Cruel officers are victims of upbringing
Sep 11, 2008
EDITOR—I am a teacher and on many occasions parents walk up to me and other teachers, to advise us on how to improve their children’s grades. “It seems you don’t cane students here,†they often say. “I tell you, you can’t get results without the stick. that is how i made it,†a paren
EDITOR—I am a teacher and on many occasions parents walk up to me and other teachers, to advise us on how to improve their children’s grades. “It seems you don’t cane students here,†they often say. “I tell you, you can’t get results without the stick. that is how i made it,†a parent will often say.
And in many staffrooms, a student who walks in to consult a teacher very often will be made to kneel or even be caned, even before he says what has brought him there—to instill ‘discipline’. In many of these schools, if a teacher does not cane students, he will be branded by his bosses as ‘weak and a non- --performer’. so, a teacher who wants a promotion will know what to do! Now comes the Police—the Special Police Constables (SPCS), and the whining public they are supposed to protect.
That the police are unprofessionally cruel, Maj Gen Kale Kayihura is cursed and committees of parliament deliberate over the problem, etc. No one points a finger at the grooming institutions which produced these people!
First of all, considering that many of these officers grew up during the Amin and Obote times, it is very likely that they view cruelty and torture to be normal and fashionable! some of them actually were motivated to join the forces to get their hands on the trigger, hoping to escape the tortured side to the torturing side—or to put it more clearly, to perpetuate what happened to them or their relatives when they were young. wise safety strategy, isn’t it?
Ordinarily, we would think soldiers are trained through endurance and extraordinary physical ability through games—running, climbing, carrying, teaming/cooperation etc.
But we have also heard of the additional dehumanising training package such as being flogged regularly or made to drink hot porridge than the mouth is designed to accommodate, ‘to make them braver’.
These are the people we count on.
Contrast them with some members of the public, like MP Nabila brought up in a decent family (probably), went to a decent school, received gifts at her birthday, and an apology when her husband was unable to fulfil any promise. Such a person is not only looking for physical but emotional protection as well. she is concerned about her feelings, and there are many such people in Uganda today.
Then, tell an adult officer, who as a boy, was caned regularly—at home and school, dehumanised as a trainee for his present job, and was probably flogged by his superior this morning; that he should be careful about the dignity and people’s feelings! He will just chuckle it away and wonder how permissive people are. What goes round comes round.
We need to treat our children with respect and dignity, at home and at school. Only then shall we have a respectful police.
D. Masengere
masengere@hotmail.com
And in many staffrooms, a student who walks in to consult a teacher very often will be made to kneel or even be caned, even before he says what has brought him there—to instill ‘discipline’. In many of these schools, if a teacher does not cane students, he will be branded by his bosses as ‘weak and a non- --performer’. so, a teacher who wants a promotion will know what to do! Now comes the Police—the Special Police Constables (SPCS), and the whining public they are supposed to protect.
That the police are unprofessionally cruel, Maj Gen Kale Kayihura is cursed and committees of parliament deliberate over the problem, etc. No one points a finger at the grooming institutions which produced these people!
First of all, considering that many of these officers grew up during the Amin and Obote times, it is very likely that they view cruelty and torture to be normal and fashionable! some of them actually were motivated to join the forces to get their hands on the trigger, hoping to escape the tortured side to the torturing side—or to put it more clearly, to perpetuate what happened to them or their relatives when they were young. wise safety strategy, isn’t it?
Ordinarily, we would think soldiers are trained through endurance and extraordinary physical ability through games—running, climbing, carrying, teaming/cooperation etc.
But we have also heard of the additional dehumanising training package such as being flogged regularly or made to drink hot porridge than the mouth is designed to accommodate, ‘to make them braver’.
These are the people we count on.
Contrast them with some members of the public, like MP Nabila brought up in a decent family (probably), went to a decent school, received gifts at her birthday, and an apology when her husband was unable to fulfil any promise. Such a person is not only looking for physical but emotional protection as well. she is concerned about her feelings, and there are many such people in Uganda today.
Then, tell an adult officer, who as a boy, was caned regularly—at home and school, dehumanised as a trainee for his present job, and was probably flogged by his superior this morning; that he should be careful about the dignity and people’s feelings! He will just chuckle it away and wonder how permissive people are. What goes round comes round.
We need to treat our children with respect and dignity, at home and at school. Only then shall we have a respectful police.
D. Masengere
masengere@hotmail.com