Gay Humanists Condemn Anti Gay Legislation in Uganda

London 7^th December 2009

The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association has written to the Uganda High Commissioner in London protesting against the assault on the rights of gay and lesbian people and their defenders and sympathisers contained in the bill currently going through the Ugandan Parliament. The letter stated.

“We have noted with extreme concern the Anti Homosexuality Bill currently passing through the Ugandan Parliament, which will have the effect of laying down even more extreme penalties not just for homosexual relationships but also for people in any way supporting or failing to denounce them. We are particularly appalled in some cases the death penalty is being proposed.

“Like many people we see this as an intolerable attack on the freedom and right to a private life of Ugandan citizens.

“In particular, the bill will make it harder to reach out to gay people who are vulnerable to HIV, and, by ostracising and singling out gay people with HIV, presents a quite misleading impression of the biggest threat from AIDS, which in Uganda, as in most African countries, is accounted for by heterosexual sexual relations. As such it will only encourage complacency among heterosexuals.

“If the aim is to express dislike and disapproval of homosexuality then it is worth pointing out that many countries, including Britain, until quite recently imposed prison sentences for consenting homosexual sex.  Not only did this do nothing to eradicate homosexuality, it actually forced people to evade the law through furtive and clandestine activities of the kind that are likely to be more dangerous and harmful both to the people in question and to society as a whole.

“You will also be aware of apparently well founded reports that the bill is being actively promoted and supported by extreme conservative groups based in the USA, who have their own domestic and international agenda. We hope that you will agree that it is not in Uganda’s interests to be influenced and manipulated in this way by foreign interests.

“For all of these reasons, we urge you to convey our concerns to the Uganda government and Parliament to ensure that these measures are rejected, and that progress be made towards removing criminal sanctions for consenting homosexual behaviour