Urgent Attention Required - The Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill.

[MrJonno]

Why would some 3rd world shit hole give a toss about petitions?, you could go for economic sanctions but would that work and would it only hit the poorest.

[charlou]

Why would some 3rd world shit hole give a toss about petitions?, you could go for economic sanctions but would that work and would it only hit the poorest.

Most likely nothing in any direct sense. Showing solidarity with oppressed people, and/or moral support for them in their effort in overcoming oppression may be of indirect impact, but it's still important, I think, for them and for us.

[Ronja]

Why would some 3rd world shit hole give a toss about petitions?, you could go for economic sanctions but would that work and would it only hit the poorest.

Most likely nothing in any direct sense. Showing solidarity with oppressed people, and/or moral support for them in their effort in overcoming oppression may be of indirect impact, but it's still important, I think, for them and for us.

Hear, hear!

[GenesForLife]

Situation Update.

Situation update - 4-30 AM BST

So it appears that the Ugandan parliament is discussing the bill. While there are indications floating around that the bill is less harsh than the original, it is still a bigoted piece of legislation that is anachronistic and barbaric.

This detail is perhaps the most important and I quote

"Bahati's original bill carried harsh provisions. The original bill would mandate a death sentence for active homosexuals living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. "Serial offenders" also would face capital punishment. Anyone convicted of a homosexual act would face life imprisonment.

Anyone who "aids, abets, counsels or procures another to engage of acts of homosexuality" would face seven years in prison. Landlords who rent rooms or homes to homosexuals also could get seven years.

Some, all or none of those provision could change during parliament's negotiations "

(Citation here from the Associated Press, http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/ug ... 40147.html )

This means there is still a massive threat that the original bill may go through despite all the posturing that it is not as harsh blah blah blah, so I now think you were perfectly correct in treating the bill in its worst case scenario form on the blog post, the morons, for all I know may do a volte-face in the end and re-introduce things like the death penalty before passing it.


Do those petitions have a chance of working? Does international pressure have a chance of working? Thankfully, indications are that they might if one looks at past precedent. Please see http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... nda-ssempa for a reference.

Situation Update 8-30 AM BST.

There is increasing mention of the death penalty, still no news from the hearing. http://politicallyillustrated.com/index ... orld/2776/

One more critical point

- They'll either vote on the bill today in the Ugandan Parliament or may defer it until a new parliament is sworn in next week. The situation is precarious as fresh people who did not experience any pressure during the past two years from the international community may not see the dangers of making this odious bill law.

Human Rights Watch have confirmed that the bill would make the death penalty valid for some homosexual activities, which corroborates the article linked to above.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/10/u ... ality-bill

Now we know that all that chatter about "dropping the death penalty" may just have been a bloody media ruse, no different to the German-Soviet non-aggression pact before Germany invaded the USSR.

FFS.

[GenesForLife]

Situation - it won't come up for discussion in the current parliament. Positive result for now. The arch fuckwits who support the bill however may bring it up for consideration in the next parliament session, and if and when that happens, the international community and activists must all be ready. I believe it is just a small battle in a long term culture war that will last as long as there are doctrinally driven retards who wish to impose upon the personal choices of other individuals, and we cannot afford to lose.

Bigotry MUST be fought in whatever form it may raise its ugly head, today it is the issue of sexual orientation, tomorrow it may be anything which a majority may decide illegal, I think it is important not only to pressurize bigots into being powerless to let their poisonous doctrines be heard or acted upon.Period.

[GenesForLife]

Situation update - there are reports that it will be discussed tomorrow in a special session of the current parliament.

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/U ... 375046.php

Not good, not good...

[klr]

Just in case anyone is in doubt as to how bad things are. Courtesy of the BBC from a couple of months ago, "The World's Worst Place to Be Gay?":

[charlou]

Thanks for the updates, GFL ... and the videos, klr ... fark.

[GenesForLife]

Thanks for the updates, GFL ... and the videos, klr ... fark.

I could do with a hug, Charlou, I am quickly turning into a bitter misanthrope. I want to help people through research et cetera but as long as the world can let things like this happen I am not sure whether it will all be worth it, I am disgusted by human nature.

[Twoflower]

Thanks for the updates, GFL ... and the videos, klr ... fark.

I could do with a hug, Charlou, I am quickly turning into a bitter misanthrope. I want to help people through research et cetera but as long as the world can let things like this happen I am not sure whether it will all be worth it, I am disgusted by human nature.

[Cunt]

Lead on, GenesForLife! I am not politically active (or aware....) but my apathy was stirred for this. Signed, facebooked and I will spread it by mouth, too.

[klr]

A quick heads-up for anyone with access to the BBC: That program is repeated on BBC3 tonight at 23:45 (just 45 minutes from now), if you want to watch it the normal way.

[GenesForLife]

One more update, fellas, and not a good one.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/12/u ... ality-bill

(Kampala) - The Ugandan parliament's Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has regrettably recommended passage of the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill, including retaining the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," Human Rights Watch said today. The committee's report, as seen by Human Rights Watch, recommends amendments deleting some provisions but adding criminal penalties for "conduct[ing] a marriage ceremony between persons of the same sex."

Can someone invade the country, arrest the MPs and prosecute them for genocide?

[Gawd]

One more update, fellas, and not a good one.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/05/12/u ... ality-bill

(Kampala) - The Ugandan parliament's Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee has regrettably recommended passage of the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill, including retaining the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality," Human Rights Watch said today. The committee's report, as seen by Human Rights Watch, recommends amendments deleting some provisions but adding criminal penalties for "conduct[ing] a marriage ceremony between persons of the same sex."

Can someone invade the country, arrest the MPs and prosecute them for genocide?

You will need to ask an American. Just tell them the country has oil, otherwise they won't give a damn.

[charlou]

Depressing stuff.

Is this kind of oppressive victimisation and persecution considered a valid reason to allow asylum status in any other countries?






GFL, thank you for your work on this ... And yes, a very warm hug of care and support to you, good man. xxx