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The European Union Speaks Out Against the Ugandan Anti Homosexuality Bill

LUANDA, December 1, 2009  –  The infamous Ugandan Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 was vehemently denounced yesterday in Luanda, Angola, by EU representatives during the 18th session of the ACP (African-Caribbean-Pacific)/EU (European Union) Joint Parliamentary Assembly.

In his opening speech to the plenary, Louis Michel, former Development Commissioner and Co-President of the Joint Parliamentary Assembly, denounced the draft law as attacking human rights, and called for the separation of religion from politics and mutual respect.

During the discussion with the European Commission, and despite some ACP delegates insisting that they could do “what they wanted” in their own countries, Development Commissioner Karel De Gucht recalled that they had obligations under the Cotonou Agreement, as well as under International Conventions.

Following a negative response from a delegate from Uganda, this was echoed by other Members present, including Michael Cashman MEP, co-president of the European Parliament’s  all-party Intergroup on LGBT Rights and a Member of the European Parliament Development Committee.

“It is quite clear that this issue of state-sponsored homophobia has been building up for years, and now it is finally out of the bag,” Mr. Cashman told UK Gay News.

“We should have faced this down years ago, but now we can ensure that such homophobia is never endorsed by our silence.

“Things are changing; it will take some more time, but this clock is never going to be turned back.  We are all equal in this world and it is high time LGBT people are granted their full human rights, wherever they live.”

The proposed legislation includes provisions to punish those alleged to be lesbian, gay or bisexual with life imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty; any parent or teacher failing to report their LGBT children or pupils to the authorities with a fine equivalent to $2,650 or three years’ imprisonment; and landowners providing shelter to LGBT people with seven years’ imprisonment. The legislation would apply to Ugandan citizens both inside and outside of the country.

The Bill calls for the death penalty for anyone with HIV/Aids who is convicted of having a homosexual relationship.

Yesterday in Washington, on the eve of World Aids Day, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Monday made the strongest statement yet by an administration official that the United States will not tolerate efforts to criminalise homosexuality among countries that receive U.S. funding to combat HIV/Aids.

Mrs. Clinton’s remarks came following a letter send to her last month from four Members of Congress – Reps. Tammy Baldwin, Gary Ackerman, Howard Berman and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen – calling for action to be taken on the Ugandan Bill.

Elly Tebasoboke Katabira, a native Ugandan and president-elect of the International AIDS Society, told The Advocate’s Kerry Eleveld that if Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni denounces the Bill, it could ultimately kill the legislation.

“Remember, it was written by a person from his own party,” Ms. Katabira explained to Eleveld.  “So that person would be very reluctant to push something that was not acceptable to the president.”

It is estimated that the European Union countries and the United States provide Uganda with more than 75 per cent of its aid.

Last weekend, the Prime Ministers of Canada and the United Kingdom spoke out against the Ugandan Bill during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

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