UGANDA: PRESIDENT AMIN SAYS HIS TROOPS WILL FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE EGYPTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAR.
Record ID:
376066
UGANDA: PRESIDENT AMIN SAYS HIS TROOPS WILL FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE EGYPTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAR.
- Title: UGANDA: PRESIDENT AMIN SAYS HIS TROOPS WILL FIGHT ALONGSIDE THE EGYPTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST WAR.
- Date: 10th October 1973
- Summary: 1. LV People waiting in stands. 0.05 2. LV General Amin out of car and greeted. 0.17 3. SV Amin's youngest son in military uniform. 0.24 4. SV PAN Police band. 0.30 5. SV & CU General Amin inspects guard of honour (3 shots). 0.59 6. LV Crowd. 1.03 7. LV & CU Guards marching past (4 shots). 1.30 8. SV Sheikh Jumbe (nearest) watching 1.34 9. GV Amin & Jumbe watch children performing gymnastics (2 shots). 1.47 10. SV Children march off waiving emblems. 1.57 Initials APSM/2130 APSM/2149 Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 25th October 1973 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ENTEBBE, UGANDA
- Country: Uganda
- Reuters ID: LVA16IBK683M8LQKTQDO116B075P
- Story Text: President Idi Amin of Uganda said on Tuesday (9 October 1973) that three million Ugandans had volunteered to join Arab forces and some had already left for the Middle East. He promised to send Ugandan troops to fight alongside the Egyptians in the Middle East and said that - apart from the civilians - a whole mechanised battalion of the regular army had volunteered to go. General Amin appeal to other to other African States to join in the War on the Arab side in what he called "the struggle against Zionism".
The Ugandan President was speaking at ceremonies marking the eleventh anniversary of his country's independence. The main celebrations were held at the cricket ground at Entabbe, 22 miles (35 km) from the capital Kampala and they were also attended by Tanzania's First Vice-President, Sheikh About Jumbe, who is visiting Uganda with a 36-man delegation.
General Amin said he was in direct contact with Ugandan officers who were in the front line of the Middle East fighting. On Saturday, shortly after hostilities broke out, the President ordered all Ugandan officers training in Egypt and Libya to take part.
SYNOPSIS: Ugandans marked on Tuesday the eleventh anniversary of their independence from the United Kingdom. President Idi Amin headed the main celebrations at the cricket ground in Entebbe, twenty-two miles from Kampala. It was the first time the event had been held away from the capital. In Army uniform - like his father - was the President's youngest son.
Among the messages of congratulations that arrived on Independence Day was a good wishes cable from Britain's Queen Elizabeth. Inspecting the troops on parade, General Amin said he would soon be sending Ugandan soldiers to fight alongside the Egyptian troops in the current Middle East hostilities. He promosed that their families would to well cared for in their absence. And the Ugandan President appealed to other African States to do lkiewise and join in the fighting on the Arab side.
As soon as the clashes broke out on Saturday, General Amin ordered all Ugandan officers training in Egypt and Libya to take part. He said he was now in direct contact with the officers in the front line.
President Amin added that three million Ugandans had volunteered to join Arab forces and some had already left for the Middle East. Besides the civilians, a whole mechanised battalion of the regular army had volunteered.
Also at the Ugandan independence celebrations was the First Vice-President of Tanzania, the Zanzibar leader Sheikh About Jumbe. He was visiting the neighbouring country at the head of a thirty-six man delegation. He said relations between the two States had now been normalised. There had been a period of tension last year between Uganda and Tanzania, but this, Sheikh Jumbe said, was now over.
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