Uganda Urged to Stop 'Anti-Gay' Bill

[demoleft]

Source: oneworld

WASHINGTON, Jan 22 (OneWorld.net) - The international community is urging Uganda's government to scrap a bill proposing the death sentence for "aggravated homosexuality" amid increasing concerns about homophobia across the African continent.

The draft "Anti-Homosexuality" bill was proposed in Uganda's Parliament in October and is up for debate later this month. The most controversial part of the bill is the use of the death penalty for the crime of "aggravated homosexuality," defined as an HIV-positive person who has homosexual sex with someone disabled or younger than 18. The bill would also force people accused of this crime to undergo HIV tests.

Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the draft legislation "blatantly discriminatory" and criticized the "draconian punishments" the bill proposes for people in Uganda alleged to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered (LGBT).
...
Another clause of the bill punishes anyone who publishes material on homosexuals with a fine or up to seven years in jail. This could serve to silence non-profits and community organizations promoting sexual health. Additionally, human rights activists could be prosecuted for promoting the rights of homosexuals, which could put up major obstacles in HIV/AIDS prevention efforts.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20100122/wl_oneworld/world3686401264180685

[Laughing Mirror]

1. AFRICA: Crackdowns on gays make the closet safer

NAIROBI, 19 January 2010 (PlusNews) - More than two-thirds of African countries have laws criminalizing homosexual acts, and despite accounting for a significant percentage of new infections in many countries, men who have sex with men tend to be left out of the HIV response.

"(They) are going underground; they are hiding themselves and continuing to fuel the epidemic," UNAIDS executive director Michél Sidibé told IRIN/PlusNews recently. "We need to make sure these vulnerable groups have the same rights everyone enjoys: access to information, care and prevention for them and their families."

IRIN/PlusNews has compiled a short list of human rights violations against gay Africans:

http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=87793

[RZM]

4. Money talks . . .

If enough nations threaten to withhold lending to or trade w/Uganda, perhaps this bill will die. That's the approach the West should be taking here, IMO.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. The Family says they have disinvited the author of this bill

Ugandan MP David Bahati will not be present for the National Prayer Breakfast which President Obama is slated to attend. The Family claims now that he was never really invited, and they say that they have never supported legislation such as Bahati's.
I am very glad for that much at least.

[ck4829]

3. Kick

[defendandprotect]

5. Human rights, anyone???? Oppression has to be accompanied by censorship...

[Divine Discontent]

6. I would say I'm shocked this PUSSBALL is still being toyed with, but just look at the Congress with

HCR, and it makes sense its hard to get rid of.

Simply announce an embargo on them of every thing if they even think of passing punishments on people for their sexuality - that should America's response to every country that tries it.