Tutu Slams the Ugandan Government for Proposed "Apartheid Laws" Against Gays and Lesbians

A news report in the Times Live (December 13) says that Tutu has chastised the Ugandan government for proposed legislation that will essentially codify discrimination against gays and lesbians:

"In a letter printed in the Ugandan newspaper Daily Monitor, Tutu urged Ugandan members of parliament to vote against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill that goes to vote later this month.

"Should the Anti-Homosexuality Bill be voted into law, it will criminalise acts of love between certain categories of people, just as the apartheid government made intimate relations between black and white South Africans a punishable offence," wrote Tutu.

The proposed legislation has been called the "Kill the Gays" bill in Ugandan media. In previous versions of the bill, homosexual relationships were divided into two categories, namely "aggravated homosexuality" and the "offence of homosexuality".

It was proposed that people convicted of "aggravated homosexuality" - that is, an HIV-positive person or a "serial offender", or a person who has homosexual sex with a minor or someone who is disabled - should face the death penalty.

Those convicted of " the offence of homosexuality" face life in prison.

Parliamentarian David Bahati, the author of the bill, said last month that legislators had "moved away from the death penalty after considering all the issues that have been raised".

"There is no death penalty," he said.

Bahati said the bill now focuses on protecting children from gay pornography, banning gay marriages, counselling gays, as well as punishing those who promote gay culture. Jail terms are prescribed for various offences, he said, but offered no further details."

 See full article here.

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Comment: I shudder to think that such legislation is even proposed in Uganda.  I fear, however, that there will be laws passed to codify what is already a very inhumane climate for gays and lesbians in Uganda.

The US, which supports Uganda for its pro-west positions, should be paying attention.

The African Union is probably on recess, again.

Why oh why are African states so hateful toward gays and lesbians?  What the hell do heterosexual Africans fear will happen if gays and lesbians are given equal protection to live their lives in peace and dignity?

What year is it anyway?

And we are not free.

Onward!