UGANDA FALLS SHORT OF ITS INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS - ACTIVISTS

By Nthateng Mhlambiso (BTM Managing Editor)

UGANDA – 08 may 2009: A petition demanding the government of Uganda to respect people’s rights and fundamental freedoms, as prescribed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, is doing the rounds among gay rights and civil society organisations throughout Africa.

This is a result of what activists call a threat to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people’s human rights in Uganda caused by the state’s failure to recognise these rights and protect this group’s rights to privacy, equality and freedom.

The petition states that in March 2009, various groups held meetings in Kampala to form strategies to fight homosexuality and that these strategies opened up slanderous public debates that effectively tried to convict gay Ugandan citizens in the eyes of the public.

It revealed that at least five men have been arrested on charges related to homosexual conduct since Family Life Network’s anti gay workshop which was followed by confessions by people claiming to be ‘former homosexuals’, the latter which led to civil society and religious antigay groups submitting a petition to parliament to fight homosexuality in Uganda.

It also pointed out that here have been several outings of alleged homosexuals by the media which led to many gay people in the country being attacked, losing their jobs, families and houses.

“The defamation, ridicule and accusations made against various people are in violation of their fundamental freedoms and basic human rights”, the petition warns, adding “the consequent fears for their safety are in direct violation of their basic human rights to security, standing in society and are a direct onslaught to their constitutional rights.

In this petition several religious groups in Uganda have been accused of launching public campaigns aiming to incite hatred towards LGBT people, without regard for basic human rights principles.

“The motive can only be political and the lack of state action can only confirm Uganda’s failure to create a secular state, free from influence of extremist beliefs”, the petition concludes.

On the other hand activists say that criminalisation of homosexuals will only exacerbate an already existing spread of HIV and AIDS because “people are less aware of the need to protect themselves when they are subjected to fear and lack of freedom to associate.”

This petition, which will be sent to parliament by civil society organisations on request by gay rights activists in Uganda, demands that government ensures protection of gay people, stops arrests of people based on their or perceived sexual orientation and ends efforts to increase penalties for consensual same sex relationships and what is being referred to as homosexual recruitment.

It also demands an immediate release of anyone arrested on charges related to consensual same sex relationships. 

“We call on the government of Uganda to embrace the principle of non-discrimination as enshrined in numerous international instruments and reiterated under the Ugandan constitution”, activists urge.

According to Frank Mugisha, an LGBT rights activist in Uganda the petition, which he says is an appeal from human rights organisations in East Africa, will be delivered to parliament after all signatures have been obtained.

“I am presently distributing the petition manually from door to door and we want civil society organisations to deliver it on our behalf because we have sent numerous petitions to parliament which have never been responded to”, says Mugisha.

Freedom and Roam Uganda has already signed the petition so far and activists believe there will be many more signatures.