Was the last king of Scotland accurate in representing Amin as a person?
By Nic
@academic2 (7000)
Uganda
April 7, 2007 7:30am CST
To many who did not know Amin, there is a tendency to be carried away by the scenes in the Last King of Scotland. There could be some sense in portraying Amin as a bafoon and a brute. Well, for those of us who knew him, he was a very intelligent man. He knew African leaders where not firm believers in Non Allignment-and by being diabolically opposed to Brittain and America, and little welcoming to Scotland, he was driving home a point that African leaders must leave the super powers alone if they are to stay independent. That explains why he had found friendship among the Arab world, and was getting sucked into the politics of the Middle East, epecially the Palistinean Question. The man was therefore no a bafoon but rather, a leader who was very much in tune with world poitics!
2 responses
@MakeItCount (350)
• India
25 May 07
Till I read this post I was under the impression that The Last King of Scotland was a true story. I can understand how Amin would have been misrepresented by a Britisher but it is also true that every country whitewashes its own leaders to a certain extent. The truth must lie somewhere in between, I'm sure that Amin did have the betterment of his people at heart but he was also probably ruthlessly ambitious.
@Raymo23 (463)
• Uganda
9 Apr 07
Actualy, I am a Ugandan though I was not yet born when Amin was in power, but, the movie was more of a misrepresentation. Amin was a nationalist, with the interests of my people at heart. And he certainly did nt kill those many people as it was potrayed. What led to his brutality was seclusion by the very powers that had helped arrange his coup, Britain and Israel, and his insecurity at his position. Otherwise, he left a mark on Ugandas infrastructure, constructing hospitals, roads, telecommunication masts as well as improving the standards of policemen and the army. it was also during his time that we were excellent in sports, though I think his expulsion of Asias was misadvised. He was an enigma, a paradox, a maverick.
