March 3, 2010
Press Release
We gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Ugandan citizens, represented by Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), unite with the AIDS service providers, spiritual mentors, counsellors, and other human rights defenders to call for the rejection of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009.
This bill violates the Ugandan Constitution, rights and responsibilities that promise protection and freedoms granted to all Ugandans. It further violates The African Charter on Human and People’ Rights and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It constitutes a state of emergency for LGBT Ugandans and must be rejected in its entirety.
We call on MP Bahati to immediately and fully rescind the odious Anti-Homosexuality Bill. This bill is devoid of the principles of love, tolerance, compassion, and mercy that Christianity embodies.
We are NOT paedophiles and neither do we recruit anyone. We take offence at the suggestion. We are citizens, children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends of Uganda.
We profoundly condemn the harm and exploitation of children, in any manner and for any reason, especially the exposure to all forms of pornography, homosexual or heterosexual by local religious types! These are our children too.
We condemn the increased hate/ homophobia by religious extremists, state and non-state actors in country. This bill has propelled violent attacks and increased risk of torture, blackmail, and murder of homosexual people.
We call upon the Ugandan Parliament to decriminalize human sexuality between consenting adults. Every reputable medical and psychological institution in the world states that homosexuality is naturally occurring, not deviant or a threat of any kind.
We therefore recommend that the legislation be rejected in its entirety.
Contact information:
Tel: +256 312 294 859
Email: info@sexualminoritiesuganda.org
Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) is a network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights organizations in Uganda.
