Ugandan rights concern for United States

Washington said it had serious concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda, where basic liberties are at a premium. "The United States is concerned about Uganda's deteriorating human rights record," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Recently the Ugandan government has failed to respect freedoms of expression, assembly and the media, as well as its commitment to protect the human rights of all Ugandans." The State Department noted that Uganda's security forces were suspected of killing at least 10 civilians, including a 2-year-old girl, early this year when responding to economic protests. Several opposition leaders were arrested in October on charges of treason. Opposition leader Kizza Besigye was arrested Monday as he walked to work, the statement adds. The government in Uganda last month reviewed legislation that restricts the number of people gathered for public meetings to the single digits. In September, a court in Uganda ordered Lord Resistance Army commander Thomas Kwoyelo released in line with an amnesty offered to other members of the militant group. More than 10,000 LRA rebels have been pardoned under Uganda's amnesty laws since 2000. The LRA was accused in July by human rights officials with the United Nations of killing at least 26 people in 53 different villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in June. Another 21 people, including 10 children, were kidnapped.