/ 20 July 2003

Idi Amin in coma in Saudi Arabia

Idi Amin, whose 1971 to 1979 reign in Uganda was one of the bloodiest in Africa’s modern history, is in a coma and on a life support machine in Saudi Arabia, one of his wives said on Saturday.

”They have told me he is in coma and on a life support machine.

We are still waiting for more information from there,” Madina Amin said in a brief telephone interview in Kampala.

By ”they”, Madina was referring to Amin’s entourage in Saudi Arabia, where Idi Amin has lived for more than 10 years.

”We have contacted the (Kampala) government to ask that if he dies his body can brought back home for a decent burial,” she said, adding that her husband had suffered from hypertension for some time and fallen into the coma on Friday.

Idi Amin has not been back to Uganda since he was ousted by joint forces of Tanzanian troops and Ugandan exiles on April 11,1979. – Sapa-AFP