Gov't Double Talk

You remember the article about the President confirming to the Americans State dept that this bill will not become law?

Well, he says that to Americans. This is what the Govt in Uganda says to Ugandans.

Government’s anti-gay stand stays, says minister

In a statement issued yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said the government does not support the promotion of homosexuality “just like we cannot promote prostitution.”

The government’s position on homosexuality will not change despite growing international opposition to Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s anti-gay Bill, a minister has said. In a statement issued yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa said the government does not support the promotion of homosexuality “just like we cannot promote prostitution.”

“It is a fact that if there are any homosexuals in Uganda, they are a minority. The majority of Africans and indeed Ugandans abhor this practice. It is therefore not correct to allow this minority to provoke the majority by promoting homosexuality,” said Mr Kutesa.

Interesting. By the way, we promote homosexuality by doing things like writing this blog. Ssempa's letter to Rick Warren quoted this blog and this person, gug, as a promoter of homosexuality.
I will not defend or justify that. I will just note that, as a matter of fact, those who hate what I am will always find a reason to justify themselves. Love needs no reason to love. Hate, well, hate justifies hate.

To continue with excerpts from the monitor,

However, the official stance was that the government had not yet reached a position on Bahati’s Private Member’s Bill. Information minister and government spokesperson Kabakumba Masiko could not comment yesterday, saying she was in a meeting.

Indeed, indeed, indeed.

Mr Kutesa yesterday said: “I wish to point out that it is Mr Bahati’s democratic right to introduce a private member’s bill and to that extent government cannot be seen to interfere with his rights as an MP. It is inconsistent to promote gay rights and at the same time demand that the right of an MP to legislate be interfered with.” He added: “As to the contents of the Bill, the government is aware that the Uganda Penal Code already provides against homosexuality and it may, therefore, not be necessary to have another law to further criminalise it.”

The same story, as reported in the New Vision has a comment which I think is worth lifting to here.

As to the content of the Bill, he said the Government was aware that the Penal Code already provides against homosexuality.

“It may, therefore, not be necessary to have another law to further criminalise it.” 

Uh?

Of course, I am waiting for more than hints. Matter of fact.

And, the opposition at last wakes up to the fact that the bill can be used against them. Wake up, guys. And, for your information, the Rt. Hon Obua-Ogwal is a member of the opposition. But, well, he is co-sponsor of the bill. Benson, I will not comment more on that!

Forum for Democratic Change spokesman Wafula Oguttu described the Bill as a government strategy to bring down the opposition.

Opposition worried

Mr Oguttu said the Bill seeks to promote political interests of the ruling government and not to defend human rights.

Australia joins the tide of international condemnation.  Thanks, friends from Australia. I know this is because of your doing. Continue the pressure.

And, a very, very interesting development. Remember the Inter-Religious Council which was quoted as saying lots of things like. Damn, Obua-Ogwal commented on the article here. But, it is no longer online.
[update! I was mistaken, the Monitor updated its website and moved the article. To here.]

Well, they have a press release which is I am greedy enough to lift in full. It might disappear...

Position of the Inter-Religious Council On the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

20 December 2009

press release

Kampala — Affiliate of the World Conference on Religion & peace

PRESS STATEMENT

The Daily Monitor of Thursday December 10, 2009 ran a story "Church Leaders Back Government on Anti-Gay Bill."

During our recently concluded Consultative Assembly, we had presentations and discussion of different challenges facing Uganda including climatic change, the forthcoming elections in 2011, ethnocentrism and corruption, among others.

A presentation was also made on the anti-homosexuality bill by Hon David Bahati (MP Ndorwa West). Earlier, Hon. Nsaba Buturo had, in his speech , presented gay activities as an emergent issue that required the immediate attention of religious leaders / institutions. Subsequently religious leaders received copies of the bill to enable them read and internalize the issues before coming up with an informed position at an appropriate time.

The idea that development partners should refrain from interfering in the process of legislation regarding the bill or that Government should cut ties with countries supporting homosexuality was not in any way a conclusion but part of the debate on the floor during the Assembly. We understand the Homosexuality Bill is a Private Members bill which is yet to be tabled before Parliament. As of now, IRCU does not have a common position on the said bill. Under any circumstance, our services including HIV/AIDS interventions are open to all persons with out discrimination.

IRCU will remain committed to providing vital services to the millions of Ugandans and people of the Great Lakes Region affected by poverty, injustice, violent conflicts, bad governance, and disease including HIV/AIDS and malaria.

Thank You

Joshua Kiitakule

Secretary General

 INTER-RELIGIOUS COUNCIL OF UGANDA

Hey, have you read that statement? Now, contrast this with what the Monitor wrote quoting the very same guy. I am not kidding you. This was still somewhere else on Box Turtle Bulletin.

At their three-day meeting in Entebbe this week, the spiritual leaders came up with several recommendations that are opposed to homosexuals. “Government should cut ties with donor communities and other groups which support ungodly values such as homosexuality and abortion,” one of the resolutions reads.

…The Secretary General of the Inter-religious Council of Uganda, Mr Joshua Kitakule, told Daily Monitor yesterday that development partners should not  interfere in the process of legislation in Uganda.

“Those countries should respect our spiritual values. They shouldn’t interfere,” he said. “All senior religious leaders have been given copies of the Bill to read and educate people in the churches and mosques,” he added. Mr Kitakule said the Bill, which was tabled last month by Ndorwa West MP David Bahati, has not been understood by human rights activists and homosexuals. “The Bill is ok. But it has been misunderstood. We need to educate people on this proposed law,” he said.

Ok, I will not insult your intelligence by picking out and quoting the differences in the two statements. I will not. I will  not. I will not. But, it is so tempting....!
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On another not, who has the foreign influence? We homosexuals, or the Bahatis? Someone explores that issue. It is interesting. Check it out here. Which reminds me of something that I have known for some time. We are being accused of exactly that which is being done by the accusers. Ironic. But, very true. They are the ones with the 'foreign, neo-colonial influence', which they blame on us.

Afrogay has an interesting analysis on what might be going on behind the scenes, in the Uganda government. Interesting indeed.

Some Catholics outside Uganda are really, really interested in the deafening silence coming from the Catholic Church in Uganda. Follow their musings. They are asking questions. I know, I have written the answers on this blog. The Catholic Church in Uganda simply and very strongly supports the bill. As it is here...! But, they cannot voice that support out to the world. Because it is against their ideologies. Here are the musings again. And, someone more in the know than I am examines the Catholic Silence.

Ok, maybe I should say that the Vatican spoke out. But, as spiritual leaders, I demand (so does the rest of the world, demand) that, like the Pope speaks. Nice and simple. Otherwise, we see the silence, and continuing silence.

You know, I will not stop emphasizing the importance of action by Christians. In Uganda, I have seen first hand the effect of hate speech, with all religious leaders convinced they are doing god's will, getting the rest of the world to follow a genocide, because it is of homosexuals. Those who are Christians, outside Uganda, MUST speak out to help stop this. And, to reclaim what Christianity is all about. Here is a sober assesment of what it is when a religion persecutes. Like Christians in Uganda are doing, the evil homosexual.

Hey, have to go. My love is beckoning about something....!

gug