Uganda

Officials in Uganda fired back against human rights groups and foreign diplomats who have blasted a draconian law being considered by the country’s legislative body. The proposed legislation seeks to imprison anyone convicted of “the offense of homosexuality” for life, while “aggravated homosexuality” would incur the death penalty.

In an opinion piece published Monday in Uganda's Observer newspaper, the author of the bill argued that “homosexuality is not a human right”, AFP reports.

“The fact that the moral fabric of America and Europe has been put under siege by the supporters of this creeping evil of homosexuality should not suggest that we follow suit,” wrote lawmaker David Bahati.

If adopted, Bahati’s bill would also criminalize any public discussion of homosexuality and could penalize an individual who knowingly rented property to an LGBT person.

“This egregious bill represents one of the most extreme anti-equality measures ever proposed in any country,” said US Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen in a letter co-signed by three other House members that was sent Monday to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The lawmakers argue that passage of the bill would undermine the effectiveness of American taxpayer funds spent in Uganda to help curb HIV and AIDS, AFP reports.

US diplomats in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, had already spoken out against the bill.

Uganda vows to ignore world as it considers anti-gay law [contd.]

An embassy official said in an email to AFP that passage would “constitute a significant step backwards for the protection of human rights in Uganda.”

“We urge states to take all necessary measures to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests, or detention,” said the embassy's public affairs officer Joann Lockard.

“We are really getting tired of this phrase human rights. It is being abused,” said Ugandan Ethics Minister James Nsaba Buturo at a Thursday press conference.

“Anal sex? Human rights. Robbery? Human rights. All sort of nonsense? Human rights,” Buturo said.

French diplomats on Monday joined the United States in publicly condemning the law, according to AFP.

“France expresses deep concern regarding the bill currently before the Ugandan parliament,” the French foreign ministry said in a statement sent to AFP in Kampala.

“France reiterates its commitment to the decriminalization of homosexuality and the fight against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity."

At the Thursday press conference, Buturo said his country had no intention of heeding the advice of foreigners on the issue of homosexuality, AFP reports.

He said diplomats and non-governmental organizations from throughout the world have contacted his him about the bill. “They have come to me in great numbers and we are discussing it diplomatically but we are also telling them to mind their own business. They have no mandate whatsoever to come and say: ‘Your values are wrong, mine are right’,” he said Thursday.

Source: US slams Uganda's new anti-gay bill - Yahoo! News