by JEMMA WILLIAMS
A typical street in Uganda. At any given time there are many people idle on the streets, leading to mobs forming easily. PHOTO/Jemma Williams
As we got closer, the full, brutal picture emerged. The scarlet red of the victim’s scalp was just visible as he tried to break through the crowd and escape. The man ran desperately, covering his face in his hands, but he was surrounded. The men circled him, leaping in for the opportunity to hit him savagely with their sticks. The community followed impulsively. Women and children trailed at the back of the crowd, straining their necks for a view of what was happening ahead.
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Violence of this kind occurs all too often in Uganda and other parts of the developing world, where mobs form to administer punishment to those accused of wrongdoing. In Uganda, its victims are most commonly accused of stealing, and are often beaten or burned to death. This group violence is often called ‘mob justice.’ However, ‘justice’ is a misleading term.