And Here It Ends - For Now

Kasha Jacqueline and other LGBT campaigners
jubilant at the news.

We are taking a break at Kill the Bill in light of Ugandan court overturns anti-gay law that halted Western aid today. 

The new ruling, which can be appealed, voids a statute signed into law by the president in February and which had broad support in the religiously conservative east African nation.

Ugandan MPs are sure to move to reintroduce the bill, this time in such a way that it cannot be thrown out on a technicality, but for now we take a deep breath and smile.

US U-Turn on International Homophobia

The Bill's Primary Sponsor Rep. John Tierney

We read this article with interest:

New House Bill Seeks To Make LGBT Rights Abroad A State Department Priority

A bill introduced in the House of Representatives Wednesday would bolster the State Department's ability to fight discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals abroad, its bipartisan sponsors say.

The bill would direct the department to make LGBT rights a foreign policy priority, develop a strategy to prevent LGBT discrimination and appoint a special envoy to handle those efforts.

The envoy would help coordinate activities between the State Department and other governments, non-governmental organizations and -- if appropriate -- the private sector to address LGBT discrimination globally...

Why are we so surprised by this?

Because it was only last year that the US Supreme Court was saying the exact opposite:

Supreme Court Limits US Courts’ Ability to Use Human Rights Law to Address Human Rights Abuses Committed Abroad

Still, who are we to argue with progress? 

Whilst we're onthe topic, a good article by Kevin Watkins: Time to Act on LGBT Rights in Africa, which advocates a change in approach by foreign countris:

While gay rights are advancing in the world's richest countries, across much of Africa they are in retreat. Homosexuality is illegal in 36 of the region's 55 countries. Lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) people are being criminalized through draconian legislation. Gay Nigerians face up to 14 years in prison and their Ugandan counterparts face life. In a particularly ugly twist, Ugandan citizens are also required to report on 'gay suspects'...

Ultimately, civil rights struggles are fought through domestic politics. In Africa, as in Harvey Milk's America, the struggle for LGBT will be won by people forming broad alliances for changes. Western governments cannot deliver change. But they can do far more to support the people who can.

And, finally, food for thought: Don’t Blame Yesterday’s Colonialism for Today’s Homophobia

Students Arrested

Following hot on the heels of Kenya's gay roundup and the first arrests of Ugandans under the Bahati Bill:

Students Arrested for 'Promoting Homosexuality'

The newspaper reports that those arrested include a teacher, two students, and two businessmen. Police reportedly arrested the group over the course of a week, after locals informed police of their suspicions that the group was "carrying out clandestine movements in both primary and secondary schools in the district, luring the pupils and students" into homosexuality...

Wow, a police officer's job must be so easy in Uganda. People just tell you who to arrest, no need for evidence or anything like that. Almost as good as the 1600s in Europe when you could just point accusingly at someone and shout 'witch'!

Who says Uganda isn't at the forefront of African development?

For the Children

Aw, isn't that sweet? Uganda's PMs were only doing it for the kids - and only the straight ones.

Uganda On Their Anti-Gay Legislation: It Was All For The Children

Following reduced aid from the United States and other nations, Ugandan officials are claiming its harsh anti-gay bill signed into law in February was never intended to discriminate against gays and lesbians, but instead its sole purpose is to protect the children of Uganda.

Uganda's love of its children is well documented. When they aren't being raped on an epidemic scale, they are being forcibly removed from school, branded as gay, and ritually humiliated. A more nurturing environment it is difficult to imagine.

Even the head of Ethics & Integrity reckons raping girls is perfectly natural.

Kenya Joins Uganda in Rounding up Gays

Kenya, which has been considered relatively sane in comparison to Uganda (though never by much), as suddenly decided to round up suspected LGBT people:

60 Arrested for 'Suspected Homosexuality' at Kenyan Nightclub

Sixty people have been arrested at Club Envy in Nairobi for "suspected homosexuality,"..."The arrests at Envy had nothing to do with Mututho law but just trying to suppress the visibility of gays and lesbians," recording artists and LGBT advocate Joji Baro... 

Today's news of the arrests in Nairobi comes in the shadow of international headlines reporting 29 dead along Kenya's tourist-heavy eastern coastline, possibly at the hands of Somali terrorist group Al Shabab.

Ah, suddenly it starts to make sense. Uganda uses homophobia as a deflection from its breathtaking corruption, meanwhile Kenyatta uses it to detract from his abysmal grip on national security.

If in doubt, arrest the gays: plague, divorce, terrorism. You name it, then blame it.

Commonwealth Condemned as Ugandans Flee

Both the Commonwealth and UN have recently promoted lead Ugandan homophobes to positions of power within their institutions. 80% of Commonwealth countries criminalise gay people.

Commonwealth Condemned At Pride London Parade

'We are calling on 42 Commonwealth countries to repeal their criminalisation of same-sex relationships and to protect their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) citizens against discrimination and hate crime - in accordance with the principles of the Commonwealth Charter,' said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights organisation, the Peter Tatchell Foundation. 

'We are urging the organisers of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July to require every competing nation to sign a pledge to not discriminate in the selection of athletes for their national team. Article 7 of the Commonwealth Games Federation constitution prohibits all discrimination. But it is widely believed that most Commonwealth nations would refuse to select a LGBT athlete,' he said. 

Peter Tatchell has written to the Chief Executive of Glasgow 2014, David Grevemberg, asking him to ensure that all countries participating in the Commonwealth Games sign a non-discrimination pledge. 

See the letter here: http://bit.ly/1jlLqud

The Commonwealth, perhaps. Common sense - not so much.

Meanwhile: Hundreds of LGBT Refugees Have Fled Uganda 

According to organizers of Ken's U.S. speaking engagements and media interviews, not only Ken himself but the entire organization he represents would be in grave danger if his identity were known to those opponents of LGBT rights back home in Kenya.

"In our organization, we have 102 members who have come from Uganda in order to escape the antihomosexuality law and the violence and oppression it has created," Ken tells The Advocate in a phone interview.

Since Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act into law in February, virtually any Ugandan arriving at a refugee camp in Kenya is automatically assumed to be an LGBT person by other refugees, Ken says. The draconian law prescribes life in prison for many LGBT people and lengthy jail terms for anyone who "conspires" to commit homosexuality, or supports, houses, or affirms an LGBT person.

"The thinking is that Uganda is a relatively stable country for this region," says Ken. "The only reason to be a refugee from Uganda is because you are running away from the antigay law, because you are gay."

That assumption has led to acts of violence, deprivation of basic necessities, and the ostracizing of both LGBT and non-LGBT Ugandan refugees living inside Kenyan refugee camps.

May all those leaving their homeland to find safety find what they are looking for. May the Western douchebags who helped implement this regime of violence be held accountable for it.

Pigs in Parliament

No, for once we're not talking about the politicians.

Uganda students smuggle pigs into parliament: Youths and police guards arrested after protest against high unemployment and government corruption.

Two Ugandan students and police have been arrested after two painted pigs were smuggled past tight parliament security in a protest against political corruption and youth unemployment.

The pigs, painted yellow - the colour of the ruling National Resistance Movement - were smuggled by two university students for their protest in Kampala on Tuesday. The pigs also had slogans pinned to their ears condemning corruption.

The police responded by testing the pigs for 'terrorism related materials'. This time we hope they were talking about the politicians.

Sam Kutesa now President of UN General Assembly

(click to enlarge)

It's fairly hard to argue with a sentiment like that on a day like today.

Ugandan minister wins key U.N. post despite anti-gay law

Uganda's Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa was elected president of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday despite concerns among human rights advocates, Western governments and U.N. officials about his country's recently adopted anti-gay legislation. 

After his election by acclamation without a vote in the 193-nation General Assembly, Kutesa pledged to promote gender equality and women's rights and to continue a United Nations drive to eradicate poverty and combat climate change. He did not raise the issue of gay rights.

Of course he didn't, and nobody made him.

Besides, who's listening to Navi Pillay anyway? She's only a woman after all, and she makes the old boys at the UN uncomfortable with all her talk of queers.

Uganda Forcibly Closes Refugee Law Project

An NGO based at Makerere University, which:

[W]orks to ensure that all people access, recover and enjoy their sexual and gender being and rights, and to raise global awareness of the close relationship between violations of sexuality and gender, and patterns of forced migration.

Has been forced to cease operations under the new anti-homosexuality bill.

Uganda stops refugee group's activities for being a threat to anti-gay law

The Ugandan government has restricted the activities of a group accused of ‘promoting homosexuality, a crime under the Anti-Homosexuality Act.

The Refugee Law Project (RLP), whose office hosts the coalition of activists opposing the anti-LGBTI law, has been under investigation since mid-March...

RLP confirmed it had received letters from the Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees and other government officials ordering it to suspend some of its activities.

Another article here: Ugandan Gov't Investigates Refugee Nonprofit for 'Promoting Homosexuality'

Even before the bill was assented, the government was closing down schools for reports of homosexuality, and the bill's requirement that you must report anyone you suspect of being gay creates a fundamental failure in doctor-patient confidentiality, leading to a lack of health care for LGBTI people.

Canada Goofs Up

Just like the UK, Canada had paid a great deal of lip service to LGBTI rights in Africa recently, yet completely fails to deliver when it comes to actions.

Ugandan gay activists denied visas to World Pride conference: Canada has refused to issue visas to 10 Ugandans over concerns they'd stay to seek asylum

Renowned Ugandan gay activist Frank Mugisha is the only Ugandan delegate who has a valid visa as the keynote speaker at the World Pride human rights conference in Toronto...

Gay rights advocates say the decisions by the Canadian visa posts in Nairobi and London speak to the hypocrisy of the Stephen Harper government, which, in February, joined other Western nations in condemning Uganda for passing one of the world’s harshest anti-homosexuality laws.

“We are shocked and appalled. These individuals from Uganda are some of the most courageous heroes,” said Andrea Houston of #ENDhatelaws, a coalition founded in response to homophobia/transphobia across the globe, amid the controversy over anti-gay laws passed in Russia prior to the Winter Olympics.

“They are here to share their stories and have every intention to go home after the conference, because they all have work to do in Uganda. The assumption is they are here to claim asylum. The question is: Why can’t they, coming from the most hostile place in the world to LGBTQ people?”

The 10 men and women — all working in precarious conditions to support Uganda’s LGBTQ community — are among 160 speakers and 400 delegates from over 40 countries invited to the June 25-27 conference at the University of Toronto.

This is a decision that Canada's authorities are now promptly reviewing, having realised how stupid they look for holding an international gay pride event that discriminated against gay people.

[UPDATE: Canada eventually decided to grant the visas.]

Two Stand Trial

Jackson Mukasa and Kim Mukisa

Last month we reported that the first LGBT Ugandans were soon to stand trial under the anti-homosexual laws.

Ugandan men first to face trial under severe anti-gay laws: The two men face criminal penalties after being charged with engaging in sex acts 'against the order of nature'

A Ugandan court has begun hearing the case against two men accused of engaging in gay sex – the first trial of homosexuals in the country since a severe law was passed in February.

The detained Ugandan couple, Kim Mukisa, 24, and Jackson Mukasa, 19, appeared before a magistrate's court in the capital, Kampala, on Wednesday to apply for bail after prosecutors said they had enough evidence to proceed with the case.

Funny Uganda's police can figure out what's going on behind people's closed bedroom doors, but not where all the money is going with regard to their corrupt political officials. 

#BetterUseofTime ?


[UPDATE: Here is a rundown of their situation and how it progressed to court.]

First LGBT People to Stand Trial

The first trials of LGBT people under the new anti-homosexuality act are due to begin next month.

Ugandan men to go on trial on homosexuality charges: Kim Mukisa and Jackson Mukasa face life imprisonment if found guilty in first such case since introduction of new anti-gay law

They are the first Ugandans to face trial on homosexuality charges, with an earlier case collapsing before it reached court and the majority of those arrested paying stiff fines to avoid prison.

The laws of Uganda are as corrupt as its politicians.

We can only imagine how afraid and alone Kim and Jackson must be feeling right now. We wish them strength. The world is watching.

Ugandan Law Results in Teen Suicide

(Image by Melissatat)

Uganda's anti-gay laws have terrorised school children and now driven teenagers to suicide:

Uganda gay teen commits suicide over anti-gay law 

At least 17 gay people, with the majority of them being under the age of 25, have attempted to kill themselves over Uganda parliament introducing the anti-gay law... 

A Uganda gay teen has committed suicide over the homophobic law, it was reported today (7 April). 

The young man, who we will call Denis, overdosed on pills and swallowed rat poison around a month ago. 

For the past few weeks, he showed little signs of recovery as he slipped in and out of consciousness. He also lost his ability to speak. 

Last Thursday (3 April), Denis was pronounced dead. He was just 17 years old.

This is Scott Lively and David Bahati's Christian world, endorsed by one of the most corrupt governments on the planet.

Police Raid US HIV Project

And so it begins. 

Ugandan police have raided a US-funded project which "conducts important research into Ebola, Marburg disease and HIV."

Uganda Police Raid US Project Helping Gays

Police in Uganda have raided the offices of a US-funded project which provides health advice to homosexuals... 

The Makerere University Walter Reed Project in the capital Kampala announced it had suspended its operations after one of its Ugandan staff was briefly held by police. 

In a statement it said: "We are working with police to understand the circumstances under which this person was detained. 

"Until we have greater clarity as to the legal basis for the police action, the operations of the programme are temporarily suspended to ensure the safety of staff and the integrity of the programme." 

Police said they had been following the suspect after receiving reports he was involved in "gay-related activities".

More in the Huffington Post and GlobalPost.

Fear and Arrests Follow Museveni's Bill

The arrests have already begun of gay people in Uganda:

Two men, 22 and 18, tortured over gay sex in Uganda

Two men were arrested and tortured after they were accused of having gay sex in Uganda...

Under the new anti-homosexuality law, the two face life imprisonment.

[UPDATE: more on that story.]

Meanwhile, there are brave gay Ugandans who feel they have little left to lose, and are rallying to protest the bill:

Gay Ugandans Fight Discriminatory Law: Activists Emerge to Press Advertisers, International Community to Hit Nation in Pocketbook Over Discriminatory Measure

After a local newspaper in February named him as a homosexual, Sam Opio went underground. 

He stopped strolling in the park with his boyfriend. He stopped going to nightclubs. He even scaled back appearances at the office of his local activist organization, Queer Group Uganda. 

"I had to lay low," says the 31-year-old Mr. Opio, who lives as a woman... 

But rather than stay in hiding, Mr. Opio and his fellow activists took the risky step of fighting back. They lobbied advertisers through online campaigns urging them to stop doing business with the tabloid. Within a week, Orange Uganda Ltd., a subsidiary of French telecommunications company France Télécom SA, pulled advertising out of the paper. Days later, Multichoice Group, a South Africa-based cable-television company, did the same. Others followed suit.

Whilst Museveni celebrates, people suffer.

Uganda Celebrates Ignorance and Hate

(Image from this article)

Seems neither America nor the EU could talk any rational sense with the Mugabe-in-the-making maniacal President of Uganda.

Instead, Museveni has been rolling in his own ignorance like a pig in filth, leading a celebration of his country's descent into the dark ages.

Uganda throws a party to celebrate passing of anti-gay law: Rally shows how homosexuality is being used to represent all the evils besetting the nation

At a stadium in Kampala, 30,000 Ugandans gathered to give thanks to the president, Yoweri Museveni, for passing the anti-homosexuality act. Monday's event combined the fanfare of a mass political meeting with the party atmosphere of a cultural festival.

Uganda president leads anti-gay rally

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has led a rally celebrating his country's new anti-gay laws, saying homosexuality creates grave health problems and that gays have always been regarded as abnormal by Africans. 

Museveni made the comments on Monday at a "thanksgiving service'' organised in the capital Kampala by a coalition of Ugandan religious leaders and government officials who said the president deserves credit for defying Western pressures over the legislation.

Anti-Gay Rally in Ugandan Capital Draws Thousands

Anti-gay hostility in Uganda ratcheted up a few more levels on Monday, when the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni, spoke to a crowd of thousands—including many children—who had rallied in support of the administration’s horrific “aggravated homosexuality” law, which was approved in February. According to reports from Reuters, the throng “applauded when Museveni declared homosexuality ‘unhealthy’ ” and included kids sporting signs “with the word ‘Sodomy’ crossed out.”

As The Guardian article points out, gay people are being used as a scapegoat for all the evils besetting Uganda at the moment, and that's a lot of evils, mostly in the form of corrupt government officials. 

When ignorance and indignation combine, very bad things happen.

America to Send Gay Experts

John Kerry To Send Homosexuality 'Experts' To Tackle Uganda Anti-Gay Law

Secretary of State John Kerry announced on Tuesday U.S. plans to send homosexuality "experts" to Uganda to discuss the country’s new Anti-Homosexuality Act with President Yoweri Museveni, according to Buzzfeed.

Maybe after that they could send a couple of anti-corruption experts?

Ugandan LGBTI Campaigners Challenge Bill

Dr Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe

Whilst Ugandan former Vice President Dr. Speciosa Wandira-Kazibwe spoke out against the bill:

“In recent months, I have engaged with governments, public officials and civil society leaders in Africa, where we are seeing a dangerous resurgence of discrimination and homophobia in some countries.  

In Uganda, I highlighted to President Museveni that the criminalization of homosexuality only serves to fuel stigma and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons and risks undermining the national AIDS response, which is otherwise making significant progress.”  

Kazibwe further said in her meetings with members of Parliament, she expressed extreme caution that the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act would have negative public health implications and serious consequences for Uganda’s international reputation and support from donors.

The anti-homosexuality law was being challenged in court:

Rights activists have petitioned Uganda's Constitutional Court in a case challenging the validity of the country's new anti-gay measure. 

The activists — under a group called Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law — filed the petition Tuesday in the presence of some prominent Ugandan gay activists. 

Nicholas Opiyo, a Ugandan lawyer who helped to draft the petition, said the new anti-gay law violates the country's constitution because it encourages the discrimination of people based on sexual orientation. He said it will be several months, even years, before judges reach a decision in the case.

Probably about as many years as it'll take to bring Scott Lively to trial in America. The wheels of justice turn slowly, if they turn at all.

Lebanon Shames US, Australia and India

Whilst America allows lunatics like Scott Lively and Lou Engle to travel the world stirring up anti-gay hatred, Australia annuls gay marriages and India re-criminalises gay people, Lebanon joins the ranks of Scotland and South Korea in proving that love, human dignity and rational thinking is possible even at the highest levels of government: Historic Pro-LGBTI Court Ruling In Lebanon

A HISTORIC court ruling in Lebanon has made it the first Arab nation to no longer consider same-sex relations a crime.

Let's hope, unlike Australia and India, this moment of progress lasts, and is not suddenly revoked.

$90m Loan Postponed

The World Bank, who last year staged a screening of Call Me Kuchu, has joined the ranks of those suspending or redirecting aid to Uganda.

World Bank postpones $90m Uganda loan over anti-gay law

World Bank officials said they wanted to guarantee the projects the loan was destined to support were not going to be adversely affected by the law.

The loan was intended to boost Uganda's health services.

Sweden has also announced that it is stopping aid.

Although certain campaigners and campaign groups have called on the international community not to cut aid, we feel there may be some confusion between 'stopping direct aid' and 'stopping aid work'.

Direct payment of aid means taking tax payers' money from one country, and directly paying it to the government of another country. The UK long ago ceased doing a lot of this with Uganda, because the Ugandan government stole the money and put it in the pockets of rich politicians.

The money wasn't being spent on what it was supposed to be spent on in the first place. So the World Bank is absolutely within its remit to stop or suspend direct payments until it is certain how the money will be spent, and that it will benefit people at grassroots level, rather than pay for dingbat politician to dine out on caviar and champagne - or purchase rope to hang LGBT people in a local constituency vote-winner.

Major development agencies such as DFID, CIDA, DANIDA etc. have a duty not only to support world development, but to protect the hard earned finances raised through taxpayers. You cannot justify in any sense taking money from a country with human rights legislation, and using it to support a regime that directly quashes it.

Meanwhile, that money can be safely redirected to support human rights groups and aid organisation working on the ground in Uganda. Just think what $1mil could achieve if it went directly to aid projects at grassroots level, cutting out the middle wo/men.

Perhaps something that should have been done a long time ago?