Idi Amin is allowed to die in country he destroyed

The Daily Telegraph (UK) ^ | July 23, 2003 | Adrian Blomfield

[HAL9000]

Idi Amin, the former Ugandan dictator, has been given permission to return to die in the country he destroyed.

Should he die before he can go home to the country he fled 24 years ago, Amin's body will be repatriated from Saudi Arabia for burial in accordance with a request from one of his wives, the Ugandan government said yesterday.

Amin, responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of his own citizens during a nine-year reign of terror in the 1970s, has been in a coma for five days. Doctors said he was in "a vegetative state and could die any time".

President Yoweri Museveni's spokesman, John Nagenda, said the government would pay the repatriation costs, which could run into thousands of pounds because of Amin's obesity.

The gesture is a concession to Ugandans in the war-ravaged north, where Amin remains an unlikely hero in the region of his birth.

But a state funeral has been ruled out. "This was a terrible, terrible despot with the deaths of 0.8 million people on his hands," Mr Nagenda said. "To give him a state funeral would have everyone in uproar. I would be stunned and horrified."

Amin's family appears divided on where he should be buried. One of his sons hinted that he could be laid to rest in Saudi Arabia. Amin is a Muslim.

The family asked to be left in peace. "This is a private thing for us and we feel it is being turned into a show for the media," the son said. "There are people who want him to die, others who want to bury him alive. For us we are just praying and that is the best thing to do."

Amin fled to Libya in 1979 as Tanzanian troops and Ugandan rebels closed in on his capital, Kampala. He was offered asylum in Saudi Arabia a decade later.

[xm177e2]

What a stupid mistake. They should leave him to rot in Arabia.

[SevenofNine]

Hal are you sure that dude is taking dirt nap pretty soon I haven't hear anything UNTIL UK Telegraph mention THIS WOW

OH BOY I think Franco reset going get very popluar on SNL this season

[MediaMole]

I thought he died last week. It's going to be a busy month in hell.

Uday and Qusay and Idi, oh my. Uday and Qusay and Idi, oh my.

[HAL9000]

If the reports are correct that he weighs 485 pounds, it will be interesting to see how they transport him back. They'll need a forklift and a C-130.

[T'wit]

I hope he arrives fresh enough so the Ugandans can eat him.

[SantosLHalper]

I hope he arrives fresh enough so the Ugandans can eat him.

MMmmmmmm!!!!!!!Idi

[Big Bad Bob]

Some feast I presume!!!

It will be busy in Hell's check-in lounge, this week!!!

'and the following plane will be touching down at Devil's International, We hope you enjoyed your trip, special appreciations to Uday and Qusay Hussain, who have allowed us to use their plane for this special trip...THANK YOUUUUUUUUUU!'

[Doctor13]

Leave it to the Saudis to have taken in this piece of human depravity. I lived in Saudi Arabia and on the way to shopping at Safeways, we would pass The Sands Hotel knowing that this cannibal was living there in comfort.

[hellinahandcart]

President Yoweri Museveni's spokesman, John Nagenda, said the government would pay the repatriation costs, which could run into thousands of pounds because of Amin's obesity.

They charge by the pound?