Am by the names , Ernest am asking for favor to see i accomplish , my studies, i dropped out of the university, when my parents denounced me, and i couldn't , keep up with , my tuition the whole family , dropped me, i don't know if being gay, i s a crime , i was doing , medicine , and i had finish ,my second year, my life , changed , when , my family , knew about , this, i have been discriminated, by my family, my people , time after time , keep , on frightening , a friend , who helps give me a place to stay , to burn , his house , because , he helps , me , the whole family , just hope , i die , any time, i know , there people out there , like me , who face the , same problems, and when am given a chance to study hard . I what to prove the whole society , being , gay , or lesbian , is not some thing, bad, and , help more people in my situation, i live in Uganda in Kampala, contact me o ernestmae@hush.ai, i will be grateful ,if my application, is put into consideration.

http://klug.cfsites.org/custom.php?pageid=38064

Speaker Kadaga promises to revive shelved gay Bill

The Speaker’s promise follows her experience in Canada, where foreign officials asked her to block the bill.


Entebbe

Days after her defence against a Canadian minister’s attacks on Uganda over homosexuality, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has promised to expedite the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Ms Kadaga made the assurance while addressing religious leaders and journalists at Entebbe International Airport on Monday. “They said I should stop the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill but I assured them there is no way I can block a private members Bill,” she said.

At the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Quebec, Canada, Ms Kadaga was involved in an altercation with that country’s Foreign Affairs minister, Mr John Baird, after the latter accused Uganda of trampling on human rights.

The accusation saw Ms Kadaga tell the minister to stick to the day’s theme and respect Uganda’s sovereignty. “I will not accept to be intimidated or directed by any government in the world on matters of homosexuality,” she said, adding that she was not aware she was speaking for many people in the world, some of whom were in the conference.

“I was surprised when colleagues came and thanked me saying that’s what they have always wanted to say but they had never gotten the courage to. That when it came to me that I had spoken for the whole of Africa, for the Arab world and Asians,” she said.

The welcome ceremony and press briefing was organised by religious leaders, former Ethics and Integrity Minister Nsaba Buturo and the mover of the Bill, Mr David Bahati, all of whom are pushing for the enactment of the anti-homosexuality Bill.

A large procession comprising members of different Pentecostal churches, Makerere University students and boda boda cyclists camped at the airport from 10am to after midnight when Ms Kadaga emerged to greet them as they ululated and waved placards appreciating her boldness in Canada.

“You are our saviour, we want the bill now,” one of the placards read.
Pastor Michael Were, who spoke on behalf of the religious leaders, called on other national leaders to follow Ms Kadaga’s footsteps for the sake of the country’s culture and traditions.

Asked whether she was not mindful of Uganda being denied aid and her being denied entry visas to pro-gay countries, Ms Kadaga said such countries were welcome to keep their aid and visas.

I MAKE LOVE WITH PHOTOS AND PICTURES
I am a lesbian living in Uganda. I have lived in the closet for more than 24 years of my life. I am 28 years now and a graduate student from one of the universities here.

I am very aware of the homophobia here because it even stinks but I have finally decided to get out of the closet and live my life. However, even then, it is extremely difficult to get a partner yet my body is normal and reactive. I have made several attempts at getting a woman,including this attempt that I am going to narrate at length, but failed.

After a very long but empty search, I decided to visit a bar in the City of Kampala that I heard was for LGBTI people. I went there once, twice, thrice and made friends there. These friends of mine were mostly men. So on one of these strategic visits, I approach a young woman, get her phone number and promise to give her a call the following day. I go home shortly after that and sleep happily. The following day, I load enough airtime on my phone and call up the girl and she can't understand how a girl can 'ask for an intimate relationship' from a fellow girl. The girl was rough and rude to me. I got so so so scared.

Now, I fear asking more girls because when I asked for her phone from that club, I was sure I was 'dealing' with one of my own. 'They' use our space but can't even stand thinking about 'us' in theirs.

Now, I only make love with internet photos of lesbians making love on my little laptop. UGANDA HAS DENIED ME MY SEXUAL RIGHT.

I am a 23yr old gay exiled in my own country and society. In 2006 during my first year in high school my collegues found out I was gay which i admited but this marked the start of what I call hell. I was brutaly beaten by a mob of fellow students and was later hospitalised. The school decided to expell me and that marked the end of my education stalled in 2006 for I feared for my life. In 2007 I resumed my studies in a rural school were I less known graduating from high school in 2008. I 2009 I joined Makerere University(bachelor of arts in social sciences) . Its here that one of my old students recognised me and history repeated its self,beaten severely. So I could not continue,.I decided to join a law profile institute, so I joined the Institute of certified public accountants in 2010, I studied for 3 months until things turned bad when I was noticed I had to give up on my education how ever much I tried. So in the same year I got a job I worked as an office messanger at super gate forex beaurex for a while until you know wat happened I was fired when they found out I was gay. I have done odd jobs trying to survive but I fear for my life,in my society and most parts of Uganda being gay is criminal some even arrested. My entire life has no meaning right now,I am not educated and can not get a decent job in Uganda,I fear for my life and I ask my self was my being gay a curse. Please any body out there help me or give me a solution. Contact me รถn my email wasswahassan10@yahoo.com or ssuzihassanw@yahoo.com. Thank you WASSWA HASSAN

Once arrested because of that... thrown out of home and many more brutal experiences... the biggest problem is amidst that, the world seems not to care. Am still followed and threatened by an unknown person because he thinks i introduced him to bisexialism..

I call upon all people that believe in human rights for all to come out and we use this chance to put more pressure on Uganda government not only to reject the bill but also to force it to decriminalize homosexuality , respect human rights and stop discrimination against gays . We should not allow to be fooled by the minister's statement as its an attempt to try to justify the Bill and think that the world will just go in slumber and let the bill go through. This bill is not good regardless of any sugar coating attempt as it tends to violate the basic human rights and freedoms of a certain section of people in Uganda .

The excuse to protect children is a mere joke as children in Uganda are faced with serious problems like poverty, child prostitution, rape, death in childbirth of young teens, child sacrifice than homosexuality .This bill is being brought in bad faith its intended to promote hatred. I am scared that that according to parliamentary procedure, if its a private members bill the President Museveni can not use his veto powers to reject it . He can return it twice and then after a month, it becomes law, even over his objections but even we can not trust President Museveni as he 's well known to hate dislike homosexuals

Mr. Ssemakula please contact: sogiah.uganda@gmail.com.
There are however, certain issues you may know about being "gay" in Uganda. Many have thought it is a ticket to getting hand outs and this assumption has led to much disappointments. Please get your act together: engage in genuine work to earn money, engage in genuine obedience to your leaders/benefactors/parents. Live your life as a responsible person. No one out here has a pot of money to help you as long as you see yourself as a destitute. You are a dignified person. Make friends by showing the positive side of you.Do not beg using the internet!!!

In a democracy, one has to allow room and space to listen to the other side arguing their case. Much the same way is expected for one to be listened to. The Anti Homosexuality Bill, 2009 as well as 2 other stigmatizing and discriminating bills (The HIV Bill and Equal Opportunities Bill)will continue to find their way on the floor of parliament. Even as a practicing physician, the volunteer spirit to treat the "gay" will be stepped upon! There is a fear of repercussions for such reaching out. As long as the HIV Bill,2009 is still mentioned ( like yesterday, 07/02/2012) morale, motivation and effort to roll back HIV/STIs will also die!!

i am ayoung girl of 22yrs who on realising that ma feelings and emotions were totally interested in fellow women coulkd not resist but go on for wat i felt..wen my friends realised they rejectd mi i felt so abandoned and life wasnt the same.men tried to rape just to make me change.i was so much abused by people some even thretened to beat me.on one occasion in aclub i was kicked by aguy who so gay people like devils..trust me life in my country is so much difficult for the gay n so many are geting killed...

VULNERABILITY SPECTRUM

BACKGROUND: A systematic review of responses from 30,000 spaces was carried out in 10 regions of Uganda.
OBJECTIVE: A systematic review of responses from 30,000 spaces where inquiry into who MARPs are, what MARPs need, who provides services, what is demanded, what are the behavioural characteristics unique to MARPs and other contexts influencing issues of MARPs that was conducted between July 2010-August 2011.
DESIGN: Conduct Review of literature, Interviews, structured conversation and focus group discussions. Respondents were drawn from; 150 farmer groups, 220 hair salons, 27 landing sites, 27 police posts, 110 cattle/village markets/social spaces, 225 major RH/FP/MH/CS/Health Services organisations, with leaders and members of 100 FBOs/2200 CBOs/CSOs/Community Groups, 2,550 lower level governments and communities, with members of 3,000 men/Women groups/settings, in 19,174 trading and urban spaces (Artisanry marts, car dealerships, repair garages, washing bays, food vending kiosks, video kiosks, shopping malls, recreational spaces) along 6 major trunk roads and 25 other roads leading to rural districts, 250 educational institutes (higher institutions of learning, colleges, senior/primary schools), 100 minorities’ spaces, 72 fresh foods markets, 200 hotels/lodges, 25 housing estate areas ( e.g. Jinja industrial area, Kampala, Gulu, Mbarara, Kasese, Tororo, Mbale), 170 ludo/snooker points, 1,700 storage and parking bays/car-park/boda/lorry/bus-parks in urban settings.
SETTING: Uganda was divided into operational regions: Central, Northern, Eastern, North Eastern, Mid-Western and south-Western where 30,000 were identified and these included: Lower level governments, urban centers, municipalities, towns, market areas, boarder points, social-meeting places, recreational spaces, food vending areas, film kiosks, shopping malls, parks, washing bays, road stop spots, educational institutions and CSOs. 5 lakes were visited to generate understanding of fisher folk communities.
RESPONDENTS: We used groups and individual key informants that way 30,000 Key informants were mobilised to include; leaders, community members, PLHIV, MSM, Substance users, sex-workers, fisher folk, key persons at road stop spot, bar-owners, informal sector, car-parks, bus-parks, work-place-exit points, school leaders, out-door games’ organizers, and uniformed services.
INTERVENTIONS: The police and criminal justice system are points for violence redress. Other forms of Violence/stigma counselling centers exist in major towns/municipals; public and private health facilities provide treatment and management of HIV/STIs; CSOs and government social services’ departments have planned programmes targeting MARPs.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: MARPs character and vulnerability spectrum in Uganda.
RESULTS: At community of residence level right through the Criminal justice system, substance users, MSM, Sex-workers and PLHIV still face stigma and violence. Sex-work (female, male and child sex-work) is rampant along all major road trunks and in major destination towns towards Uganda’s boarders. Education and housing areas have high prevalence of male/female sex-work, same sex practices and substance use. Violence/stigma counselling centers exist in major towns/municipals; public and private health facilities provide treatment and management of HIV/STIs; CSOs and government social services’ departments have planned programmes targeting MARPs. Key affected populations such as MSM and substance users being criminalized still lack focused programmes targeting them. Communities still do discriminate and stigmatize Key affected populations such as PLHIV, MSM and substance users. There is a tendency to box MARPs issues into HIV Programmes and this has influenced the approach to most programming. Messaging to eradicate risks to HIV should factor in fact that substance use, unprotected anal sex, female sex-work, male sex-work, child sex-work are interconnections in sexual networks
VULNERABILITY:
CENTRAL REGION: These included; Buganda, Busoga sub-region, Bugwere and Bugisu. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, fisher folk, MSM, LGBTIQQ, male/female sex-work, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active, long distance drivers, and uniformed services. Vulnerability was around; quick mobility, fear of consequences of visibility, stigma, sexual practices, gendered sexual beliefs and the gap between haves and have nots.
NORTH-EASTERN REGION: These included; Karamoja sub-region. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active. Vulnerability was around; quick mobility, displacements arising from searching for pasture and child neglect
MID-WESTERN REGION: These included; Kasese, Hoima, Buliisa and Fort Portal. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, fisher folk, MSM, Indigenous Tribes, male/female sex-work around mining and cement industry, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active, long distance drivers, and uniformed services. Vulnerability was around; perceptions of men about mid-Western Uganda females, quick mobility, fear of consequences of visibility, stigma, gap between haves and have nots.
SOUTH-WESTERN REGION: These included; Kabale and Ankole Sub-region. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, fisher folk, MSM, LGBTIQQ, male/female sex-work, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active, long distance drivers, and uniformed services. Vulnerability was around; quick mobility, fear of consequences of visibility, stigma, cultural perceptions around sexuality and sexual intercourse acts.
WEST-NILE REGION: These included; Arua and Madi Sub-region. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, fisher folk, male/female sex-work, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active, long distance drivers, and uniformed services. Vulnerability was around; quick mobility, fear of consequences of visibility, stigma, cultural perceptions around sexuality and sexual intercourse acts, and inter-cultural social experiences.
NORTHERN SUB REGION: These included; Acholi and Lango Sub-region. The MARPs characteristics range from substance use, child sex-work, fisher folk, MSM, male/female sex-work, PLHIV, young people who are sexually active, long distance drivers, and uniformed services. Vulnerability was around; quick mobility, fear of consequences of visibility, stigma, cultural perceptions around sexuality and sexual intercourse acts.
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS:
“As a town dweller, I do know of substance use, anal sex, female sex-work, male sex-work and child sex-work in this town and many others. The clients include professional persons, odd-jobs workers, artisans, students and non-school young people”. Ashraf (Wandegeya), Florence (Nansana), Grace (Kawempe), Jerome (Migyeera), Cosma (Nimule) and Rashid (Mbale).
“Am a male sex-worker since 2007, my kind of clients have my phone contacts and book in different hotels in different towns of Uganda. They send me a text message and we meet for sex. Most times they also ask me to bring other friends when they are many. Some of our clients do use substances, especially they smoke marijuana”. Crystal (Kampala).
“We want to be trained in skills to start up alternative businesses besides depending on Fishing”. Bukenya (Kyamuswa, Mazinga, Kalangala Islands of Lake Victoria), Arthur (Lake Albert), Ogwer (Lake Kioga).
“Yes, there are programmes on HIV and Human Rights as part of the prison services, hopefully this will be a big step in improving prevention practices”. (Key informant).
“Am interested in two things now that we have met. How your organisation can help us “handle” MARPs since we are increasingly working in that area” . (Key informant from a leading health organisation).
“ What is that nonsense? Every one is a MARP!” ( Key informant and district official).
“ The issues such as stigma, dialogue around discrimination and their relation to HIV are points to start with in starting and driving conversation around MARPs issues”. (Key informant and Community Development Officer).
“Am a trans-woman and I feel so insecure. I have to keep in-doors and only get out at night or make sure I put on long coats and a cap if am to conduct outreach services for other trans-women in Uganda”. (Leader of Trans-Women Bureau Uganda).
“ I am a transgendered male to female person and my parents are aware of my sexuality and gender identity. I wonder why we do not have seminars targeting parents and families. Our families are the first points of insecurity for many of the gay people.” (Leader of Young MSM Club in Uganda).
“ We are ready to conduct community campaigns against “mob-justice” as this is one very unjust way communities deal with what they disagree with. Communities should learn to use the justice system and believe in it. Other reported complaints are evictions, black-mail, extortion and deliberate hostility actions”. (Key informant from law and order section).
LIMITATION: This exercise was conducted to generate vulnerability before testing and it explored issues around visibility of various MARPs.
CONCLUSION: Contexts ranging from Policy, programmes, public and private settings form and influence actions targeting MARPs issues. HIV risk is one major issue most organisations target. However, before testing or accessing an HCT service MARPs need to be looked at as vulnerable and that vulnerability is disproportionate. Criminalization, Stigma and violence form a barrier that silences MSM, Sex-workers and substance users and it may cause them to go underground. This may not be the case for fisher folk, Long distance truckers or uniformed services. MARPs issues include demand for skills training to access anti-poverty programmes such as social grants. Public and private settings have all the basics in place to provide redress to all issues of MARPs. However, they are also points of violence to some MARPs.

When we invite communities to access and attend our outreach health fares we do not exclude other categories of people. We also use peer mobilisers to reach out to LGBTIQQ people. We follow up LGBTIQQ people by e-mail, phone or coupons. It is possible to meet all categories of minorities in Uganda. The trick is to understand the difference between a Public-Health-Human Rights activist/advocate and a reactionary advocate/activist. One has to create networks in the homes, villages, be ready to be seen with leaders, avoid being a show-off, come down to grass-roots and have skills in negotiating diplomatically. The other,tends to use emotions/sympathy.

Gays and lesbians are suffering hate crimes on a daily basis some families have thrown people out, we have lesbians and gay men sleeping on the streets of Kampala because they have nowhere to stay. some relatives have organised for lesbians to be raped. Iike Mukasa has gone through this its only those who are brave ,bold that come out to speak i think now gays and lesbians in Uganda have reached one million its high time we all come out and begin a rigorous campaign demanding for recognition and equal rights.Let us have our right to privacy, right to education life and health .Please just live us to live in peace we know that some people find homosexuality reprehensible but just live us in peace. Some lesbians have been stripped naked in church in the name of healing them from lesbianism being abused by people who claim they re men of God reported to the police but nothing is done Its high time we begin to decamp gain African governments that have failed to recognise the rights of homosexuals like president Museveni 'S government which has been responsible carrying out arbitrary arrest torture imprisonment of gays since September 1999 that has resulted into anumber of homosexuals losing their life's on the basis of orders from the above this has been done by the the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Force (UPDF) and its military intelligence branch, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI),Internal Security Organization (ISO),cmi, ISO, and other security agencies,Violent Crime Crack Unit (VCCU), a special unit comprised of CMI, ISO, and other security agen­cies, replacing Operation Wembley, tasked with stopping crimethe police and its Criminal Investigation Department [CID] and RRU

Some of us have been a victim of inhuman treatment.police raided my home in 2005, took away documents and arrested my guest, beat him.
We were treated in a degrading and inhumane way. Many of us have continued to such similar injustice but no one cares such human rights violations are unacceptable We have had enough of the abuse, neglect and violence. and the government is found of denying the existences of police brutality,now the clergy are all the time demonising us. This acts are forcing homosexuals to live double not of our choice something should be done
Gay and lesbiansrights uganda

Let us combine and continue to speak out and fight against the forces of hatred being spearheaded by the church, the president, first lady community leaders and the Ugandan press. In Uganda the press is now leading the hate campaigns as they are found of giving description that are very detailed and personal which are dangerous for the person named and depicted. The Red pepper has produced a number of articles that demonise homosexuals on 24 September 2010 it came out with an article HOMO TERROR launching a Vite smear campaign against Mworeko the tabloid placed his picture on the front page under the screaming headline "This gay monster raped boys in school, but failed to bonk his wife". In all my years of activism this was one of the most disgusting immoral vile, smear campaign i have ever witnessed and now even children have joined the hate campaigns like the anti-gay rally last year.Surprisingly the human rights watch never came out to condemn or stop them.The Redpepper newspaper is owned by General Saleh Caleb Akandwanaho a brother to presdient Museveni that 's why it has gone on for along time enjoying the impunity of smearing homos as the editors are aware they are protected by the government this prompted the Rolling Stone to also come out with an article calling for Hanging homosexuals. Of recent President Museveni came out and said Homosexuals have no place in Uganda as if we are not Ugandans again no one came out to condemn Museveni or remind him about the Universal Declaration of human rights Article 2 that states " Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.".President Museveni is Robert Mugabe of Uganda a homophobic tyrant who tramples on democracy and human rights.With this acts its time that we must redouble our efforts to stop the hate campaign that has infected Uganda and other nations in Africa sparking anti gay witch hunts as sexual orientation is a universal right

I together with religious conservatism and laws inspired by the judeo-Christian traditions and inherited from the colonial era, have combined to make Uganda and Africa a thorny ground for homosexuality. In the n uganda the hatred for homosexual has gone increasing because many Africans have anarrow view of homosexuality What I want us to remove from people is that whenever you mention gays or same sex relationships, they just think about sex, sex, sex, and nothing postive against gays“We are human being who need some one to live with, In the companionship and encouragement; there are so many things we can do other than thinking about sex and criminalising our acts such deep rooted mindset together with together with religious conservatism and laws inspired by the judeo-Christian traditions and inherited from the colonial era and our con tuned hatred by president Museveni has put lives of gays in danger with no protection, have combined to make Uganda and Africa a thorny ground for homosexuality. The hate campaign has also resulted into some people coming up with fake research claiming that gays are more promiscuous and more likely to catch HIV than heterosexual men; more likely to abuse drugs and suffer mental disorders and the life expectancy of a homosexual man is almost half that of heterosexuals. which are baseless
The problem withour leaders/ President is that they have refused to have dialogue with us,� “Instead of calling us to understand us, hear our views, hear our stories, they just push us away

Hope one day the world stops all the time focusing on us because of us beig homosexuals up to now some of us have failed to come to terms with the death of kato most especially we who were close to him his death has brought bad memories to some of us basing on what we have experienced because of being gays . he stood tall in the unwavering face of opposition as so many gays were disappearing under unclear circumstances
To some of us, we yarn for that day come when we will feel safe and live openly. being gay in Uganda has put me through a lot, with my family and some of my friends running away from the state. ,I also look for that day when the world focuses on other people not me because of being a gay

Of recent the church has taken the lead in the fearless battle against homosexuality and lesbianism. i happened attend pastor Males church the sermon of the day was focused on gays . the pastor preached anumber of things against homosexuality like its is unnatural.ungodly erodes the country much cherised culture and that it leads to destruction of morals and threatens human race and blamingtheir acts for being responsible for the misfortune of the country like famine ,drought and new disease because of God not being happy.He also told them that disheartening gays have now reached schools busy brain washing innocent children . These groups are being supporrted by the donors and western NGO under the disguise of sexual orientation as auniversal right.He told the congregation to use every means available to fight against these people either using force or peacefull methods as homosexuality has no place in Uganda. A fter the church service i happened to interact with anumber of people who had been attending the service and asked them one question which was What will you do to your son or daughter incase you find out he or she is agay or lesbians and these are the responses i got
1-Others told me it cant happen
2-Hand them to police for imprisonment
3-Disown them chase, them from the family,and if possible from the village
4-Others talked of killing them
member of gays and lesbians rights uganda

We demand Equal rights for everyone, whomever they love!

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that " All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights�.

We, the undersigned, call on the UN to eliminate the threats, harassment and attacks on any individual due to their actual, or perceived, sexual orientation.

Gay rights are Human rights and we urge you to you reaffirm an individual's right to enjoy safety and security regardless of their sexual orientation.


http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-lgbt-oppression-in-africa.html

Regards
African Gay Youth Foundation

Ik liep met een vriend met rastahaar, in een rustige straat in Kampala en we werden aangehouden door 2 politieagenten die aan mij vroegen of "that person" mij lastig viel en of ik wel wist dat hij homo was. Op mijn ontkenning vroegen ze in eerste instantie geld aan mij "because they didn't eat yet" en probeerden ze hem in het nauw te drijven maar doordat we onder het praten doorliepen kwamen we gelukkig weer tussen de mensen en lieten ze ons met rust. Uiteraard heb ik het gemeld bij een politie-officier maar die zei dat het bekend was, maar er nog weinig aan te doen is.

When hate hits the country were are we to have shelter
In Uganda due to widespread ignorance about sexual orientation the hatred of homosexuals has increased of recent now in most of the schools children ared being given ant gay sermons .the hate propaganda is so effective in that even in the rural areas people are beginning to express their hate for gays some even promising to killed,disown their children in case they become homosexuals. In one village person trying to explain to rural people about the gays having their rights was seriously beaten only to be saved by the local council accusing him of trying to recruit children int acts of homosexuality. Persecution of homosexual is so common, intimidation and this is being done by the police but nothing can be done some people have been lynched now the new bill has put gays at the lime light .so in Uganda you have to be so care full if people identify you your life is danger and in case anything happens to you the police will begin accusing you if people tell them that you are a homosexual do not expect much protection from the police avery good case study is that of Kato Uganda police accused him of wanting to force aboy into having sex with him
by muko gays and lesbiansrights uganda

Kato Killing Must Serve as Catalyst for Change
US president has mourned murder of Ugandan Gay activist – Ugandan leaders should do the same.
By Veronica Oakeshott - International Justice - ICC
ACR Issue 287,
2 Feb 11

Veronica Oakeshott

Veronica Oakeshott
IWPR Consultant

I met David Kato on his last trip to the United Kingdom, just a few months before his brutal murder last week. He was in London to attend an international conference on HIV and AIDS.

It is hard to imagine someone so physically small taking on the Ugandan establishment, but that is exactly what this softly spoken gay rights activist did, every day of his life.

While Ugandan politicians debated new anti-gay legislation, religious leaders preached the evils of homosexuality and newspapers printed vitriol and incited violence, Kato talked passionately about his right to live safely and openly as a gay man.

He did not dwell on the time he spent in hiding or in jail for his activism, but simply pointed to the impossibility of doing HIV prevention work amongst the gay community in such circumstances.

A few days ago, battered to death in his home, this tiny man paid the ultimate price for his huge courage.

His murder was the culmination of 16 months of terror for the Ugandan gay community.

In October 2009, David Bahati, a Ugandan member of parliament, introduced an anti-homosexuality bill into parliament. The bill proposed the death penalty for homosexuals who pass on the AIDS virus; life imprisonment for “intent to commit homosexuality”; and a public requirement to report gays to the authorities.

There was condemnation from around the world - but in Uganda the bill was widely welcomed. It is currently making its way through parliament.

Kato and his colleague Frank Mugisha, chair of the human rights organisation Sexual Minorities Uganda, were two men who dared speak out. Finding little sympathy at home, they travelled abroad to highlight their struggle and call for help.

In early 2010, as policy adviser to the UK’s all-party group on HIV and AIDS, I organised Mugisha’s visit to the Westminster parliament to meet the then foreign office minister and openly gay legislator, Chris Bryant. It was, for Mugisha, a vision of what politics could be like.

“At this moment [in Uganda] it would be political suicide for a [member of parliament] to come out and support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people,” he marvelled.

Six months later, back in Uganda, the national newspaper, Rolling Stone (unrelated to the US magazine of the same name), splashed a story across its front page, outing Uganda’s “top one hundred homos”. The piece gave names and addresses of gay men - amongst them Mugisha and Kato, whose faces were pictured in the paper. On the front page a banner read, “Hang them!”

The lives of both men were in danger but instead of hiding, they fought back. Kato successfully took the newspaper to court winning the paltry sum of 1.5 million Ugandan shillings (650 US dollars) for invasion of privacy and a permanent injunction preventing Rolling Stone from running a similar story again.

The court case was still running when I saw Kato last November at the London AIDS conference. Even then, after months of hell, he was in fighting form, reminding delegates that gay rights were not just about privacy but the right to be open about who you are, without fear.

He was politely heard out, even praised for his bravery by some delegates, but a few others - also supposedly AIDS experts - tried to cut discussion of gay rights short with remarks like, “It is nothing to do with us”, or “These are private matters”.

But Kato’s murder shows how wrong they were. Someone wielding a hammer killed Kato, but it was public opinion, stoked up by the press, and certain preachers and politicians, that turned him into a figure of hate.

In the end, it must be Ugandans themselves who decide they have gone too far. But despite the murder, there are no signs of a change of heart. Even the pastor at Kato’s funeral last Friday, according to Reuters, saw fit to denounce homosexuality, saying, “People are turning away from the scriptures. They should turn back; they should abandon what they are doing.”

Meanwhile, the managing editor of Rolling Stone said in a statement that he condemned the murder of Kato and felt sorry for his family, but told the London-based Guardian that he had “no regrets” about publishing Rolling Stone’s front page story.

The president of the United States has found time to make a statement mourning Kato’s death. It is time for Ugandan leaders to do the same.

If Kato’s death can be a catalyst for change, he will not have died in vain.

Veronica Oakeshott is an IWPR consultant, currently coordinating an election-reporting project in Nigeria.

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily the views of IWPR.

http://www.change.org/petitions/to-the-ugandan-government---homophobia-anywhere-is-a-threat-to-freedom-everywhere

As the advocacy officer for a rights group called Sexual Minorities Uganda, David Kato was one of Uganda's most high profile gay rights activists. Just weeks after winning a court victory over a tabloid that called for homosexuals to be killed he has been bludgeoned to death in his home.

David was one of a team of activists who took action against Uganda's Rolling Stone tabloid newspaper which had been running a campaign both naming and showing people it claimed were homosexual. The pictures featured on the front page, with an accompanying headline - "hang them". David was one of those pictured.

In response to the murder of David Kato, the managing editor of the weekly Rolling Stone, said in a statement that he had "no regrets about the story. We were just exposing people who were doing wrong."

Homophobia has increased in Uganda recently because of church action but also because of political action. An anti-homosexual bill currently before parliament calls for gays and lesbians to be jailed for life. This bill was sponsored by Ndorwa West, MP David Bahati, a legislator from President Museveni's ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

It is time for the Ugandan government to act. It is time for the government to publicly condemn the murder of David Kato, condemn homophobic publications such as the Rolling Stone, and to publicly condemn homophobia in Uganda. It is time for the Ugandan government to start educating Ugandans to stop homophobia. Please sign this petition to the Ugandan Government and to President Yoweri Museveni to end homophobia in Uganda.

""Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood" - Coretta Scott King

Homophobia anywhere, is a threat to freedom everywhere.

There is nothing to be ashamed of, God created us differently and we all ought to tolerate and respect each other so as to live in the community harmoniously. What surprises me most is the hypocrisy of our people. They would rather live in denial than face their challenges. It will take people like you and me for the future generations to live free of fear and intimidation.