This weekend, Integrity USA expressed “grave concern” over the Uganda anti-gay death-penalty bill that is queued for approval by the Ugandan Parliament early in 2010.
Integrity said:
If passed, it will make the very important ministry of inclusion of the gay and lesbian baptized in the Anglican Communion something punishable by fines and imprisonment. Organizations that teach reconciliation and the inclusive love of God could be faced with a blanket ban to cease all operations, including our partnership with Bishop Christopher Senyonjo and Integrity Uganda.
The new bill would outlaw Integrity Uganda and would put clergy, physicians and relatives who support their gay and lesbian neighbors and family members at risk for severe fines and possible imprisonment. The proposed law may mean neighbors who do not inform on each other for supporting LGBT civil rights are subject to punishment. We have not seen such a draconian system of isolation and institutional rejection of a minority community in Uganda since the anti Jewish laws passed by the Third Reich.
Since about half of Uganda’s annual budget comes from foreign handouts, Integrity called upon U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to investigate the abuses of human rights and to re-evaluate the United States support of the Yowero Museveni regime.
Clinton has taken no action thus far, despite a prior appeal by four members of Congress.
Integrity added that the Anglican Communion may be complicit in Uganda’s human-rights crisis:
Dr. George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, was the architect of Lambeth 1:10–the resolution widely quoted in the Church of Uganda’ official response to this legislation last week; legislation which it largely supports. Canon Ogle wrote to Dr. Carey in 1998. Ogle predicted that the anti-homosexuality resolutions would be used by church and state alike to inflict violence and death against LGBT Anglicans. Eleven years later those predictions are coming true.
Integrity called upon all bishops to clarify the meaning and intent of Lambeth 1:10.
