Asylum Issues

Really important documentary, worth knowing about. Mentioned in the SMUG forum by Bisi Alimi:

The Seeking Asylum series, a story of African LGBT asylum seekers in the UK has been nominated for the American PBC (Public Broadcasting Federation) film festival. I was one of the people featured in the film. We are reaching out to you to please: Watch the film. Share the film and Like None on Record on Facebook and Follow them on Twitter. Thank you.

We would like to congratulate None on Record for their nomination. It brings to light a large pan-African asylum issue. We recently highlighted the case of Lawrence Kaala in Sweden. There was also the case of Uganda, Asuman Kabugo, who feared torture if deported from the UK last November. These and a number of similar cases, such as that of Linda Nakibuuka, have led to cries of condemnation against the UK Asylum system:

UK Breaks Pledge to not Deport Gay and Lesbian Asylum Seekers

and

United Kingdom cruel response to Ugandan asylum seeker

When it comes to LGBT Asylum and support against the Anti-homosexuality Bill, the UK is all talk and no real action.  While the United Kingdom’s government  purports to support LGBT asylees, in truth they fail them, certainly when it comes to the Home Office and the consideration that ought to be given to asyless from all over the world, especially Africa and more especially, Uganda.

This does appear to be turning into a national headache, not only for the UK but all countries that accept asylum seekers persecuted on the grounds of sexual orientation. 

Given the chance, the Ugandan government would probably be quite happy to see all of its LGBT citizens living in another country. If countries with legislation protecting human rights don't want to accept the responsibility of protecting them, then they need to intervene against the Bahati bill. It is only once the bill is off the table that asylum cases will drop.

It can only be the tip of the iceberg. Should the Bahati bill pass in the next few weeks, there will be a much larger wave of asylum applications and even stronger rebuke for turning them down.

[UPDATE, April 2013: EU Facing Massive 'Gay Claims' By Africans. "In Belgium, the number of applications from “homosexual” Africans has jumped seven-fold [since] 2011." Looks like, for the time being, the approach is to call everyone liars and deport as many as possible. Long-term, Western countries may just have to put their foot down over gay persecution and work hard to oppose governments that practice it.]