court including the International War Crimes Division, told the Chief Justice that genocide is never-ending and the last century had the worst of it.  

"Genocide can only be stopped if the international community ceases to give precedence to oil and blood over human rights and the rights of people to self-determination," Choudry said.

Accompanied by his London business friends Nazar Lodhi and his wife Fauzia Lodhi, Choudry told his host that the book that could be purchased online was intended to educate the present and the future generations generally about the genocide.

He revealed that he will donate copies of the book to the International War Crimes Division of the High Court and other copies to Makerere, Nkumba and Kampala International universities.

When Katureebe inquired about the cause of that genocide of the Sikh, Choudry said that it was mainly ideological, but the book explores the historical, religious, social and political background of the conflict between the monotheistic Sikh civilisation and polytheistic civilisation in India.

Choudry likened the Sikh genocide to Hotel Rwanda 1994 genocide.

The occasion was attended by the private legal secretary to the CJ Boniface Wamala, who is also a deputy registrar, senior librarian, courts of judicature Herbert Ssennyonjo, senior communications officer Solomon Muyita and many others.