WASHINGTON, January 21  –  The Anti Homosexuality Bill (2009) undermines very basic human rights, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission heard this afternoon.

Julius Kaggwa of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, who had flown-in from Uganda for today’s hearing, said that his group had been approached by many in his country who had received death threat.

And there was total silence in the hearing room at the US Congress when he told law-makers that he was himself a “personal victim” to both verbal and physical assault as were gays who often suffered daily.

“Our rights as human are universal,” he told the hearing, adding that the character of Uganda and the rights of its citizens were at stake.

Mr Kaggwa pointed out that sexual minorities in Uganda were already excluded in HIV programmes – and the Bill makes the situation unimaginably worse.

“All in Uganda are affected,” he said.

Mr Kaggwa added that the Bill was not just a foreign policy issue.  “It’s national issue affecting all Ugandans.”

Cary Alan Johnson, executive director if the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, to the hearing that the lack of unequivocal condemnation by the Ugandan Government had already caused grave damage.

The United States must maintain the pressure on Uganda, he insisted.

Deputy Assistant Secretary Karl Wycoff, who was representing the U.S. Department of State, told the hearing that the Bill not only constitutes serious threats to human rights in Uganda and the internationall reputation of country, but also compromises Aids work.

Rev. Kapya Kaoma, a Zambian Anglican priest was is currently project director at the progressive Boston ‘think tank’ Political Research Associates, said that Ugandans were fighting for their rights – and needed the support of the United States.

He reminded the Commission member of the deep US conservative evangelical influcene and support for the Bill.

Rev. Kaoma pointed out that since the anti gay seminar in Uganda last March, at which three American evangelicals, including Scott Lively, attendend, 14 known cases of arrest had occurred, including one death, on grounds of suspected homosexuality

Christine Lubinski of the HIV Medicine Association at the Infectious Diseases Society of America said that 1500 doctors were outraged by Bill and its threat to combat HIV.

“Silence equals death,” she said.  “We have a responsibility to ensure billions of USPEPFAR money is reaching those in need.

Representative Tammy Baldwin, who chaired the hearing, said that through their involvement in the Bill religious leaders were attempting to restrict human rights and that the Bill would put USPEPFAR  in serious jeopardy.

“No modification of the Bill would make it palatable to those committed to social justice,” Ms Lubinski insisted.

And she went on to say that Uganda already had regressive laws affecting the LGBT community in the country.

Representative James McGovern said that the Bill, which would seriously limit HIV work, turns people into “sex spies”.

And he had a warning to the Ugandan authorities: “US Congress stands behind Mr. Kaggwa”.  He added that he would be “watching for his security very closely”.

■ This report was compiled courtesy of Jirair Ratevosian, Deputy Director, Public Policy at The Foundation for AIDS Research, who was “tweeting” from the hearing.

ENDS

Originally published at http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/10/Jan/2101.htm

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