Press Release to ILGA from LGBTI Uganda
The month of May started on a tough note concerning LGBT rights for gay Ugandans. Two groups of athletes registered to participate in Gay Sports in France and Germany were denied visas in spite of fulfilling all requirements established by both embassies.
LGBTI Uganda had registered a women’s volley ball team to compete in the Saaleperlen Games in Leipzig, Germany, between the 15th -20th May 2013. Out of the 8 applicants; including a Badminton Team for men, only 3 persons were granted visas! These included two men, for Badminton, and 1 woman, the captain, for the Volley Ball Women’s team.
This was a great shock to the 5 women who had spent weeks under intense training. The team immediately hired a lawyer to help with the appeal process, since the games were about 2 weeks away. To the team’s surprise, the embassy insisted the appeal process would last 4 weeks, a time frame which wouldn’t allow them participate in the games and a workshop organized for them on: How to Survive in an Extremely Homophobic Environment.
As expected, the organizers too where not impressed by the decision. But to their further surprise, most of their protest emails got no feedback except one that made it categorically clear that the embassy ‘deals with applicants, not third parties’. Protest letters to the German Foreign Affairs ministry were met with excuses too; all authority, with regards to visas is handled by local embassies.
In earlier correspondences between the organizers and the LGBTI Uganda team, one of the organizers noted that there could be some local staff at the German embassy that were opposed to Gay Rights and that the team should exercise the necessary precautions. Unfortunately, the team didn’t take the caution seriously until a senior native employee at the German embassy called some of the female players and preached to them for several minutes begging them “in God’s name to repent”. At the end of their submission, another called one of the two male players and told him that the team was not “presentable enough”.
The reasons given for the denial of visas were:
1. Lack of sufficient proof of means to sustain themselves while in Germany.
2. Lack of proof that the team would leave Germany upon completion of the games.
3. Lack of sufficient attachment to their country to enable them return home etc….
But team LGBTI Uganda has been to Sweden, Netherlands and in several parts of Uganda. This team had gotten a local sponsor for the German games who offered to buy return air tickets and 200 Euros per participant in pocket money. The organizers in Leipzig too, sent letters confirming the availability of meals and full accommodation for the team. Besides, every team member had health travel insurance worth the required 30,000 Euros.
Then, with the help of the team’s lawyer, affidavits were sworn by all athletes pledging to leave Germany upon the end of the games. And family photos were attached together with properties, birth certificates of dependants, personal bank statements etc…
Up to today, however, there is no word on the fate of the 5 female volley ball players from the German Embassy in Kampala. Why is this so? We are sure they are waiting for the mandatory 4 weeks to expire.
On the side of the French Embassy, all three LGBTI Uganda athletes were turned down. The same reasons were given like the Germans. Yet even after proving that 2 of the 3 were student finalists who couldn’t just abandon their studies, the embassy remained adamant. Even when the remaining athlete proved that he had a stable job with a very good remuneration package and assets, the answer was a resounding no!
The 3 had been registered by LBTI Uganda to participate in Mountain Biking and Squash in the Tournoi International de Paris 2013 happening between 14th -20th May 2013 in Paris. The organizers gave full proof of accommodation and meals, and the participants equally proved their capacity to attend, return home and continue with their life here in Uganda. The team’s sponsor too accepted to offer air tickets and ample pocket money on condition that LGBTI Uganda guaranteed participants would honor their obligations.
It’s a pity that the German and French Embassies have turned their backs on gay Ugandans despite of the fact that they are in full knowledge of the high levels of homophobia in this country. The teams strongly believe, that in sports, they would interact with their like; exchange ideas and draw support from one another. The teams believe that participating in these sports would be a huge blow to homophobia in Uganda. The teams strongly believe that sports would defeat hate with love, condemnation with compassion, discrimination with understanding.
And while the teams remain in the depths of the dark corners of homophobia itself; they remain strong in spirit and forever indebted to the organizers in France, like Antoine Le Blanc and Hubert Quarantel-Colombani together with Matthias Lendner of Germany. Thank you for all your efforts.

Elvis Kiwanuka
National Coordinator
LGBTI Uganda

I took it up the bottom from a bloke named Quembai, it was banging. It's true what they say about nigged men, Fucking hung.
Yours M.S <3

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.

so am in my early twenty's finding my way out in my day to day life without being leanched or draged naked in the streets was by hiding who i really was but therre times i slipped and the wrong people found out about me and all hell broke loose my lfe became a living nightmare i found myself explaining that i wasn't gay just so i could save me from any possible death iam still trying to live a guilt free life but having known who iam i don't think i can fully be out

In the seventies I met judge G. in Nairobi who was the preceptor of king X of Uganda. He told me of the tradition of sending young males to the court to be at the service of the kings and receive protection for their communities instead. Much like the intore in neighboring kingdoms. King X gave a miniature R&R; as a token of his love to th judge. The tragedy was and is the influence of Pauliism in Africa , with the martyrs of Uganda in evidence. Even the separation between "gays" and "straights" is imported from backwarded European countries.

am a activist in uganda my friends en family have worned me and they have beat me up several times they want to kill me,they segregate me i don't have a family now I've written this in sorrow pain that am even bleeding now the beat me yesterday night my contact is +25674555175-email @ kintuivan66@yahoo.com please i would like to either get out of this country where i don't have a family my partner past away a year back en just like u here of uganda and the gay activist am just dying here please help me

Kaweesi Joseph was arrested by Kawempe police officers for mere posting on face book and now he's being charged for homosexuality
Gaysandlesbiansrightsuganda

Hello, ,
I hope this finds you in good moods with family and friends. Let me take this opportunity on the behalf of our organization to introduce ourselves. We are a Gay group comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds and attained various technical skills from academic institutions. We identified a problem early in schools and our homesteads of being discriminated and exerted to domestic violence in private and public institutions. Due to that situation we analyzed in Uganda, after attaining higher education we decided to formulate an organization aimed at addressing the guy community affairs and fighting for our rights. We are also Ugandans with a right to share our values and benefits from the common resources of the country, but because we are Gay and that's what we want and believe in, we face routinely collective domestic violence and discrimination by various public and private institutions.

We understand that we are among the minority groups in Uganda, but we think and believe that, that's what we are. We are hoping to reach out to all Gay communities in Uganda, schools, trade centers and higher academic institutions addressing our values and opportunities to build confidence into ourselves so that we can compete on a leveled group with the majority for socio-economic opportunities in Uganda. Also we want to establish dialogues and meetings with the responsible stakeholders like the Uganda Central Government so that the expected Anti Guy Bills is not passed because it denies us our human rights.

However much, we want to accomplished all these tasks, fighting for our rights, we are stagnated and held back by the limited resources at our disposal at a moment. So we really need help and backup from the international boards and concerned individuals like you. Hence, we will be very grateful and humbled when our call is answered.

Thank you very much for your time and we are waiting anxiously to hear from you.

ameliakyambadde@gmail.com

Conservative MP Margot James has urged for the world’s politicians to promote gay rights at a Westminster conference that was chaired by Uganda’s anti-gay Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Last week, Ms Kadaga claimed the country’s notorious Anti-Homosexuality Bill would soon be passed by lawmakers and the Ugandan MP confirmed that she had no intention of blocking the legislation, which proposes barbaric sentences for those convicted. Speaking on Tuesday at the International Parliamentary Conference on Gender and Politics held in Westminster at Portcullis House, London, Stourbridge MP Margot James urged delegates from over 40 different nations to promote gay rights in their countries. After speaking in the debate on the use of quotas to ensure greater parliamentary representation for women, Ms James challenged female legislators in the Commonwealth to confront homophobic persecution. “We agree on the need for more women in our parliaments and governments, but we also need to reflect on why we need more women to be elected, a greater defence of freedoms and human rights is needed,” said Ms James. “As a gay woman I would not be able to even stand for election in many of the countries represented here today, and the situation is even more dire for gay men in so much of the Commonwealth. She added: “I urge the women legislators here today to stand up for the gay minority in your country and remember those who, like women are discriminated against, and bring that discrimination to an end.”

Here is the link ....http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/11/07/ugandan-anti-gay-speaker-chairs-london-human-rights-conference/

It has once again happened that intellectual freedom has been
curtailed in Uganda following the raid by police of an
anti-discrimination play by Talented Ugandan Kuchus/queers (TUK/q), a
group of young talented performers whose message is of
non-discrimination. The production titled "Lighting the Shadows" was
this evening rudely interrupted by one gentleman who had several
policemen to back him. The audience was dispersed and so was the cast.
Every one was ordered out of the theater. The coalition was one of the
major sponsors of this advocacy event to which the public as well as
the diplomatic corps were invited

Greetings from GEHO - Uganda, which was founded with a Vision of “A just Society where LGBTi Community access Total Health and enjoy their Human Rights” while our Mission is “GEHO – Uganda exists to restore human dignity of LGBTi communities/persons and address access to health services through Information, Outreach, Service Provision and Strategic Partnerships”. Our mission and vision are being realized through the following objectives; - To provide key health and legal services to the LGBTi Community, To work towards improvement of SRHR and contribute to the fight against HIV/AIDS among the LGBTi, To create a sustainable partnerships and networks with same minded Organizations to address issues affecting the LGBTi AND To create strengthen GEHO – Uganda institutional capacity to be able to fulfill our mandate.

Constant abuse of the rights and privileges of the LGBTI community has been historically high in Uganda. Many interventions have been made by various LGBTI activist groups in Uganda to reduce this but still a lot needs to be done to try and change the lives of members of the LGBTI community. As members, we noted a number of years back that many members of the LGBTI community were undergoing humiliation at workplaces and home villages by fellow workers and village mates due to their sexuality and to make matters worse, it’s been noted that there is rampant exploitation of members of the LGBTI community by friends who because of their good financial status often sexually use and abuse the poorer and not well to do members of the LGBTI community in order to “help” them acquire the basic needs of life, that’s, food, shelter and clothing. A case in point here is when one of our members had to be sexually used against his will by a so called “friends” in a quest to avail him shelter at their home after he was chased away from his parents home for being Gay and staying in a bush near their village water well for about 4 days before it dawned on him that he better seeks help from friends whom he knew for shelter, not knowing they were going to take advantage of his situation to conditionally, house him only if, he could give them sexual favours. This may sound painful but true! All because we had no safe space where members could safely meet to air out the pain they were going through in order to seek a solution! And to make matters worse cometh the looming anti gay bill that seeks to see all gays jailed for their orientation.

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.

BEING AN LGBTI/MSM/S/ACTIVIST IN UGANDA

When the Anti Homosexuality Bill (often referred to as the Bahati Bill) introduced in parliament. This Bill sought to criminalize LGBTI persons in Uganda, all of us were condemned and we live in fear each day.

In Uganda, the tabloid media has been at the forefront of whipping up public sentiment against LGBTI persons, in its coverage, the tabloid press has been irresponsible and libelous contributing significantly to the violence and hatred upon LGBTI persons by society like red paper and its sister Kamunye.

To add on that, due to the homophobic society, we have been expelled from all leisure joints and movements, the tabloid media also writes homophobic stories, no positive stories comes out and the readers believe that what is written is the truth.

You can not stop people from harassing you when they want; after I was exposed in the tabloid media Kamunye, of 28th may 2012, as gay activist, my neighbors, parents and friends turned/started harassing and being rude on me.

LGBTI persons face discrimination by both employers and employees. After I was exposed in the media Kamunye, my workmates and my boss started to victimize me at work and finally my boss handed me a termination letter, when I asked him why he was sacking me, he said that I was fired for being outed in the media Kamunye as gay activist and he wanted to protect his job/customers and the young workmates from my abhorrent act.

My straight friends formed a group which went around campaigning that they have a gay person who stays in their area without their knowledge, they also said that I wanted to recruit them into homosexuality, disgust; name calling, gossip, and black mailing

LGBTI persons face harassments from Landlords and neighbors when their orientation is discovered. When I was outed in Kamunye, My Landlord gave me 24 hours to vacate her house failure she was going to call a local Bukedde TV news media agataliko nfufu to reveal me, and people threatened to burn down her property for accommodating me.

In addition to that, our families are often the target of abuse, violence and parents are sometimes pressured into disowning their children, when my parents learnt that I am gay activist, they grabbed all my assets and started selling them, telling me that it’s a foreign plotters because it was imported by whites, Gay is seen as a western phenomenon and since westerns seen as having money, many opponents dismiss African gays as self seeking opportunities who claim to be gays, In their opinion gays have a lot of money, my step-mother went a round telling every body that I am gay to the point I was forced to move from the neighbor hood in which I grew up since people wanted to attack me, more to that they started paying spies to monitor my movements and place of residence, my parents failed to understand that being gay is normal and natural, they consider me as abnormal, cursed and all the bad things you can ever image.

Kayigoma Ronnie Lule
Kampus liberty Uganda-Klug (An LGBTI University and Ex-camper organization) Founder/Executive Director, Human Rights Defender and LGBTI Activist

‘Lesbians, Gays, Bi-sexual, Transgender and Intersexes do not claim any ‘special’ or ‘additional’ rights’ but the observance of the same rights as those of heterosexual persons. LGBTI persons are denied-either by law or practices-basic civil, political, social and economic rights.

ngfary the

Am one of the gays that the Uganda Police wanted to kill in 2010 when we were paying the last eye to our bro David, Am so down and stressed up, I need to share my experience with some one. Text me your contacts on +46769774591

am prince emmanuel from uganda
am 20 yrs and i really do fill more of a woman i fill that am a woman not a man

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.

hey i need homos

HEY THERE!
AM A DUDE LOOKING FOR A SEXUALLY STARVED LESIBIAN FOR REAL SEX SATISFACTION PLEASE CALL OR TEX ME ON +256779232970/ +256703491229
TAKE CARE

ESCAPE FROM THE POLICE IMMANUEL DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION UGANDA ESCAPED FROM THE POLICE RAID AS WE HELP THEY YOUTH GAYS AND LESBIANS CONFERENCE AND ACTIVISM. IT WAS A DARK NIGHT ON SATURDAY WHEN THE POLICE ATTACKED AND SCATTERED ALL MEMBERS AT THE REGENCY HOTEL KABUSU WHILE WE WERE DISCUSSING ISSUES ON HOW WE CAN CREAT AWARENESS ON ILGA RIGHTS AND ALSO HOW TO SUPPORT VARIOUS YOUTH WHO ARE MEMBERS. THE POLICE CONFISCATED OUR PA MACHINES AND THE DIRECTORS WERE ARRESTED SO WE REALLY CALL UPON THE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY TO JOIN US IN BAILING OUT OUR 3 MEMBERS THE COURT REQUESTED US TO PAY BAIL OF 4000 DOLLARS SO WE ARE WORKING THIS OUT AND ANY WELL WISHERS CAN HELP, ALSO WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LAWYER TO HELP OUR MEMBERS WITH THIS CASE HERE IN UGANDA AND ANY HELP WILL BE APPRECIATED.

This Sunday, a burning concern from urs trully: It’s so depressing having to live behind the smoke screen of another person, seein’ him take over your physical features bit by bit till you are completely lost and cannot see yourself any more. Growing up, I had many a suicidal thoughts, as every moment that passed I came to see, more and more these hard masculine features of this pubescent boy…while the tender supple skin, curvaceous body and beautiful face of the gurl in me, receded behind the curtains only to arise and shine over tones of make-up..I curse the day I told ma mom about ma boobs, stupidly thinking it was cancer, and I was gonna die..i wish I knew then, like I know now that the hormones they were giving me were actually testosterone and they would destroy Cleo….the gurl in me…Am sorry Cleo..sorry for the ignorance in me, sorry that I did not know a better way, sorry that I did not try had enough to save you…It’s a miracle that you have survived this all, scars and wounds notwithstanding, it’s a miracle that you still smile and giggle when you come…But even then, I cannot say that for all my trans brothers and sisters still locked up in bodies of other people….they walk around taunted by the thought of what could have been if only they could let that gurl or boy out…Working with the Trans Supporrt Initiative Uganda I’ve seen many trans people, lost, depressed, praying that, that beard won’t come, that those boobs would just disappear…..it’s a painful reality. That some of us will actually make it, we are surely uncertain of….But having lived through this nightmare and survived it with the few feminine features lurking, am worried, that even those will disappear. Ma heart goes out to all ma trans bro’s and sisters who
are struggling to unmask that gurl or boy in them, ma heart bleeds even more for ma teenage trans brother and sisters who right now are probably having suicidal thoughts, and hating themselves, and ignorant of the other way...a better way…a solution that even if they knew of they may be wouldn’t afford. Heed the words of my cry if you may…Our brother and sisters in Uganda need hormonal replacement therapy, so that they can live better lives... lives with confidence, self esteem, and vitality to face the ever growing transphobia around them…Heed this cry if you may….understand us…save us..we need you..for now we are here, we do not know for how long? But as long if you hear my cry from this deep abyss...answer this our prayer...
follow me on ma facebook cleo xulaye if you are interested in helping out

The anti gay campaign is being fueled by failed evangelists from Western countries whose dogmatic ideas can no longer stand the test of time in those western countries. They are now targeting Africa where they reap from the poor through donations to their Ministries and at the same time inject venom in the minds of the populace. There is nothing wrong for NGOs to map out how to win support for the LGBTI community. Kudos to the Uganda LGBTI community for standing firm even in the face of continued persecution. This is like the civil rights movement, the movement against apartheid and the movement for the emancipation of women. These movements can NEVER be wished away by retrogressive Uganda politicians, fanatical and fundamentalist evangelists or any other person. the fire has been lit and it will not be extinguished. This is a human rights issue!

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

By David von Burgsdorff | February 23, 2012
I didn’t know I was gay when I was younger; I just knew that I wasn’t attracted to girls. In Kampala, nobody mentioned homosexuality; growing up, I never met anyone who was openly gay. You only heard about it on the radio, distantly, in passing.

“Why can’t they leave this country?” callers asked when the topic was raised. “Find an island for them!”

At 19, I went to university and met a man — the first person I wanted to be with. He told me that we could be partners, but only in secret because homosexuality is illegal in Uganda.

After I finished my advanced degree in accounting, I moved to the city with gay friends I’d met at school. We all loved fashion and talked about cute guys. But we were only fully honest with each other. Of course, we couldn’t completely hide who we were; people suspected us of being gay. The way they looked at us – we knew they’d beat us if they found us in a dark corner. In some areas, strangers threw stones or boiling water. They shouted, “We hate you, and next time we’ll hurt you!” Certain shopkeepers wouldn’t serve us.

Still, we were young and starting out our lives. Our community was small and secret, but close-knit. I got a good job as a waiter at a Muslim luxury hotel. Everyone knew I was an excellent server, but eventually, rumors about my sexuality began to circulate.

“Are you a gay?” a co-worker asked.

“Anyone could be gay for all we know,” I said. “Even you.”

Soon enough, they fired me. It hurt me terribly to be dismissed from work I’d done so well, but I didn’t know that worse days were ahead.

I got a new job at another restaurant. With my pay, I went shopping and met a sweet, handsome salesman. He told me that we could start dating – but first, he began to ask me for money. I always gave him something, and he always disappeared. We never slept together.

One Monday, my day off, he called me.

“Are you at home?” he asked. “Can I come by?”

I had a weird feeling on that call. My heart weakened. I didn’t want to see him. But I ignored it and told him to stop in.

He arrived and before I could offer him a drink, he stripped off his pants and shirt. My shirt was already off because it had been scorching hot. I heard banging at the door. I thought it was the houseboy who did some errands for me, so I opened it. And my breath left me.

Six men stood there: one with a gun, one with a video camera, and one with a machete. I turned to the guy I’d been seeing. He had set me up.

Before I knew what was happening, I began to fight them, but it was seven against one. They pushed in, and the man with the machete slashed me, cutting me from shoulder to armpit on each arm. I began to bleed, so much blood.


Roy shows one of his scars

“I’ll cut off your arms,” he said.

I knew of this gang: They had killed one gay man before and brutally beaten another. They had robbed them and blackmailed one with a video.

“I’ll give you all my money,” I said. “Let me live.”

They wrapped my wounds in rags, and took me to the ATM. I drained my account for them. They left me bleeding on the street in the sun.

My friends found me and took me to a hospital. My kind boss gave me a month off, since I couldn’t lift my arms to carry a tray.

The physical pain was terrible, but the fear was worse. I believed the men would come back, push into my house, and kill me. I began working the dinner shift again. Scared of the night, I hired a special taxi to take me home. I could not sleep. I was isolated. Uganda was no place for me.

I found a tourism conference in Port Elizabeth online. I registered and paid the conference fee with money I made from selling all my belongings. With the conference invitation, I applied for a tourist visa. I never planned to attend the conference; I just needed to get to South Africa.

With my visa in hand, I bought a one-way bus ticket and left Uganda. I knew it would be forever. We passed overland for a week. I was tired, lonely. I watched Zimbabwe and Zambia go by, my mind on the past.

I entered South Africa on New Year’s Eve 2009. On January 1, 2010, I traveled from Johannesburg to Cape Town. I saw this beautiful city from the distance and I thought, “This is where I’m supposed to be.”

I’ve been here for over two years now, living with gay refugee friends. It hasn’t been easy. I work three days a week at a small shop but I’ve had trouble getting a job because I only have temporary asylum, which I renew every six months. I need to get permanent papers to get proper work so I’ve come to PASSOP for help.

I dream of my perfect life here in South Africa. I want to get a job in accounting or marketing because I’m a trained professional and I have degrees. I feel so useless now; I want to have a purpose and contribute to something. I’d like to be a citizen. I’d like to have a partner one day. And if I could get enough money, I would buy a lovely house on the beach.

But even now, with all the struggles, this is the only place for me. When I got those injuries, I thought my life might be over. But I have a new life here now, and some rights, and I am fear-free. That’s why I must stay in South Africa; I simply have no other option.

If you want to help Roy, please contact us at office@passop.co.za or (0027) 021 762 0322 .

(R

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..

The rest of the world should help look into the situation in Uganda and the current bill against gays that is being tabled in parliament.Problem also is that many of the gay people are just talkers.They talk the talk but cannot walk the walk.People are so scared about losing their lives and being discriminated that they are forced to live double lives.So many are depressed and have nowhere to turn to and with time,i will not be surprised if there is a high rate of suicides occuring in my country Uganda.Anyway,i hope the situation gets better soon which i really do not think will happen but hey,what can one do other than stay positive even in a negative situation?

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!!

MICROBICIDE INFORMATION CENTER IN UGANDA, LAUNCHED IN UGANDA ON 04 FEBRUARY 2012


BACKGROUND:

MARPS IN UGANDA is involved at various spaces sharing on; Capacity building, organisation development, Sexuality, orientation, gender, identity, microbicides, HIV, cancer, Female genital mutilation and other issues. Calls for repeat sessions on such subjects like; microbicides continue coming in. Today, after activities during the World cancer-day in Uganda we have decided to launch our "microbicide information center".

6P’s make up our concept: Understanding Policy, intensifying Programmes, identifying all Players, Providing education and enabling Participation to Popularise microbicides in Uganda.

We hope to reach 800 key leaders with the lubes, condom and microbicide messages by December 2012. These in turn will reach many others. We hope to popularise acceptability in a network with 350 persons by December 2012 if all goes well. Microbicides, especially rectal microbicides are anti-HIV decision-support tools in the hands of marginalised.

UNDERSTANDING A MICROBICIDE:
Microbicide /mi•cro•bi•cide/ (mi-kro´bĭ-sīd):
1. a substance that destroys microbes.
2. a substance that destroys infectious agents, including also viruses; sometimes used specifically for that used to prevent transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

HOW MICROBICIDE INFORMATION HAS BEEN POPULARISED:
1. We have used meetings (e.g., National consultative meetings) to share information on microbicides. This has been possible because MARPS IN UGANDA is part of the large CSO Network in Uganda. It takes lead on MSM. WSW, TG, Substance users and PLHIV. It as well takes lead on providing evidence in form of reports on all most at risk populations (MARPs) in Uganda. These include but not limited to: fisher-folk, sex-workers, truckers, discordant couples, persons in long term relations, PLHIV, MSM and Uniformed services Personnel. Given the vast networks within which we work, we have also interacted with: mobile communities, displaced persons, disabled persons, young persons, men and women.
2. We work with school and non-school going communities and with these we did design schedules on talks around: sexual and reproductive health. We use these spaces to introduce topics such as, microbicides.
3. We are a lead organisation promoting the eradication of violence, violations, abuse, discrimination and stigma in communities due to for instance: sexuality, orientation, gender and identity. Through these spaces we share on microbicides.
4. We link with various organisations under the capacity building contracts. While we train, we also introduce issues around Microbicides.
OUTCOMES: We have become a lead organisation, voluntarily providing information on microbicides in Uganda.

im now suffering alot because ma parents have negerated me because im aguy and i going to miss out my education im looking for aids im in for what i want (guy) and hope not to give it up because thats me i have house rent no up keep some one over there please help me out bsemwo@hotmail.com

Regarding your article GLOBAL FUND CUTS $270M IN AID TO UGANDA (http://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/ngkYBqy1fJ) please note that the Global Fund has sent the following letter to the editor of New Vision, the paper that originally published the article:


To the editor,

The article headlined “Global Fund withholds shs700b for ARV treatment over gay rights”, which appeared on your website on 15 November 2011, contains inaccuracies about why the Global Fund rejected a recent application for HIV funding.

In 2010, Uganda submitted a Round 10 application to the Global Fund asking for $217 million for HIV and $25 million for health systems strengthening.

A panel of independent experts turned down the HIV proposal mainly because significant funds from an earlier HIV grant are still unspent, raising doubts about Uganda’s ability to take on a much larger HIV grant before it had effectively invested the resources it already has available. At the time of the panel review, only 11.6 per cent of the money available from the earlier grant had been disbursed.

In addition, the panel noted a likely overlap between the interventions in the earlier grant and the Round 10 proposal. It also questioned the soundness of the Round 10 proposal’s budget. In addition, the HIV proposal failed to adequately address equitable access of services especially with respect to particularly vulnerable populations.

The earlier grant continues to have a low spending rate and the fund, as a result, has reduced the second phase of the funding.

Following an appeal by Uganda, the Global Fund’s Independent Appeals Panel upheld the decision not to fund the HIV proposal. This decision is published on our website http://theglobalfund.org/en/trp/appealsreports/


Sincerely,

Jon Lidén
Communications Director
External Relations and Partnerships Cluster

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.

Please direct him for counselling and access a transitory home. We have supported 129 university students and all of them have had to agree with our terms of discipline while they stayed at the transitory home. We offer services to those who can also afford to have lunch and do their own laundry!! We do have our way of checking out these stories. We have had to refuse 12 people for "crying wolf" !!

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.

We ve experienced alot of suffering from government,community and also from our family members that ve expressed strong resentments towards us yet we would have expected protection refugee from them can you imagine your own family member threating you all the time because of you being ahomosexual
I have afriend who told me that because of his family members knowing that he 's agay some of them are now taking advantage of him by demanding money from him threating to report him to police community leaders (Local council chairman) and to his boss. He told me his father has now chased him away and told him if he see him back again on his land or house he will pull out his machete and cut him he 's ready to go to prison. I call upon all members to come out and help our brother
Please we ' re seeking for your advice

We are an endangered species within our country We are looked at as if we are outcasts. On saturday I was in a nightclub atVolts with a friend when someone who knew me pointed at me shouting, 'There is a gay couple!'when we were outside of the club People began to beat us especially the boarder men but the policeman was just looking on we were only saved by a bouncer who took us to anear by room and locked it and got ataxi for us .Am really scared of mob justice we may end up losing our lives

I have no respect for religious tyrants how spread hate people are too sexy for their hate, too sexy for their lies, and too sexy for their self-righteous genocide. We must expose the religious tyrants for the evil control freaks that they are let us not give them room

Ilost my job after the Red pepper published alist of homosexuals including my name and the boss even threatened me to hand over me to police and now following the recent publication of the rolling stone saying that gays are after recruiting children i got insults from some people how threat ed to kill me if they see me talking with any of their children. This has forced me to move away from that area and i fear going to village as most of the people in the village are aware that am agay so am not safe anything can happen to me anytime but i can not change my identity and i can not trust anybody now . so life is full of isolation ,insults threats and violence its quite problematic Gays and Lesbians rights Uganda GLRU

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 Peoplesâ&euro;&trade; 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 gaysâ&euro;&oelig;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,â&euro;? â&euro;&oelig;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 rightsâ&euro;?.

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

Translation of my story in Uganda: When I was there I walked with a friend with rasta-hair in een small street. We were stopped by the police who asked me if he was bothering me. When I denied the asked me for money because they did have any supper yet. Meanwhile we walked towards the crowded street and then they were gone. I told the story to a police-officer and he said it was know, but difficult to do something abt. it.

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.