Dressed like this, it's surprising Huckleberry Finn and Judge Dread haven't been arrested for crimes against fashion, but at least we won't be seeing much of them in Europe any time soon.
The Brussels-based European Parliament has backed a resolution imposing travel and visa bans against "key individuals responsible for drafting and adopting" the anti-homosexuality laws in Nigeria and Uganda.
During its sitting on March 13, the members unanimously criticised the laws passed in both countries and said they were a "grave menace" to human rights. The members approved the non-binding resolution by a large majority which said the two countries violated the Cotonou accord on human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law.
This means that individual countries will choose whether to effect the bans or not.
Let's see which countries have the mettle to stand up against homophobia.
It comes as freelance journalist Kevin Childs explains:
The response from American and European governments has been strong on words, but with little action. Only the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway have indicated that they would change their aid policy towards Uganda, but the news last week that the World Bank has postponed a loan intended for healthcare projects, because the passing of the law, amongst its many violations, discriminates against LGBT people in terms of access to health information and treatment, may mean that other major donors will review their policies.
Targeting the poor of Uganda with aid cuts could be counter-productive and morally dubious. Targeting the sponsors of the Bill and its extra-Parliamentary flag-wavers by imposing travel bans and asset freezing would hurt only those individuals in a way that doesn't disturb the population at large. No more invitations to conferences and junkets; no more participation in U.S. or European sponsored programs in Uganda itself and elsewhere; it's the least they deserve for what amounts to the attempted annihilation of Uganda's LGBT community.
He goes on to list the key culprits:
- Rebecca Kadaga
- David Bahati
- Simon Lokodo
- James Nsaba Buturo
- Stephen Tashobya
- Pastor Martin Ssempa
- Pastor Solomon Male
- Giles Muhame
- The staff of the tabloid Red Pepper: Richard Tusiime, Chief Executive Officer, Arinaitwe Rugyendo, Chief Marketing Officer, James Mujuni, Chief Commercial Officer, Patrick Mugumya, Chief Operations Officer, Johnson Musinguzi, Chief Finance Officer, Ben Byarabaha, News Editor, Gazzaman Kodili, Deputy News Editor.
You can search most of those names on this blog, plus a few more.
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