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Uganda Rwenzururu: King Charles Mumbere charged with murder | Uganda Rwenzururu: King Charles Mumbere charged with murder |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The king of a region in Uganda has been charged with murder after clashes with security forces over the weekend in which at least 87 people were killed. | |
Charles Mumbere was detained after government forces raided his palace in the Rwenzururu region on Saturday. | Charles Mumbere was detained after government forces raided his palace in the Rwenzururu region on Saturday. |
The authorities accuse him of launching a secessionist movement to create a new state, to be called Yiira. | The authorities accuse him of launching a secessionist movement to create a new state, to be called Yiira. |
The murder charges relate to the killing of a police officer in March, not to the unrest over the weekend. | The murder charges relate to the killing of a police officer in March, not to the unrest over the weekend. |
King Charles has denied any involvement in the violence. | King Charles has denied any involvement in the violence. |
At least 16 police officers and 46 royal guards were killed in the clashes in Kasese district, according to official figures. | |
Human rights campaigners are urging an independent investigation into the violence after pictures emerged of bodies dumped with hands tied behind their backs. | Human rights campaigners are urging an independent investigation into the violence after pictures emerged of bodies dumped with hands tied behind their backs. |
The government denies carrying out extrajudicial killings in the region. | The government denies carrying out extrajudicial killings in the region. |
Questioned about the raid, Gen Jeje Odong, Uganda's minister for internal affairs, said: "What happened is a situation of self-defence. | Questioned about the raid, Gen Jeje Odong, Uganda's minister for internal affairs, said: "What happened is a situation of self-defence. |
"What do you do if I come to you, wanting to pierce you with a knife? Do you allow me to do it? Or you try to protect yourself?" | "What do you do if I come to you, wanting to pierce you with a knife? Do you allow me to do it? Or you try to protect yourself?" |
Analysis: Rachael Akidi, BBC Africa | |
The Rwenzururu kingdom is around the mountains of Rwenzori, about 340km (210 miles) west of Uganda's capital, Kampala. | |
Its people, the Bakonzo, straddle both Uganda and neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo. | |
Tension has been high in the kingdom in recent years, with issues ranging from land disputes, to bitter divisions over plans to divide up Kasese - one of the seven districts in the Rwenzori region. | |
The king and some of his supporters have been accused of launching a secessionist movement, which authorities blame for a recent spate of attacks on security forces in the area. | |
Traditional kingdoms, which are barred constitutionally from taking part in national politics, were abolished in 1966 but then restored by President Yoweri Museveni in the 1990s. | |
President Museveni did not officially recognise the Rwenzururu kingdom until 2009, though this has not brought an end to the periodic unrest. | |
Before becoming king, Mr Mumbere spent many years living in the US, where he worked in a Pennsylvania nursing home. | Before becoming king, Mr Mumbere spent many years living in the US, where he worked in a Pennsylvania nursing home. |