APPRECIATION STATEMENT
Dear fellow Human Rights Defenders, Well-wishers and Friends,
We wish to extend our most sincere gratitude to all of you who worked tirelessly and offered us moral and financial support during the period of our arrest. The two days and two nights we spent under detention proved to be not only a trying time for us as activists, but it was a brave show of courage and unity from all of you all the way until we were released.
The emails and phone calls from all individuals and organizations all over the world have overwhelmed and humbled us. We may be the martyrs, but you are the true heroes in all of this. The love and support that you have shown to our struggle is the very reason we shall never stop fighting to achieve our rights. We would never have successfully made it without you.
The charges against us have not been dropped yet. It is another huddle to jump, but we believe that with you on our side, together we will get the victory we so much deserve.
Yours in Solidarity,
Pepe Julian Onziema
Val Kalende
Usaam Mukwaaya
13 comments:
Am not here to insult anyone. But the acts of tresspass, criminal in any civilised society, are neither of heroism nor of martyrdom.
You mean all those who are advocatibg for the freedom of all those in jail for trepass are heroes? and those accused of trespass are martyrs? It seems there is no such a thing as crime in some people's lingua.
The so called calls from all over "the world" are an insult to the people of uganda who criminalised trespass. The likes of val kalende and kisosonkole (or has she changed her name?)should respect the process.
I have no problem if those people are acquitted because that is what justice is about. But the authorities should be allowed to do their job without undue illegal interferance.
*chuckles* David, David, David. Not giving up, are you? Luckily for the world, neither is anyone else.
Actually "trespass" can be a civil matter. It only becomes "criminal" when there is injury or damage to goods, property or people.
As your law is based on British law, I think you'll find that that is the case here as well.
The proesuction have to prove the above. I hope UNAIDS will delcare that the back-dated invitation means that technically, trespass was not committed in the first place.
And as you should know, man-made laws are just that. Faulty and partial in many respects. There is a moral and ethical dimension to life which must often supercede wrong law. Think Jesus and the money-lendersin the temple, if you like!
"Undue illegal interference"? From whom, pray?
Hi Kimbowa,
glad that you have not given up!
And thanks for this comment. Now, on your position that you do not hate me, time and again, like you have just shown now, you have really shown how you are a stickler for the law. The letter of the law.
[Reminds me of the Pharisees, bringing an adulterous woman before Jesus. They said, the law says, stone her. I forget what he said… I am no Christian]
Anyway, you have been telling me how much you love me, and then how much the law should be observed. This same law which wants me in prison for life. Wow, your love is overwhelming. Again.
And, no, Kisonsokole was not one of them. Seems you have to have someone to hate, realy hate. Why do you hate so badly, Kimbowa?
Spiralx,
I understand it when you say that trespass is more of a civil than criminal matter.
But the laws of Uganda have criminal trespass as well. Look at criminal libel for example.
My mention of kisosonkole was not out of hatred. I thought she was one of them.
You guys are talking of the possible life sentence that a homosexual gets. But honestly, there are lighter sentences for the one who allows another to have canal knowledge of him/her against the order of nature- Its seven years in jail. Although the life sentence may be a bit harsh, the seven year jail term is not. And in reality, no one has ever been sentenced to life for the offense, not even the seven years. And everyone knows where you stay.
The issue is that some of are overwhelmed by the act itself.
Some girl collapsed when she found her room-mate involved in a lesbian affair. Am not so sure I would not if I witnessed such a thing. It is completely out of the normal.
I no longer end with the statement that you do not believe.
Kimbowa,
It seems as if you are discussing these things in theory.
So, a life sentence is kind of harsh. For making love with my lover, you would give me 7 years in Luzira. Thank you very much, kind Kimbowa.
Now, the question. Isn’t 7 years in Luzira a life sentence?
Yes, you are correct. The more you say you love me, the more you show evidence of hating me. Why do you hate me so much, Kimbowa?
gug
PS, I am sure the girl collapsing on finding that her friend had a lesbian lover is enough to qualify me for hell.
WHy do you hate so much, Kimbowa?
David, you keep talking of "them", and I should remind you that the "them vs.us" approach is not only not Christian, but not productive in any respect. It blocks communication, and forstalls solution-finding.
Secondyl: you talk of sexual acts, but not of love. Can I ask you to try a thought-experiment?
You meet, and fall for, a delightful, wonderful girl, she loves being with you, you're both on the same wavelength, you know that you could marry this girl, have children, and it would be a productive, enriching union for everyone concerned.
But - it's 1960's South Africa, you're ethnically classified as "white", and she's not. (Not necessarily black, just "Nie blanke", not-white, as the official designation used to be). Your love affair is illegal and you will be imprisoned for it if anyone finds out.
What do you do?
interracial marriage is OK. Any criminalization of it was known to be wrong even at the time it was being done.
This is completely different from homosexuality. Even if we are to live one million years from now, we will know it is WRONG to practice homosexuality
hi Spiralx,
Guess you have never got to someone like Kimbowa. So determined to have it right!
Inter-racial marriage is right. That is what he says. Tell it to the black men who were lynched because they ‘looked’ wrong at a white woman. There was a debate whether black folks had souls. I saw this book talking about how slavery was justified, according to the Bible. Gosh, the things that have been justified by religion. In the name of god.
I love my lover. But because he is a man, it is WRONG according to Kimbowa. Nothing, nothing on earth will ever relieve this grievous sin of mine. I deserve hell. I deserve prison on earth. Maybe not life imprisonment [that is too tough, according to Kimbowa, maybe.] but I deserve prison at least 7 years, in the hell of prisons that are Ugandas jails. Because I make love to my lover. Nothing, absolutely NOTHING redeems me. I am a homosexual.
My soul is dark, black, filth. Because I am a homosexual. To him there is nothing that can make me more of a human being. His particular god says I am bad, and I am bad.
So it is Kimbowa’s duty to tell me all this. To tell me he loves me as he tells me how right his god is to throw his stones. Have I got the gist of your argument, Kimbowa?
And my reply to it? Love does not need to find a reason to love. Hate will look for a reason. Always. Unfailingly. And hate will not allow any reason to sway its deadly venom.
I pity you. Love is such a joy, even to me, a homosexual. I find it astounding that you who professes love finds reasons to hate so consistently. I pity you Kimbowa.
gug
Dear Kimbowa, do you really believe that after serving my 7 year sentence, I will cease to be a homosexual, and that my lover and I will end our relationship and stop having sex with each other? Don't be ridiculous!
You cannot live with hate, because eventually it eats you up. If you hate others, it is because you hate yourself. Live your heterosexual life, and let me live my homosexual one.
David, I asked you what you would DO.
Live illegally, then, together? Hiding from the neighbours?
Maybe form an "illegal" group to help change what you see as an unjust law?
Maybe, even, seize opportunities to wave placards at international meetings to make your point, even if it meant jail, torture or death?
How far would you go if you were personally affected?
As for your million years statment, that reminds me of the Ian Smith "never in a thousand years" one.
Pfui. Justice and tolerance will prevail, even in Uganda - one day. Based on understanding, and appreciation of "the other", not blind refusal and avoidance.
In the US, interracial marriage is no longer a crime. it used to be.
Today, every american knows and admits it was wrong to have racism in their country.
Some states have legalised homosexuality but many americans are proud to oppose homosexuality. People cannot be ashamed of opposing it because they know it is a wrong lifestyle. who can proudly tell us that decriminalising interacial marriage was wrong? You now get the difference. lifting the ban on interacial marriage was good, legalizing homosexuality is bad
@David,
Ku Klux Klan members would still proudly tell you so. That decriminalizing inter-racial marriage was wrong and the worst tragedy that ever befell America. And quite remarkably, they are among your proud Americans still opposed to same-sex marriages/unions. You, Ssempa and your ilk should consider forming your Ugandan version of Ku Klux Klans already. That way, when you and I have long passed on, your surviving members will still be around to puke on your behalf in that era when Gay Uganda and Straight Uganda will co-exist under similar legal protections.
Hi Kimbowa,
a good nice day isnt it? Nice and bright and hot.
You are missing the point. At one point in time slavery was thought to be normal. And the Church supported it. At one point in time, dark skinned people like you and me were thought to be inferiour. Now only a few diehards think they are. At one point in time, the Dutch Reformed Church of SA robustly defended apartheid. But it came out to apologise for its stand.
And I can go on and on thru the history of man.
Once upon a time, it was thought that I as a homosexual was inferiour to you as a heterosexual. Times are changing, and many people believe that I am not inferiour to you just because I am gay.
Got it now?
Ok, I have to add, there are lots and lots of other people who do not yet understand that I am ok. People like you. So, we have to educate them.
Of course, just as there are white racists who still believe me as a nigger is inferiour, even in future, there will always be some who believe that me a homosexual must be inferiour.
Ok?
gug
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