Latest news with #BritishCommonwealth
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Idi Amin made himself out to be the ‘liberator' of an oppressed majority – a demagogic trick that endures today
Fifty years ago, Ugandan President Idi Amin wrote to the governments of the British Commonwealth with a bold suggestion: Allow him to take over as head of the organization, replacing Queen Elizabeth II. After all, Amin reasoned, a collapsing economy had made the U.K. unable to maintain its leadership. Moreover the 'British empire does not now exist following the complete decolonization of Britain's former overseas territories.' It wasn't Amin's only attempt to reshape the international order. Around the same time, he called for the United Nations headquarters to be moved to Uganda's capital, Kampala, touting its location at 'the heart of the world between the continents of America, Asia, Australia and the North and South Poles.' Amin's diplomacy aimed to place Kampala at the center of a postcolonial world. In my new book, 'A Popular History of Idi Amin's Uganda,' I show that Amin's government made Uganda – a remote, landlocked nation – look like a frontline state in the global war against racism, apartheid and imperialism. Doing so was, for the Amin regime, a way of claiming a morally essential role: liberator of Africa's hitherto oppressed people. It helped inflate his image both at home and abroad, allowing him to maintain his rule for eight calamitous years, from 1971 to 1979. The phony liberator? Amin was the creator of a myth that was both manifestly untrue and extraordinarily compelling: that his violent, dysfunctional regime was actually engaged in freeing people from foreign oppressors. The question of Scottish independence was one of his enduring concerns. The 'people of Scotland are tired of being exploited by the English,' wrote Amin in a 1974 telegram to United Nations Secretary General Kurt Waldheim. 'Scotland was once an independent country, happy, well governed and administered with peace and prosperity,' but under the British government, 'England has thrived on the energies and brains of the Scottish people.' Even his cruelest policies were framed as if they were liberatory. In August 1972, Amin announced the summary expulsion of Uganda's Asian community. Some 50,000 people, many of whom had lived in Uganda for generations, were given a bare three months to tie up their affairs and leave the country. Amin named this the 'Economic War.' In the speech that announced the expulsions, Amin argued that 'the Ugandan Africans have been enslaved economically since the time of the colonialists.' The Economic War was meant to 'emancipate the Uganda Africans of this republic.' 'This is the day of salvation for the Ugandan Africans,' he said. By the end of 1972, some 5,655 farms, ranches and estates had been vacated by the departed Asian community, and Black African proprietors were queuing up to take over Asian-run businesses. A year later, when Amin attended the Organization of African Unity summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, his 'achievements' were reported in a booklet published by the Uganda government. During his speech, Amin was 'interrupted by thunderous applauses of acclamation and cheers, almost word for word, by Heads of State and Government and by everybody else who had a chance to hear it,' according to the the report. It was, wrote the government propagandist, 'very clear that Uganda had emerged as the forefront of a True African State. It was clear that African nationalism had been born again. It was clear that the speech had brought new life to the freedom struggle in Africa.' Life at the front Amin's policies were disastrous for all Ugandans, African and Asian alike. Yet his war of economic liberation was, for a time, a source of inspiration for activists around the world. Among the many people gripped by enthusiasm for Amin's regime was Roy Innis, the Black American leader of the civil rights organization Congress of Racial Equality. In March 1973, Innis visited Uganda at Amin's invitation. Innis and his colleagues had been pressing African governments to grant dual citizenship to Black Americans, just as Jewish Americans could earn citizenship from the state of Israel. Over the course of their 18 days in Uganda, the visiting Americans were shuttled around the country in Amin's helicopter. Everywhere, Innis spoke with enthusiasm about Amin's accomplishments. In a poem published in the pro-government Voice of Uganda around the time of his visit, Innis wrote: 'Before, the life of your people was a complete bore, And they were poor, oppressed, exploited and economically sore. And you then came and opened new, dynamic economic pages. And showered progress on your people in realistic stages. In such expert moves that baffled even the great sages, your electric personality pronounced the imperialists' doom. Your pragmatism has given Ugandans their economic boom.' In May 1973, Innis was back in Uganda, promising to recruit a contingent of 500 African American professors and technicians to serve in Uganda. Amin offered them free passage to Uganda, free housing and free hospital care for themselves and their families. The American weekly magazine Jet predicted that Uganda was soon to become an 'African Israel,' a model nation upheld by the energies and knowledge of Black Americans. As some have observed, Innis was surely naive. But his enthusiasm was shared by a great many people, not least a great many Ugandans. Inspired by Amin's promises, their energy and commitment kept institutions functioning in a time of great disruption. They built roads and stadiums, constructed national monuments and underwrote the running costs of government ministries. Patriotism and demagoguery Their ambitions were soon foreclosed by a rising tide of political dysfunction. Amin's regime came to a violent end in 1979, when he was ousted by the invading army of Tanzania and fled Uganda. But his brand of demagoguery lives on. Today a new generation of demagogues claim to be fighting to liberate aggrieved majorities from outsiders' control. In the 1970s, Amin enlisted Black Ugandans to battle against racial minorities who were said to dominate the economy and public life. Today an ascendant right wing encourages aggrieved white Americans to regard themselves as a majority dispossessed of their inheritance by greedy immigrants. Amin encouraged Ugandans to regard themselves as frontline soldiers, engaged in a globally consequential war against foreigners. In today's America, some people similarly feel themselves deputized to take matters of state into their own hands. In January 2021, for instance, a right-wing group called 'Stop the Steal' organized a rally in Washington. Vowing to 'take our country back,' they stormed the Capitol building. The racialized demagoguery that Idi Amin promoted inspired the imagination of a great many people. It also fed violent campaigns to repossess a stolen inheritance, to reclaim properties that ought, in the view of the aggrieved majority, to belong to native sons and daughters. His regime is for us today a warning about the compelling power of demagoguery to shape people's sense of purpose. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: Derek R. Peterson, University of Michigan Read more: Idi Amin and Donald Trump - strong men with unlikely parallels Idi Amin's 'economic war' victimised Uganda's Africans and Asians alike Zohran Mamdani's last name reflects centuries of intercontinental trade, migration and cultural exchange Derek R. Peterson receives funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Andrew Mellon Foundation. Solve the daily Crossword
CTV News
25-06-2025
- CTV News
Calgary's Hangar Flight Museum celebrating 50 years and fresh renos
The Hangar Flight Museum is celebrating some new upgrades with a grand reopening—and marking half a century of operations. The Hangar Flight Museum is celebrating some new upgrades with a grand reopening—and marking half a century of operations. Some of the renovations—totalling just over $1 million—include larger walkways, a new loading dock with a ramp and a mezzanine extension in the historic main hangar. The upgrades come after nearly two years of planning. As we hit summer break, the museum is hoping the changes attract people of all ages to check out the historic facility. 'We've got 36 aircraft—historic aircraft, military and civilian—we have open plane days this summer where we open up various aircraft on weekends over the summer (and) we have many more events and we welcome everyone to come to the hangar,' said Brian Desjardins, Hangar Flight Museum executive director. The facility was built in 1941 as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and has been the Hangar Flight Museum since 1975.
Canada Standard
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Canada Standard
India and Canada vow to reset ties after years of diplomatic spats
A breakthrough has been achieved during a meeting between the prime ministers on the sidelines of the G7 summit India and Canada have agreed to reset ties after years of tensions, which culminated in the mutual expulsions of top diplomats in 2024. New Delhi and Ottawa will designate new high commissioners to their respective missions. A high commissioner is the top diplomat, ranking as an ambassador, in a diplomatic mission of one British Commonwealth nation to another. The Commonwealth nations use the term 'high commission' instead of embassy in diplomatic dealings. The breakthrough between the nations took place during a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. "Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity," Carney's office said in astatement. "The leaders agreed to designate new High Commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries," the office added. During the talks, Modi and Carney discussed trade ties between the two countries, including cooperation in areas such as economic growth, supply chain development, and energy transition. The deterioration of ties between the countries accelerated after the G20 summit in India in 2023. On the sidelines of the global gathering in New Delhi, Modi met with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and brought up the "continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada." Ties between the countries reached a low in October 2024 when Canadian officials accused Indian diplomats of targeting Sikh activists in Canada, leading to mutual expulsions of diplomats. Some members of Canada's Sikh community demand the establishment of Khalistan, an independent ethno-religious nation that would be carved out of the Indian state of Punjab and surrounding areas. This Khalistan movement in Canada has been central to the rising tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa, especially followingTrudeau's allegationsthat India was involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a key figure in the movement. New Delhi views Khalistan activists as a national threat and has banned their organizations. Pro-Khalistan separatists periodically organize protests, chant anti-India slogans, and target diplomatic missions and Hindu temples, with violent attacks taking place in Canada. India has also been accused of interfering in Canadian elections, which New Delhi has denied. (
India Gazette
18-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
India and Canada vow to reset ties after years of diplomatic spats
A breakthrough has been achieved during a meeting between the prime ministers on the sidelines of the G7 summit India and Canada have agreed to reset ties after years of tensions, which culminated in the mutual expulsions of top diplomats in 2024. New Delhi and Ottawa will designate new high commissioners to their respective missions. A high commissioner is the top diplomat, ranking as an ambassador, in a diplomatic mission of one British Commonwealth nation to another. The Commonwealth nations use the term 'high commission' instead of embassy in diplomatic dealings. The breakthrough between the nations took place during a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart, Mark Carney, on the sidelines of the G7 Leaders' Summit in Kananaskis, Canada. "Prime Minister Carney and Prime Minister Modi reaffirmed the importance of Canada-India ties, based upon mutual respect, the rule of law, and a commitment to the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity," Carney's office said in astatement. "The leaders agreed to designate new High Commissioners, with a view to returning to regular services to citizens and businesses in both countries," the office added. During the talks, Modi and Carney discussed trade ties between the two countries, including cooperation in areas such as economic growth, supply chain development, and energy transition. The deterioration of ties between the countries accelerated after the G20 summit in India in 2023. On the sidelines of the global gathering in New Delhi, Modi met with then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and brought up the "continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada." Ties between the countries reached a low in October 2024 when Canadian officials accused Indian diplomats of targeting Sikh activists in Canada, leading to mutual expulsions of diplomats. Some members of Canada's Sikh community demand the establishment of Khalistan, an independent ethno-religious nation that would be carved out of the Indian state of Punjab and surrounding areas. This Khalistan movement in Canada has been central to the rising tensions between New Delhi and Ottawa, especially followingTrudeau's allegationsthat India was involved in the assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a key figure in the movement. New Delhi views Khalistan activists as a national threat and has banned their organizations. Pro-Khalistan separatists periodically organize protests, chant anti-India slogans, and target diplomatic missions and Hindu temples, with violent attacks taking place in Canada. India has also been accused of interfering in Canadian elections, which New Delhi has denied. (
The Hill
16-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
A secession movement brews in western Canada
Canada has found itself in the headlines this year for reasons the nation would rather avoid. President Trump mocked then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, calling him 'the governor of America's 51st state.' He floated the idea of annexing the country as recently as May 27 in connection with the proposed Golden Dome anti-ballistic system. Trump has also imposed tariffs on Canadian products, deepening tensions, particularly with Alberta, a western province long at odds with the capital of Ottawa. But these tensions go beyond cross-border provocations from Trump. They expose deeper fractures within Canada's political framework — cracks in a federal system increasingly strained by regional discontent, constitutional ambiguity and competing visions of national identity. Canada's governing structure is further complicated by the fact that it is a constitutional monarchy within the British Commonwealth. Though fully sovereign, Canada still recognizes King Charles III as its head of state — a connection many now view as antiquated. Symbolism, however, is only part of the problem. Domestically, Canada is a patchwork of distinct cultural and political communities. Indigenous peoples, whose rights are constitutionally recognized, and Francophone Quebec — with its own language and long history of separatist movements — maintain identities distinct from English-speaking Canada. Quebec, in particular, has never formally endorsed the Constitution Act of 1982, reinforcing its sense of distance from federal authority. Efforts to integrate Quebec collapsed under political pressure, fueling a separatist wave that nearly succeeded in the 1995 referendum. In response, Canada's parliament passed the Clarity Act (2000), setting legal parameters for any province seeking secession. While it was motivated by Quebec, the law now casts a shadow over Alberta's growing independence movement. Alberta, as the heart of Canada's oil and gas industry, has frequently clashed with Ottawa over energy and environmental regulations, carbon pricing and 'equalization payments,' which redistribute revenue from wealthier to less affluent provinces. Since taking office, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has become a leading advocate for greater provincial autonomy. Following the election of Prime Minister Mark Carney, who retained the officials from the Trudeau cabinet responsible for energy and environmental policy, the fault line has deepened. Smith ramped up opposition to federal climate initiatives, arguing they unfairly target Alberta's economy. She sent a delegation to Ottawa seeking a 'reset' of the federal-provincial framework, criticized Canada's handling of U.S. tariffs and even met separately with then-President-elect Trump to press Alberta's case — moves Carney viewed as divisive. Canada exports 81 percent of its total oil production, with 97 percent going to America. Of that amount, 87 percent originates from Alberta. Oil refineries in certain regions of the U.S., primarily in the Midwest, require the grade of oil produced north of the border. Though Smith has ruled out outright secession, she is laying the legal groundwork for a possible referendum. A recent Angus Reid poll found that 36 percent of Albertans support independence. The mood in Alberta is growing more defiant, inspiring calls for decentralization in other western provinces and fueling a push for a looser federation. In 2022, Smith's government passed the Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act, a contentious law allowing the province to challenge federal legislation deemed unconstitutional or harmful to Alberta's interests. Though it does not override national court rulings, it represents a bold assertion of provincial rights, particularly on natural resources and environmental matters. For now, Smith insists that her agenda is not about separation but about fairness — pushing for a federation that respects regional differences and economic contributions. Still, her rhetoric and legislative actions suggest a province preparing for major confrontations ahead. With separatist sentiment simmering just beneath the surface, Canada is once again forced to reckon with fundamental questions about the nature and durability of its union. David W. Wise is a retired businessman who publishes frequently on public policy. He is a graduate of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
