Uganda is still possible to introduce the death penalty for homosexuals. The Ugandan parliament takes this matter is expected next week, though a decision. Human rights organizations call on the international community to protest. Uganda previously put the bill on hold after heavy pressure from among others the United States and the European Union.
"It is a great shock that this horrific anti-gay legislation now might still come, though we did two years have fought against," Cary Alan Johnson says the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) in a press release . "The world must not allow this."
Homosexuality was a crime in Uganda, but the MP David Bahati came up with the proposal in 2009 to increase the penalties. He advocates, inter alia, the death penalty for homosexuals who are HIV-infected. Even homosexuals who have regular sex with a fellow sex or sex with minors or disabled persons should receive the death penalty.
help
But one must be careful heterosexuals, according to the proposals. Someone who conceals that a gay family member, have 14 years behind bars. And those homosexuals in any way help or for example a house rent to them, a long prison sentence hanging over his head.
The higher penalty is necessary according to the MP Bahati because homosexuality is learned. "Homosexuals abduct children to bring the disease to them," he said earlier. "They also pay for children of the same sex to have sex together."
Bahati is not alone in Uganda with those views. Both Christian and Muslim leaders supporting him. Pastor Sempa, a sympathizer of Bahati said in the Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor: "We want this law to hang gay, but to ensure that children are made of homosexuals." Homosexuality is rejected widely among the population.
Museveni
However the bill was previously put on hold. The international community exerted heavy pressure on President Museveni. Although he had expressly for the death penalty, he took it back when threatened include the United States and the European Union to cut off the money tap with development aid. The personal response from President Obama made an impression in Uganda. He called the bill "appalling."
Especially after the murder of gay activist David Kato, early this year, no one expected that the parliament intends to discuss and adopt the proposal now still. "According to us using the politics of the anti-gay law to the attention distract from the problems in the country," said Cary Alan Johnson of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). "There is a lot of political unrest, including energy prices. At protests have been some deaths." Analysts also believe that the Uganda bill again took to the shelf, because the political world is too busy with other things. For example, the uprising in the Middle East.
Busy
Nevertheless, human rights organizations hope that the international community exerts pressure on Uganda again in the coming days to block the bill yet.
Initiator Bahati has already stated that he does not matter neck of the death penalty if there is no majority exists in the parliament. But that seems unlikely, anti-gay sentiment is widespread among the population of Uganda. As in many other African countries. In 37 countries in Africa, homosexuality is illegal.
Comments
Post a Comment