Lugazi, 11th/April/2012; Two journalists were injured by
police during a football match at Lugazi. Emmanuel Ndugga a sports reporter
with the Red Pepper was hit by a rubber bullet in his left leg while Diego
Nsubuga, a sports journalist with the government owned Bukedde television was
struck on the head with a teargas canister. They were rushed to Kawolo
hospital.
This was
during the Bell Uganda Cup quarterfinal match between Uganda Revenue Authority
(URA) and SC Villa. The Villa fans contested a penalty awarded by referee
George Mufta to URA for a 3-1 lead in the 68th minute by throwing stones at the
linesman Sam Kayondo. The match was abandoned in the 72nd minute.
Before the
chaos, about 10 Policemen and two soldiers tried to verbally calm the fans. But
trouble began when a plain-clothed security operative pulled out a pistol and
shot towards the fans. Police reacted by firing teargas and bullets causing
panic at the stadium. Gunshots and teargas engulfed the Lugazi playground for
about 30 minutes.
Police fired
teargas on the pitch where the club officials, journalists and journalists
were. It’s from there that the journalists were injured. Ndugga told Human
Rights Network for Journalists that was shot in the leg while he was lying down
along with other journalists and team officials.
“The
situation was peaceful on the pitch when police started firing teargas and
gunfire there. We were taking cover at the URA bench where coaches sit. I was
lying down when I saw Diego bleeding profusely on the head. I don’t know if a
policeman was just behind us. I had a blast but did not realize that I had been
shot until I tried to stand but my leg couldn’t support me –I had been shot in
the left leg. My trouser got torn. I was rushed to Kawolo hospital from where
the bullet was removed from my thigh and discharged. I am now footing my
medical bills, it’s expensive but I have no option.” Ndugga told HRNJ-Uganda.
Nsubuga
blamed the impasse on the police ruthlessness of handling he situation, he told
HRNJ-Uganda that they over reacted to the situation. He gave a similar account
of how they were attacked while taking cover on the pitch.
“I survived
one teargas canister as I lied down for cover before another hit me in a space
of a minute. At first I thought that I had been shot but doctors at Kawolo
hospital said it was a teargas canister on my left side. I was bleeding so
much, and rushed to Kawolo hospital. I received four stitches and discharged. I
am nursing an injury. I blame it entirely on the police who over reacted. Imagine
the pitch was very peaceful and no fans had jumped over the parameter fence but
police went ahead to fill it with teargas and gunshots sending everyone on the
ground. URA assistant coach Sadiq Wassa was also injured in the process. The
police failed to act professionally; they acted like farmers with guns. With
the way they acted, I can’t find any kind words for them today.” Nsubuga told
HRNJ-Uganda after being discharged from hospital.
“HRNJ-Uganda
Is greatly concerned about the fastest spread of the police brutality to
journalists including those not involved in the covering opposition related
activities. This was not an isolated incident, but a well-designed network to of
security forces to stop the media from covering particular events which portray
them as brutal o the civilian population. The attacks have happened just days
after the broad day attacks on journalists who were covering opposition
activities.This critical state the media is facing at the hands of the police.
We are encouraging the journalists to open up case files against all these
errant personnel in the force for prosecution purposes.” said HRNJ-Uganda
program Coordinator Wokulira Ssebaggala.
For More Information Contact;
Human Rights Network for
Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-Uganda)
Kivebulaya Road – Mengo Kampala
Opp. St. Marcelino Pre. School
P.O.BOX. 71314 Clock Tower
Kampala
Tel: +256-414-272934 /
+256-414-667627
E-mail: news@hrnjuganda.org
humanrajournalists@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.hrnjuganda.org
BLOG:
http://hrnjuganda.blogpost.com
No comments:
Post a Comment