Appello per Bobi Wine

Noi, i firmatari, condanniamo l'arresto, la carcerazione ed il feroce attacco fisico delle forze di governo Ugandesi nei confronti del cantante popolare e membro del Parlamento, l'onorevole Robert  Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, a.k.a Bobi Wine. Condanniamo, inoltre, l'ingiustificato assassinio del suo autista, Yasin Kawuma, così come il pestaggio e l'arresto  di altri tre parlamentari dell'opposizione. Gli eventi sopracitati sono accaduti presso la città di Arua Lunedì 13 Agosto, dove Bobi Wine stava partecipando ad una manifestazione per la doppia elezione a supporto del candidato di opposizione, Kassiano Wadri. Si dice che si sarebbero lanciate pietre al convoglio del Presidente Museveni che si trovava lì per supportare il candidato. Le forze di sicurezza di Museveni si sarebbero poi recate presso l'hotel di Bobi Wine dove Yasin Karuma, che sedeva nella nell'auto di Bobi, è stato ucciso con un colpo di pistola alla testa a distanza ravvicinata. Yasin era seduto sul sedile del passeggero dove di solito siede Bobi Wine. Non si può escludere la possibilità di tentato omicidio. Sono poi entrati nell'hotel sfondando porte ed arrestando diverse persone, inclusi dipendenti dell'hotel, giornalisti e altri parlamentari di opposizione, finché non han trovato Bobi che è stato percosso fino a un passo dalla morte ed arrestato. Sostengono di aver trovato due mitra, una pistola e munizioni nella stanza di Bobi che è stato accusato di tradimento e portato dinanzi al tribunale militare Giovedì. 

Il viso era gonfio e non poteva parlare, vedere o camminare tanto violente erano state le percosse. L'accusa nei suoi confronti è stata ridotta al solo possesso illegale di armi ed è al momento detenuto nelle baracche militari con accesso consentito solo alla famiglia e agli avvocati prima di riapparire di fronte al tribunale militare Giovedì prossimo. Facciamo appello al governo Ugadese perché si assicuri che egli abbia accesso a cure mediche così da consentire un'investigazione completa e imparziale del suo arresto violento, della detenzione ed il brutale omicidio di Yasim Kawuma, e che si seguano procedure e tutele riconosciute internazionalmente nel procedere con ogni accusa nei suoi confronti. Ci impegniamo a rimanere vigili nei confronti di questa detenzione e a sfruttare le nostre voci e connessioni a livello locale, regionale ed internazionale per diffondere consapevolezza riguardo il caso, per spingere per il rilascio immediato e senza condizioni, e per porre fine a questo ed altri atti di violenza e repressione politica in Uganda. Chiediamo inoltre il trattamento umano e legittimo di più di trenta altri detenuti arrestati allo stesso tempo di Bobi Wine. Alcuni di loro sono in pericolo di vita.

N.B. Mentre Bobi appariva di fronte al tribunale vennero annunciati i risultati della doppia elezione di Mercoledì. Il candidato, Kassiano Wadri, che Bobi era andato a supportare ad Arua, vinse. Anche lui si trova in carcere, ancora accusato di tradimento.

Traduzione di Edoardo Marcarini

#ENGLISH VERSION

We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the arrest, imprisonment and vicious, life-threatening physical attack by Ugandan government forces on popular Ugandan singer and Member of Parliament, the Honourable Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, a.k.a Bobi Wine. We also condemn the unprovoked killing of his driver, Yasin Kawuma as well as the beating and arrest of three other opposition Members of Parliament. The above incidents took place in the town of Arua on Monday August 13, where Bobi Wine was attending a bi-election rally in support of an opposition candidate, Kassiano Wadri. It is claimed that stones were thrown at the convoy of President Museveni who was there to support his candidate. Museveni’s security forces then made their way to Bobi Wine’s hotel where Yasin Karuma was sitting in Bobi’s car and was shot in the head at close range and killed. Yasin was sitting in the co-driver's seat where Bobi Wine normally sits. The possibility of an assassination attempt cannot be ruled out. They then entered the hotel, kicking in doors and arresting many people, including hotel staff, journalists and other opposition MPs until they found Bobi who was beaten to within an inch of his life and arrested. 

They claim to have found two sub-machine guns, a pistol and ammunition in Bobi’s room  and he was charged with treason and taken before a military tribunal on Thursday. His face was badly swollen and he could neither talk, see or walk, so vicious was the beating he’d received. The charge against him was reduced to the illegal possession of arms and he is currently detained in an army barracks with limited access by his family and lawyers until a further appearance before a military tribunal this coming Thursday. We call upon the Ugandan government to ensure his full access to medical treatment, to allow a full and impartial investigation of his violent arrest and imprisonment and of the brutal killing of Yasin Kawuma, and to follow internationally recognised procedures  and safeguards in proceeding with any case aganst him. We pledge to remain vigilant about his ongoing detention and to use our voices and networks at the local, regional and international levels to raise awareness about his case, to press for his immediate and unconditional release, and for an end to this and other acts of political repression and violence in Uganda. We also call for the lawful and humane treatment of the more than thirty other detainees that were arrested at the same time as Bobi Wine. Some of them are also fighting for life. 

N.B. At the same time as Bobi appeared before the tribunal the results of Wednesday's bi-election were announced. The candidate, Kassiano Wadri,  who Bobi had come to Arua to support, had won. He also remains in custody, still charged with treason.

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ABIOLA OKE – CEO OkayAfrica/Okayplayer

ADAM CLAYTON – Musician U2

ADE BANTU – Musician, Producer Nigeria

AHDAF SOUEIF – Author

AISHA ORAZBAYEVA – Musician, violinist

ALEX HEFFES - Composer

ALFRED ADEFILA - Musician, Lagos

ALI BUKARI aka NUBIAN – Artiste

ANGELIQUE KIDJO - Artiste

BANNING EYRE Senior Producer, Afropop Worldwide

BELINDA ATIM – Uganda Sustainable Development Initiative

BRIAN ENO – Artist, musician, producer

CHICOCO RADIO - Port Harcourt Nigeria

CHRIS MARTIN – Musician Coldplay

CHRISSIE HINDE – Artiste

CLAUDE GATEBUKE – African Great Lakes Action Network

DAMON ALBARN – Musician, Blur, Gorillaz

DAN ACEDA - Musician, Nairobi

DELE SOSIMI – The Afrobeat Orchestra

DR VINCENT MAGOMBE – Journalist and Broadcaster

EDDY YAWE - Artiste

EMEL MATHLOUTHI – Artiste

EMRE RAMAZANOGLU – Musician & Producer

ERIAS LUKWAGO - Kampala City Lord Mayor

FATOUMATA SOW - Music Industry Professional, Mali

FEMI ANIKULAPO KUTI – Musician Nigeria

FRANCESCA MARTINEZ – Writer & Comedian

FRANK RYNNE - Senior Lecturer British Studies, UCP, France

FRED – Footballer Manchester United

GEOFF TRAVIS – Rough Trade Records

HELEN EPSTEIN -  Author of Uganda and the War on Terror

HUGH CORNWELL - Musician

HON MEDARD SSEGONA - Member of Parliament Uganda

IAIN C NEWTON - Founder, Silent B Inc.USA

IMRAN SIDDIQ – Co-Producer Global Citizen

JAMIE DRUMMOND – Co-founder of ONE

JAN PETER SCHWAIM – Musician, Composer

JESSE HACKETT – Musician

JOHN CONGLETON – Musician, Producer

JOHN HASSELL - Musician

JOHNNY BORRELL – Musician Razorlight

JOJO MAYER – Musician

JONATHAN HENDERSON – Artist Management

JOSEPH MAYANJA aka Jose Chameleon Artiste

JULIANA KANYOMOZI – Artiste Uganda

JULIANI - Rapper, founder Dondora Hiphop City, Nairobi

JUSTIN ADAMS - Musician

KADIALY KOUYATE – Musician

KWEKU MANDELA – Co-Producer Global Citizen

LEO ABRAHAMS – Producer, musician, composer

LORD WOOD OF ANFIELD – House of Lords UK

MARIE KORPE – Co-Founder FREEMUSE & Editor

MARKUS DRAVS – Producer

MARTIN GOLDSCHMIDT – Co-Founder Cooking Vinyl

MASUUZA EDRISA – aka  Eddy Kenzo Artiste

MAURICE BERNSTEIN -  President the Giant Step Organisation

MAURICE CARNEY – Friends of the Congo

MILTON ALLIMADI – Founder Black Star News

MONTE - Musician

NICHOLAS OPIYO -  Human rights lawyer Uganda

NICK LAIRDE-CLOWES – Artist The Dream Academy

NIKE RANSOME KUTI – Lawyer Nigeria

OHAL GRIETZER – Composer

ORHAN MASLO OHA – Director of Rock School Bosnia

OWEN PALLETT – Composer

PEDRO COQUENAO – Musician, Producer

PETER GABRIEL – Artist, Producer

PHIL HARVEY – Musician Coldplay

RAOUL ,MARTINEZ – Author

REGGIE WATTS – Musician

RICHIE TROUGHTON - Writer

RIKKI STEIN – Kalakuta Sunrise Ltd

ROBIN RIMBAUD – Musician

RUTH DANIEL – Director In Place of War

RWAKAFUZI LAUDISLAS - Human rights lawyer

SEBASTIAN ROCHFORD – Musician, Polar Bear

SEGUN ADEFILA - Founder Crowne Troupe of Africa, Lagos

SEUN ANIKULAPO KUTI - Musician

STEPHEN BUDD – Director Africa Express, NH7 Festivals. Music Managers Forum

STEPHEN HENDEL – Kalakuta Sunrise LLC

STEVE JONES – Musician

TOM WATSON – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party UK

TOUMANI DIABATE – Musician Mali

TUNDE ADEBIMPE – Musician, Actor, TV on the Radio

VINVENT MAGOMBE – Director Africa Inform International

WANLOV the KUBOLOR – Musician Ghana

WOLE SOYINKA – Nobel Laureate Nigeria