April 11th

On this day - April 11th 1979 - Idi Amin is deposed in Uganda

Idi Amin was the third president of Uganda in the years from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment in 1946 and served in both Kenya and Uganda. He climbed to rank of major general in the Ugandan army before he took over as commander. In 1971 he led the military coup deposing Milton Obote. Under his regime the population suppressed and breaches of human rights were common. His political adversaries were being killed, people were prosecuted for their ethnicity and the officials were corrupt. The number of people who disappeared or were killed is reported from 100,000 to 500,000 by different observeres. In the end disagreements within Uganda and the failed attempt to annex Kagera (province of Tanzania) led to Amins fall and his escape to Libya. Eventually he settled in Saudi-Arabia where i died in 2003.  The story has been depicted in several books, documentaries, songs, and movies. The most recent was "The Last King of Scotland"