Former presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye has said that although he continues to look for a peaceful solution to Uganda’s political problems, he will not sit back as government violates people’s human rights with impunity.

"I will not sit by and look at a government traumatizing and terrorizing our people and violating their rights with impunity and not be able at some stage to resolve to do something about it in a similar manner," Besigye told The Monitor from South Africa Saturday.

Besigye fled Kampala August 17, arrived in Washington, DC August 24, reached London September 8, and arrived in Johannesburg September 13.

In his search for a peaceful solution, Besigye says he has spoken to numerous people in Uganda, some supporters and also some who are friendly to the government, to, as he puts it, "engage them in a direct discussion of what is going on, and the danger that I see the country headed for." He would not disclose their identity for fear of their security.

While Besigye renounces any connection to the rebel groups allegedly recruiting in western Uganda, he added that he understands the rebel movement’s genesis. "Indeed, that is why I have been frantic in trying to cause a rethinking of the direction that the government has taken in dealing with political dissent," he said. "Unless the government rethinks its direction, that conflict will widen."

Besigye said he plans to meet with political and civil-society leaders throughout Africa and to urge them to push President Yoweri Museveni towards his reform proposals.

In Washington and London, his aim was to challenge donors' belief in Museveni's commitment to democracy. Now he has turned his attention from the West to Africa, hoping to convince African leaders that Museveni’s government has become increasingly repressive.

Besigye said his views have been received moderately well.

Besigye could not reveal whether he met with South Africa president Thabo Mbeki. "This being our region, it has its own sensitivities," Besigye said. "It’s better to keep some of the contacts that are made out of the press."

Uganda is not on his itinerary, at least not in the near future.

"Obviously the situation down there is not healthy," he told The Monitor. "Many of our supporters have been fleeing the country."

Besigye said he does not know where Anthony Byanyima and Deus Bainomugisha are, nor has he spoken to them since their flight from Uganda.

Besigye has, however, been able to speak to some members of his family in Uganda. A few days ago, he spoke to his wife., who was arrested September 10. She was released on bail September 12 and is set to appear in court again October 3 on charges of being in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

"She is obviously very worried for her own security at this moment," Besigye said. "She is aware that many cases are being fabricated to try to keep her in prison and it is feared that once she is in prison there is an intention to harm her."

However, he does not think she can flee the country like he did last month. "Her situation is not like mine," he said. "She has a young child of two years, her travel documents were confiscated, she is out of jail on bail and there are a number of people who have bailed her out whom she would put in trouble if she left." So her situation is quite complicated. I can only hope that common sense will prevail."

Besigye laughed when asked about the firearm over which Winnie was charged.. "It was not the police which found gun at my house, it was my wife who took it and presented it to the police," he said. He added that it was a small pistol which he was authorized to own as the Senior Military Advisor to the Minister of State for Defence, a position he held from February 1998 to October 2000.

However, Besigye commented, "The important thing to understand here is that this is not a question of trying to sort out and deal with crime. This is just political persecution, and therefore even if you bring evidence, they will just try to keep on finding reasons to deprive people of their rights and freedoms."

Besigye spoke about his work in Washington and London.

His activities in London were limited by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the U.S., which shifted the focus of many in the West to fighting terrorism. Besigye said he was appalled by the attacks.

However, he added that the terrorist attacks may remind the West that "undemocratic governments indeed are the ones that nurture and support activities of such a nature." He added, "Therefore I think the actions to deal with this kind of terrorist war will invariably deal with undemocratic governments in the world as a whole. And in particular in Uganda, it has been reported in the press, before these actions took place, that some of the businesses and money of Bin Laden have been through Uganda."

Besigye added that he did not know of any instances of Museveni’s government harboring or supporting terrorists.