Sunday, November 15, 2009

Elders weigh in

UPDATE; This letter was actually published in the Monitor, November 17th. Here.

Yes! I guess that paper is becoming more deeply involved. And, again, New Vision maintains its huge silence!
God bless Africa.


Advocacy from an un-expected corner of Africa...


EVELYN LIRRI
Kampala

Uganda is in the spotlight over two proposed laws which activists say will hold back the fight against HIV/Aids and violate human rights. In a letter dated October 30, to President Museveni, the chairperson of the Champions for an HIV-free Generation (an African elder statesmen’s forum) and former president of Botswana, Festus Mogae, wrote that the draft HIV/Aids Prevention and Control Bill 2008 and the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill could have a chilling effect on HIV/Aids prevention efforts.

Mogae’s message
“Your Excellency, we respectfully express our concern at the provisions referenced in these two Bills and fear that passage of such legislation, which deviates from international best practice and recommendations, could lead to increased stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV/Aids and the groups most vulnerable to the epidemic,” Mr Mogae wrote.   

In the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Mr Mogae’s organisation is particularly concerned about a proposal that would see a person convicted of the offence of homosexuality imprisoned for life and a death penalty imposed for those having gay sex with anyone under the age of 18, or when the accused is HIV-positive.
Ndorwa West MP David Bahati who introduced the Bill, has defended it saying the proposed law is intended to protect future generations. “Homosexuality is not a human right. It is a foreign behaviour imported and promoted by people using the poverty in our country to expound bad behaviour. We are determined to protect what is right for Uganda and not what is convenient for some people,” Mr Bahati said.  Continued

We watch and wait....


gug

3 comments:

spiralx said...

I'm still amazed at how Bah-Hate just accepts all the lies and distortions he's been spoon-fed, without even bothering to check any of it against modern scientific work, or even alternative religious viewpoints.

If he's this narrow-minded and ignorant, what rubbish he must be as an MP. Or is that what Ugandna politicians aspire to now?

gayuganda said...

The satirical piece in the Observer was too accurate....!

fr dougal said...

"homosexuality is a modern behaviour and imported": if it is so modern, how come it is mentioned in the letters of Paul? And if imported, what about the King whose abusive behaviour led to the Ugandan martyrs in the 19th century. Even by the standards of Fundamentalist logic this MP is stunningly illogical and/or stupid. He must get up early in the morning to practice.

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