Thomas P. Ofcansky - Uganda: Tarnished Pearl of Africa

Larry W. Bowman, Series Editor

THOMAS P. OFCANSKY

First published 1996 by Westview Press

Published 2018 by Routledge
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ofcansky, Thomas P., 1947
Uganda : tarnished pearl of Africa / Thomas P. Ofcansky.
p. cm. (Nations of the modern world. Africa)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8133-1059-8 (cloth) ISBN 0-8133-3724-0 (pbk
1. Uganda. I. Title. II. Series.
DT433. 222. 035 1996

ISBN 13: 978-0-8133-3724-1 (pbk)

My African Journey, 1908

MY INTEREST IN East Africa stretches back over a period of more than twenty years. During that time, I have traveled throughout the region and have studied topics as diverse as wildlife conservation; the British colonial period; military history; human rights; the social, political, and economic impact of famine and large-scale refugee migrations; and the proliferation of arms and guerrilla groups. Throughout these endeavors, Uganda has always held a special fascination for me, largely because of my inability to reconcile the disparities in that country. Uganda is lush and beautiful, and its people are kind and gentle. However, much of the countrys postindependence history has been characterized by unimaginable violence and brutality. Although writing this book has not stilled my curiosity about the contradictions in Ugandan society, it has afforded me the opportunity to record some of my own impressions of the country and to assess what the future holds in store for all Ugandans.

Many people have supported my efforts during the preparation of this volume. Robert O. Collins, a longtime friend and colleague from the Department of History at the University of California-Santa Barbara, read an early draft of the manuscript and offered many helpful comments. Roger Winter, director of the U.S. Committee for Refugees, also read the manuscript and allowed me to use many of his photographs of Uganda. Additionally, Jacqueline DeCarlo, project coordinator of the U.S. Committee for Refugees, assisted with the search for photographs. Rodger Yeager from the Department of Political Science at West Virginia University kindly reviewed the manuscript prior to its publication. During a recent trip to Uganda, Ellen Shippy, Thomas and Jennifer Underwood, and Thomas Spang, all of whom worked at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, were generous with their time and hospitality. They also facilitated my understanding of the many problems confronting Yoweri Musevenis government. I would also like to thank Larry W. Bowman, general editor of the Nations of the Modern World: Africa Series, for his many thoughtful comments and criticisms. Barbara Ellington, acquisitions editor at Westview Press, ensured that my efforts always remained focused on this project. Jane Rese, production editor at Westview, used her considerable skills to prepare the manuscript for publication. To all of these individuals I owe a debt of gratitude.