Uganda's Human Rights Hokey Pokey

Friday, December 11, 2009 - 1:15 PM Share


It seems like Uganda is taking two steps forward and one step backward this week in terms of securing human rights for its citizens. Amid growing debate regarding the national Anti-Homosexuality Bill, the Ugandan parliament unanimously passed a law which not only outlaws the practice of female genital mutilation, but imposes a strict punishments of ten year to life-long sentences for convicted perpetrators.

Not a single parliamentary member spoke against the bill, and Francis Epetait, Uganda's shadow health minister explained the reasoning:

"This practice has left so many women in misery. So we are saying no. We cannot allow women to be dehumanised."
So as gender activists celebrate in Uganda, national rights advocates still cringe as the likelihood of the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill looms nearer. The Ugandan Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law released a statement yesterday to mark International Human Rights day in which they call the pending bill an "unprecedented threat to Ugandan's human rights:
“Uganda today stands at a crossroads. We can either turn further towards an agenda of divisionism and discrimination, and pay the costs in terms of internal suppression of our own citizens coupled with international isolation and marginalization, or we can embrace diversity, human rights and constitutionalism.”

SHAUN CURRY/AFP/Getty Images

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JERRYTRM

3:37 AM ET

December 13, 2009

Wow

"It seems like Uganda is taking two steps forward and one step backward this week in terms of securing human rights for its citizens."

Really? I understand that outlawing female genital mutilation is a fantastic step forward, but that opening sentence is flawed. First, assigning relative weights to such fundamental and personal issues as female genitalia and homosexuality is trading on thin ice. But to argue that on the whole, the two bills together is a step forward for Uganda (2-1=1, positive)???

That is ludicrous. One bill will probably result in the murders of homosexuals. Most certainly the arrest of many and even heterosexuals who do not turn homosexuals in. I do not understand how Ms. Seyfried thinks that, on the whole, eliminating female genital mutilation can make up for this horrendous bill.

Furthermore the "informational" link for the Anti-Homosexuality Bill from Speroforum (http://www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?idCategory=34&idsub=158&id=24105&t=Uganda%3A+Anti-Homosexuality+bill+in+focus) is so riddled to allegations and falsehoods that i actually fear for FP Blog readers who may not know about the law and click on that link. The author strawmans opposition to the bill and dismisses the severity of the Bills impact on Uganda's gay community.

FP Blog should change the link to something less contentious and more informative. A BBC link. A VOA link (http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/Uganda_Anti_Gay_Bill-79127677.html). Not this screed by some man who calls gay men "defilers."

 

ALEXLOBSTERS

1:51 PM ET

January 6, 2010

Great stuff and

Great stuff and materials!
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