Press Statement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Uganda Unjustly Bans NGOs for Promoting Gay Rights as Human Rights PASSOP, Triangle Project, Gender DynamiX, Free Gender, SWEAT call for the immediate attention of the South African Government to publicly express its disagreement and stand against the Ugandan Government decision.
Uganda has announced a ban on 38 non-governmental organisations it accuses of undermining the national culture by promoting homosexuality. Simon Lokodo, the country’s ethics and integrity minister, claimed the NGOs were receiving support from abroad for Uganda’s homosexuals and “recruiting” young children into homosexuality. LBGTI people face discrimination and violence in Uganda, along with more than 30 other countries in Africa. An Anti-Homosexuality Law which remains pending in Parliament risks further entrenching discrimination by criminalising the “promotion” of homosexuality, as well as making it compulsory for all Ugandans to report knowledge of any LGBTI person, or face a possible three years’ jail sentence.
The unjust reality for LGBTI people living in countries like Uganda is constant harassment and harsh punishments, ranging from fines and imprisonments to death, solely for expressing their sexual orientation or gender identity. This outrageous ban of NGOs in Uganda has no basis in law, and the continued harassment of human rights activists is an egregious violation of human rights law to which Uganda is a party. The continued persecution of LGBTI rights activists by the Ugandan authorities is unacceptable and we will not watch quietly as our African brothers and sisters suffer senselessly. Therefore PASSOP LGBTI Advocacy Project in conjunction with other LGBTI NGO’s in Cape Town vigorously condemn this practice and call for the immediate attention of the international community to join together against the senseless banning of human rights NGO’s in Uganda.
For Information, Please Contact:
PASSOP, Guillain Koko on 078 5029 626
Triangle Project, Jayne Arnott on 083 2560443
Gender DynamiX, Sibusiso Kheswa on 021 633 5287
Free Gender Funeka Soldat 076 32 10 276
SWEAT, George on 0730307660