Uganda featured prominently in the international news in the 1970s, during Idi Amin’s reign of terror. Instability and civil war continued in the 1980s, and then for the ensuing 20 years rebels remained active in the north of the country. The story of one man’s quest to bring the murderers of his father to justice is told in Andrew Rice’s book The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget: Murder and Memory in Uganda.
A Commission of Inquiry Into Violations of Human Rights was set up to create a record of past atrocities and recommend prosecutions, but the government ran out of enthusiasm before the Commission’s task was complete, and the Commission’s findings simply sit on shelves gathering dust. However, through his own investigations Duncan Laki discovered the truth behind the disappearance of his father Eliphaz Laki, and he attempted to bring to justice Idi Amin’s henchmen who had murdered him.
The book provides an extremely interesting and readable account of Eliphaz Laki’s activities, Duncan’s investigations, and the trial. Should people who have committed atrocities in the past be brought to justice, or should sleeping dogs be allowed to lie? Most Ugandans would prefer to forgive and move on, but violent offenders seem to take advantage of that attitude to commit atrocities with impunity.