Asian immigrants being harrassed by Uganda police

Asian immigrants in Uganda on Friday protested against the arrests of their kin, following a week-long crackdown on illegal immigrants in the country.

At least !0 Asians are currently languishing in police cells on 'flimsy charges,' according to the Indian Association in Uganda. The arrested are mainly from India and Pakistan.

The Asians allege that the Ugandan police are indiscriminately picking them up from the streets, without bothering whether they are legal immigrants or not. "Suspects are treated like criminals and prison conditions are inhuman," says community leader Pratul Patel.

Uganda's aggressive drive to attract investors has seen many, including Asians in thousands, immigrating to the country. Most of them had earlier been expelled by its former dictator Idi Amin in 1972.

The police insist that most of the entrants have no proper documents. They come into the country, claiming to be relatives of earlier-settled immigrants. Once in, they get fake work permits and find employment.

''We agree there are many lawbreakers among us. But why target the Asian community alone? We are being arrested left and right and are treated like criminals," Patel said.

The community, he said, had taken the matter to the Ugandan internal affairs ministry as well as its investment authority.

UNI