President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda significantly strengthened Africa’s antigay movement on Monday, signing into law a bill imposing harsh sentences for homosexual acts, including life imprisonment in some cases, according to government officials.
The move came weeks after Mr. Museveni’s Nigerian counterpart, Goodluck Jonathan, took similar steps in his own country, threatening offenders with 14-year prison terms. The Ugandan law seemed even tougher, threatening life terms on charges including “aggravated homosexuality,” meaning homosexual acts with a minor, a disabled person or someone infected with H.I.V.
He signed the legislation at his official residence at Entebbe, near the capital, Kampala, in front of government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists who had said they found no genetic basis for homosexuality — a conclusion that Mr. Museveni cited in support of the new law.While Western "gay-rights" campaigners have accused American evangelical Christian groups of promoting antigay sentiment in Uganda.
Mr. Museveni accused “arrogant and careless Western groups” of seeking to draw Ugandan children into homosexuality.The Ugandangovernment spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, said Mr. Museveni wanted to sign the bill “with the full witness of the international media to demonstrate Uganda’s independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation.”
Mr. Opondo announced on Twitter that Mr. Museveni had signed the bill, which drew condemnation from rights groups and Ugandan activists.The country’s Parliament approved the law in December, saying it was aimed “at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family.” "Gay-rights" activists in Uganda have vowed to oppose the legislation, which could jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars in crucial Western development aid.According to Amnesty International, homosexuality is illegal in 38 of 54 African countries, but Western opposition to such measures is frequently criticized as akin to imperialism. (NY Times)
The move came weeks after Mr. Museveni’s Nigerian counterpart, Goodluck Jonathan, took similar steps in his own country, threatening offenders with 14-year prison terms. The Ugandan law seemed even tougher, threatening life terms on charges including “aggravated homosexuality,” meaning homosexual acts with a minor, a disabled person or someone infected with H.I.V.
Africans “never seek to impose our view on others. If only they could let us alone,” Mr. Museveni said, alluding to Western pressure to reject the bill.
He signed the legislation at his official residence at Entebbe, near the capital, Kampala, in front of government officials, journalists and a team of Ugandan scientists who had said they found no genetic basis for homosexuality — a conclusion that Mr. Museveni cited in support of the new law.While Western "gay-rights" campaigners have accused American evangelical Christian groups of promoting antigay sentiment in Uganda.
Mr. Museveni accused “arrogant and careless Western groups” of seeking to draw Ugandan children into homosexuality.The Ugandangovernment spokesman, Ofwono Opondo, said Mr. Museveni wanted to sign the bill “with the full witness of the international media to demonstrate Uganda’s independence in the face of Western pressure and provocation.”
Mr. Opondo announced on Twitter that Mr. Museveni had signed the bill, which drew condemnation from rights groups and Ugandan activists.The country’s Parliament approved the law in December, saying it was aimed “at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family.” "Gay-rights" activists in Uganda have vowed to oppose the legislation, which could jeopardize hundreds of millions of dollars in crucial Western development aid.According to Amnesty International, homosexuality is illegal in 38 of 54 African countries, but Western opposition to such measures is frequently criticized as akin to imperialism. (NY Times)
So why are ashamed to openly oppose תועבה????? We “never
seek to impose our view on others. If only they could
let us alone.”
כל הכבוד!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteOn this issue, Uganda, Nigeria, and Russia, among others, are way ahead of the USA and fellow travelers in the West.
ReplyDelete