The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget: Murder and Memory in Uganda

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The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget: Murder and Memory in Uganda

3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 · rating details · 119 ratings · 21 reviews

One of Kirkus Reviews' Best Books of 2009

The people of Uganda have long struggled to bury the worst of their history, but after the violent reign of Idi Amin, reminders were never far from view. In 2000, lawyer Duncan Laki came across a clue to his father's 1972 disappearance, and the ensuing search ultimately led him to a shallow grave -- and then to three old soldiers, i...more

Paperback, 384 pages

Published June 22nd 2010 by Picador (first published March 3rd 2009)

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Jan 18, 2013 Mikey B. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book examines the disappearance (and death) of a son’s father in 1972 at both the micro and macro level. We follow the struggle of the son to probe his father’s disappearance over many years in Uganda, which finally leads up to a trial that to some extent transfixed the country. It forced open many bottled up memories.

We explore this within the Ugandan context where Western values such as justice and human rights are juxtaposed against other pervasive facts like ethnicity, clan, religion, l...more

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Aug 02, 2009 Melina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Is it better to forgive and forget, forgive and remember, or not to forgive at all? Is the cost of justice higher than that of peace? These are among the questions journalist Andrew Rice grapples with in his recently published book on Uganda; “The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget”. The book is a personal story of one man’s journey to uncover the truth behind his father’s disappearance in September 1972. Eliphaz Laki, a member of UPC and a Saza (county) chief of Rwampara County in we...more Is it better to forgive and forget, forgive and remember, or not to forgive at all? Is the cost of justice higher than that of peace? These are among the questions journalist Andrew Rice grapples with in his recently published book on Uganda; “The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget”. The book is a personal story of one man’s journey to uncover the truth behind his father’s disappearance in September 1972. Eliphaz Laki, a member of UPC and a Saza (county) chief of Rwampara County in western Uganda, was among the thousands of Ugandans who died under the rule of President Idi Amin. Like so many of those who perished, Laki disappeared one day, never to be seen again.

Nearly thirty years later, his son, Duncan Laki, refuses to let that piece of his own history remain buried in the shallow graves of those unlucky enough to be caught in the killing fields of the 1970s. Acting a whim one day in 1999, Duncan stumbles upon a clue that will lead him to his father’s executioners, and ultimately, the place where Eliphaz Laki was unceremoniously laid to rest.

After seven years of research from Ankole to West Nile, involving interviews with more than 100 individuals, Rice recounts one man’s fate and in so doing, begins to unearth the ghosts of a dark age that even today continue to cast a long shadow on Ugandan society. The story is not black and white, and the line separating victim and victimizer blurs and shifts depending on with whom you talk, and where in history you begin.

There is Eliphaz Laki, who once drove to Tanzania in his blue Volkswagon with then-rebel now-president Yoweri Museveni (referred to as Erifazi Laki in Museveni’s autobiography, Sowing the Mustard Seed) to visit Milton Obote soon after he was overthrown by Amin. Laki’s association with Museveni and company following the disastrous attempted invasion of Uganda in 1972 sealed his fate. Then there is Anyule Mohammed, a driver and one of Amin’s enforcers who was given Laki’s telltale Volkswagon after escorting him to his death. Another figure in the tragedy is Sergeant Nasur Gille, who pulled the trigger of the gun that took Laki’s life. After controversial admissions of guilt, both men then tried to deflect blame, pointing fingers instead at Amin’s No.2, the chief of staff by the end of the regime, Major General Yusuf Gowon.

There is never one version of history, Rice discovers as he unravels the story of Laki’s death, even in what many would consider the indisputable reign of terror of Idi Amin. He writes, “These twin histories of Amin’s regime – one that said he was devil and one that hailed him as a savior – ran like parallel threads through Uganda’s fragile patchwork peace. If you pulled one frayed strand of truth, you never knew what might unravel…[Ugandans:] could not come to terms with their history because even the most basic facts were still in dispute. Ugandans had simply set aside their arguments, for the time being, because silence was the price of peace.”

How does a society recover from conflict or violent dictatorship? When your family is killed, and the perpetrator is still alive and well among you, how do you cope? How can you forgive? Rice struggles with exactly these questions as he uncovers and unfolds Duncan’s journey to the past, and watches as it catches up to the present day.

Amin’s former men have slipped quietly back into the folds of society, living humble lives and seemingly forgotten by history if not by their victims. But Duncan Laki, much to the dismay of family members who wish to bury the sins of the past, refused to forgive and forget. Instead he forces the men, who now feel victims themselves, into the light to be finally brought to justice.

Rice does a masterful job of weaving together the many strands of history to form as complete a picture as may be possible today. Many outsiders come to the conclusion that there can be no peace, or at least no peace of mind, without justice. What Rice helps to illuminate, however, is that sometimes justice is what you must give up in return for peace.

“We were supposed to believe that it is only by understanding the crimes of the past, and by bringing individuals to account for them – whether through shame or judgment before a court – that a damaged society can regain its sanity,” writes Rice. “The idea that an entire nation might decide to let its murderers go free, that it might suffer so much and commemorate so little, upended everything I thought I knew about the human response to loss.” But inclusion and acceptance of those who have wronged, as he learns, has itself often been what has allowed President Museveni and his National Resistance Movement to remain in power, ideals of justice notwithstanding.

To read Rice’s book is to begin to grasp the harsh realities that face a country with a political history as turbulent as Uganda’s. It provides a more nuanced view of society than that of other pop-culture accounts of Uganda, such as the 2005 film, The Last King of Scotland. And like a good journalist, Rice shares with the reader an impressively balanced account of events and emotions. Rice’s narrative is captivating, although the bounding back and forth between time periods can be slightly disorienting at times. The Teeth May Smile but the Heart Does Not Forget is a book best read in a only few sittings, in order not to lose your place in the midst of the winding storytelling – but this is easy once you open the cover, and most likely you will get to the end wishing you were back at the beginning.
(my review from the Independent magazine, Kampala)(less)

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Jul 19, 2010 Leslie Street rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I was a junior in college, I checked out every single book that the Lee Library held in its collection that discussed Idi Amin. For weeks, I had nightmares about ending up a prisoner in one of his investigation bureaus. At the end of that period, I wrote a thirty page paper analyzing the Tanzanian invasion of Uganda under Walzer's Just War theory. Suffice it to say, that Ugandan history has been an ongoing interest of mine. What I appreciated about this book was twofold. First, it told the...more

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Sep 20, 2009 Alicia added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I started reading this book because I thought it would be interesting. A Son going back to Uganda to avenge his father's murder that took place in 1972. I must admit, I knew only a little about Uganda and what went on there under the rule of Idi Amin.

In the history aspect, this book was very VERY good. It talked about not just the history of the family of the murder victim, but also about the family and history of the murderers themselves and Uganda as a whole. How it was "discovered" by the Eng...more I started reading this book because I thought it would be interesting. A Son going back to Uganda to avenge his father's murder that took place in 1972. I must admit, I knew only a little about Uganda and what went on there under the rule of Idi Amin.

In the history aspect, this book was very VERY good. It talked about not just the history of the family of the murder victim, but also about the family and history of the murderers themselves and Uganda as a whole. How it was "discovered" by the English and under their rule until the late 1960's. Then how coup after coup took place ultimately leading to the horrific 8 year rule of Amin.

I was very happy that this book was not a gory expose about the horrific nature of Amin. From all accounts he was a BAD GUY, but this book didn't go into detail about all those murders (estimates are between 100,000 and 300,000 killed under his rule). Granted there was some talk about *some* people that were murdered, but it was not gory and quickly passed over. This book is not about the atrocities of war.

This book is about Uganda. Yes, it focuses on one man's struggle to find his father's killers, but ultimately it is more about the country of Uganda as a whole. After all the things that they had done to them by their presidents and rulers(the greed, money filtering, warmongering, etc) the everyday Ugandan just wants to move on. They are willing to forgive (if not forget) and hence the title. Many look at their actions as apathy, but others realize that they are just tired. They just want to move on a hope those things never happen again.

I said that this book was mostly about Uganda and not about Duncan Laki's search for justice. GOOD THING because if this were a "stick it to the murderers" story, we all would leave very depressed. Which I did sorta leave anyway. Because the ultimate fate of the murderess is (of course) a twisted trial and ultimate acquittal by a corrupt police force, investigators lawyers and even judge.

That put aside, I really liked this book. It was very informative and I can say that I learned a lot about a place I hereto previously only knew a little about. In the end, of course, I was sad. I was sad for all the injustices in the world. Especially the injustices that a leader does to his own people in the name of "the good." Let's hope Uganda stays away from that type of "good" for a long while.(less)

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Sep 09, 2009 Alex rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The author took the time to illustrate where each of the "characters" (this is nonfiction) came from -- even going back through the history of the formation of Uganda and the idea of tribes and tribalism within the pre-colonialism, colonialism and post-colonialism eras The author is extremely thoughtful, well-versed and well-studied on the cultural and historic context of the trial and the individual players. Although every once-in-awhile I got a peek into his own opinion, I felt he left plenty...more

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Sep 23, 2009 J. rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: africa, political, empires-end, non-fiction, memoir

Nearly flawless account of a cold-blooded political killing in Uganda in the time of Amin, and a view of the shifting perspectives that tend to obscure this kind of history, wherever it happens. Attempts to make the history comprehensible or the killers accountable are the subject of the book, a struggle nearly impossible in regions where blood has been spilled in the name of change, progress, or power. Truth and Reconciliation agencies are not unique to Africa, though, and Rice is able to const...more

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Feb 27, 2010 Corinne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

While ostensibly about a murder trial, this book really is about the intractable "tribal" clashes in Uganda - born out of colonialism and carried on to the present. Rice does a great job of telling the story of Uganda from British colonial rule through the present, and all through the life of one man, Eliphaz Laki. Certainly all of Uganda cannot be captured in one book - much of the history of Northern Uganda and the ongoing violence there is glossed over - but, as a focused account of the Obote...more

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Jul 29, 2011 Laurie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I went to Uganda, four years ago, I tried to read every book available on the country. I don't know if I was just a bad researcher - but I found very little material - and much of it was outdated. I wish that this book had been available - I never learned so much about Uganda and its history. I really appreciated being able to read a detailed history of Ugandan politics with an accompanying understanding of each regime's effects on the Ugandan people. All of this was told in the context o...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Marsha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Andrew Rice follows the true story of Duncan Laki, a Ugandan man, whose father was killed during Idi Amin's rule. As Laki searches for his father's killers, and then attempts to bring those killers to justice, he is faced with resistance. Uganda has chosen to forget the past in order to keep the fragile peace of the present. As the title implies, however, the past can never really be completely forgotten.

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May 21, 2012 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very well done. The author follows one man's quest to find answers to what happened to his father during the Amin era. In the process, he traces Uganda's history, and once again, we can see how thoroughly colonization botched things. Apparently very difficult to find in Uganda, the book paints a rich history of the country and the struggle to find balance between justice and peace.

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Feb 25, 2011 Katie L. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Big, big love. If you want to learn about Uganda and some of its incredible history under Idi Amin's regime, read this book. It gives incredible insight. The authour is a great researcher, I imagine it must have taken him years and years to compile this story together.

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Jul 07, 2009 Andrea rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: africa, east-africa

This book follows the quest of Duncan Laki to find the men who murdered his father under the Amin regime and to find his father's remains for burial. While Duncan's story is compelling, much of the book covers necessary background and history about Uganda. It is well-written and moves quickly through what could easily become boggy material. I learned quite a bit about Ugandan politics and the difficulties of reconciling or even understanding past violence in a nation's history.

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May 16, 2013 Fred Rose rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: global-issues

A story of one man's attempt to find out the truth of how his father disappeared during Idi Amin's rule. How he found out, the trial that followed and how this fits with the recent Ugandan history are weaved together into a well told story. The writing was a little awkward at times but overall I found the book to be satisfying and it helped me understand Uganda much better.

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Jan 30, 2011 Glenna Harris rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Good read to put some of the history of Uganda into perspective... wove a story around the complicated political history of the area, creating a thread I could follow

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Mar 20, 2012 Ronjoseph50 rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you are interested in Africa, Uganda, and the legacy of colonialism/imperialism, read this book.

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Aug 05, 2009 Merrill Clark added it · review of another edition

Excellent book about the investigation of a murder and the political,bloody background of Uganda

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Mar 29, 2011 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was not able to finish this book. I wanted to be able to finish it, hoping to glean some historical information about a country I know nothing about. But it went too deeply into the political back-and-forths and didn't focus enough on the personal story to keep me reading. So if you like in-depth political information, this book might be one for you. But it wasn't for me.
ETA: I gave it three stars, even though I didn't finish it, because I do think it is well written, an important story to be...more

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Sep 19, 2009 Ruthie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

amazing book on the limits of justice and reconciliation...

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Aug 05, 2011 Maia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Heartbreaking but brilliantky written.

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Jan 04, 2010 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish I could say I loved this book. I wish that I could even say I can't wait to continue reading it. In all sincerity...this book is all over the place. While the history is interesting- the stories within this book jump around a little too much for it to be continually engaging for me. I can say that I'm looking forward to being done with it!

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Jan 04, 2013 Kenyon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This doesn't really deal with the Amin regime as a whole (which was what I wanted), but more with an individual family's story of dealing with the aftermath of the regime, in particular bringing a man's murderers to trial. It was a good read, though.

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May 01, 2013 Marie Storli rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: africa

Apr 16, 2013 Jon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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