Rights Group: US Should Pull Ambassador Over Uganda Anti-Gay Bill
February 20, 2014
Hilary Heuler
Kenyan gays, lesbians and others supporting their cause, wear masks to
preserve their anonymity as they stage a protest against Uganda's
increasingly tough stance against homosexuality, outside the Uganda
High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, Feb. 10, 2014.
Human Rights Watch has called on the United States to recall its
ambassador to Uganda if an anti-homosexuality bill is signed into law.
The group says the U.S. should send a strong signal to Ugandan
President Yoweri Museveni, who vowed last week to sign the bill.
"I don't think the U.S. statement so far has been strong enough," said
Leslie Lefkow, deputy director for Human Rights Watch's Africa
Division. "While donors have voiced concerns, I'm not sure that that
has actually translated into a really serious understanding in Uganda
of the impact of the bill and what that will mean for relationships.
We think that it's very important that the U.S. and others send a very
strong message that there will be consequences for signing this law."
The bill, passed by the Ugandan parliament in December, could result
in homosexuals being jailed for life. It also would outlaw "promotion"
of homosexuality, as well as failure to report a gay person to the
police.
There was no immediate response from the Obama administration to the
HRW statement.
U.S. President Barack Obama said this week, however, that he was
"deeply disappointed" in the Ugandan leader's plans to move forward
with the anti-gay bill, adding it would complicate relations between
Washington and Kampala.
"We believe that people everywhere should be treated equally, with
dignity and respect, and that they should have the opportunity to
reach their fullest potential, no matter who they are or whom they
love," Obama said in a statement.
The Ugandan Minister for Ethics and Integrity has described donor
criticism of the bill as "blackmail", saying aid should not be linked
to the behavior of another country.
Lefkow argues that the law could directly impact donor-funded
activities, though, making it harder for civil society and health care
programs to operate. She said major donors like the United States have
the responsibility to review these programs, clearly state what effect
the new law would have, and assure that their money is not used to
persecute people.
"We're not calling for development aid to be cut, but we are calling
for a review of the different ways that this law, if it's signed,
could impact on assistance in Uganda," she said. "For example, the
U.S. provides a lot of assistance for health programing in Uganda, for
HIV/AIDS programing, and the law could have very detrimental impacts
on groups who are trying to work to improve health in Uganda."
Ugandan human rights groups are preparing to challenge the bill in
court if it is signed, arguing that it is unconstitutional.
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