Charles Amone

Charles Amone was born in Uganda and came to London in 1990. He explains that he feels his stay in Britain is temporary and wishes to go back to Uganda one day.

Listen to Charles (mp3, 574kb)

Transcript

'If it were not because of persecution, as I initially mentioned, I wouldn’t have come here at all. There is virtually anarchy in the north where I originate. People are brutalised every day… When one runs away from a dictatorship like the NRM government, there is nowhere else one can go to anywhere in Uganda. The best thing is to get out of that country and look for sanctuary somewhere…

'But I’ll give you an example again. During Idi Amin, when Amin was brutalising people in Uganda - still Acholi people - people went to exile, but as soon as Amin was overthrown, people went back. So even our stay here it is not going to be permanent. Me, as an example, I don’t look for any miracle here at all. As soon as dictatorship is out of Uganda I will go back to my country and resume my family life…

'When there is peace and stability in Uganda, the refugees are going to go back… I for one, I am here very temporarily, to be honest. I don’t intend, I don’t even think of becoming a British citizen, I don’t think to live here forever, no, no, not at all. As soon as there is peace in Uganda, peace and security in Uganda, I will go back to my country. That is where my livelihood is and that is where my extended family is. I, as an Acholi, as a Ugandan, I live in an extended family, I am not used to living alone like this.'

Copyright Evelyn Oldfield Unit