You are here: Home » Commentary » A Gay Girl's View » Calls for UK to STOP Deporting Gays and Lesbians to UGANDA

Calls for UK to STOP Deporting Gays and Lesbians to UGANDA

Melanie Nathan- February 09-2011

There is a critical movement developing on an issue that has barely been noticed by the USA Press – the issue being the UK Home Office and Courts’ responses and treatment of gay and lesbian Asylum seekers in the United Kingdom.    Aircraft leave London’s Heathrow Airport, on a regular basis, carrying terrified victims of an immigration system that has failed to adapt to Africa’s emerging overt anti-homosexual (LGBT) sentiment.

The recent murder of Ugandan gay activist, David Kato, has cast an unwanted spotlight on Uganda’s notorious criminalization of homosexuality, yet in its shadow rests a bill waiting for passage in  the Ugandan Parliament.

I spoke to David Bahati again today – the author of what has become known as the Kill the Gays Bill;-   I asked him about the notorious anti-gay Bill and he said that it would be put through the Ugandan legislative process right after this month’s election which is in ten days time.

Increasing the visibility of how the United Kingdom handles its deportations is the recent case of Brenda Namigadde, who was taken off a Virgin Airline Flight to Uganda, moments before take off, as a Barrister obtained a last minute  Court Injunction against her removal – which has now led to a judicial review set for this Friday.

A source has informed LezGetReal that Brenda’s case has caught the attention of Amnesty International; and if the UK refuses her new case, they will plead on her behalf and seek Asylum for her elsewhere.

Ironically, the Courts in the Namigadde case,  alluded to ‘activist interference.’ as having ‘manipulated the UK system’ – in respect of which I was an inadvertent player. I had published the story about Brenda’s plight, and was contacted by David Bahati thereafter.  My conversation with Bahati has played a pivotal role in highlighting the danger to Brenda if she is returned to Uganda – but it is not just Brenda – it is all and any person who is gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

This should not have to be in the hands of activists.  The UK has failed to employ the agreement of the British coalition Political Parties to induct relief  through reform, with regard to these deportation  matters.   This is where the criticism is well earned by the British. The UK owes its neighbors a duty to behave responsibly when it comes to deportations – these cases impact the European Union – with regard to activism, resources and having to deal with desperate people.  Every time we have a case like Brenda, activists across the globe  should not have to scramble  to work ‘the impossible.’

While the UK has every right to deny asylum cases for god cause, what is so difficult to understand is the basis for which the Courts are asserting that someone is not gay or lesbian.

These are criteria being used  for evidence:-

Being able to produce names of lovers – Producing copies of magazines or literature with gay or lesbian content- asserting names of bars and friends – all of which are unfair criteria given the context of fear and trauma on the apart of asylum seekers. What if a person has been hiding their sexuality – what if a lover cannot be outed for their own safety reasons- what if one does not  buy magazines or attend night clubs- what if one has no money for great representation?  Are these reasons to say they are not gay or lesbian?

Reform must happen – the Coalition government must tend to correcting the injustice and in doing so one must weigh and provide criteria for potential  fraud where asylum seekers may falsely assert sexual orientation.

Until such is in place, there must be a moratorium on all who assert they are  gay/lesbians , back to countries in Africa that impose criminal punitive measures on homosexuals.

How many other gays or lesbians have not had the help that Brenda received and been sent back into harms way? There are no statistics so we do not know.  But what we do know is that finally various communities are coming forward and saying this is enough. The Anglican Church has shown courage as have certain bloggers, activists and of course the gay men and lesbians who have kicked and screamed and taken physical beatings, refusing to get on those airplanes.

Just last week, a young man by the name of Jamal, after a fourteen year struggle through the UK asylum system, was taken to the airport to board a plane back to Uganda.   Activists only found out about his case on the day before the flight.   After 14 years of the UK Courts and Home Office,  refusing to believe that he is gay, and after too many years in detention- Jamal was forced to resist his deportation, physically, resulting in some injuries at the hands of his Border Control escorts.

The escorts know that there is little than can do to a deportee during such a  struggle – and they know that going beyond mere bruising as a result of resisting is problematic – however they also know that the authorities will provide a new deportation date for Jamal for next week -  the question is how hard will Jamal fight the next time?

For as long as any country deports people who are gay into harms way – which by definition includes all anti-homosexual countries – which legislate  gay as a crime – they are doing little more than conspiring and cooperating  in the insidious inhumanity of human beings to others.

Here is a letter that addresses the problem and the tide will change in the UK if others come forward from all realms and walks – and from other religions to endorse the need for a moratorium on deportations back to African Countries which criminalize homosexuality.

To:     The Rt. Hon. David Cameron, MP

CC:     The Rt. Hon. William Hague, MP,
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, MP,
Secretary of State for the Home Department and Minister for Women and Equalities

Dear Mr. Cameron, Ms. May, and Mr. Hague,
Further to my email of 27th January, I understand that Ms. Namigadde was released yesterday from Yarl’s Wood, pending a judicial review of her case, (UKBA ref. 1166867).

However, I have learnt this evening that another gay Ugandan, Jamal Ali Said, (UKBA ref. S1319898), is being  –or already has been–  deported back to Uganda.

You will recall that only on 26th January, David Kato was brutally murdered in Uganda:  a murder immediately condemned by the United Nations, by Barack Obama, and by European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek www.europarl.europa.eu/president/view/en/press/press_release/2011/2011-January/press_release-2011-January-32.html

I trust you are also aware of attempts by Ugandan MP David Bahati to introduce a Bill introducing the death penalty for homosexuality:  a Bill which he recently stated he would reintroduce into the Ugandan Parliament in the next few weeks.

I am thus at a loss to understand why UKBA is still attempting to deport LGBTIQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and queer] refugees to Uganda, to risk vicious assault and violent death.  How does this accord with any notion of guaranteeing equal rights for all?

I therefore urge you, if you have any humanity at all, to cease immediately all deportations of refugees to countries where they risk such fates:  and, in particular, to cease returning LGBTIQ refugees, for whom UKBA repeatedly appears to display no concern or regard, to violently homophobic societies.

Sincerely,

Rev. Dr. John Hunt.

Picture: Meeting of Anti-Gay Supporters in Uganda.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Related articles

• Uganda’s Great Gay Lie – Ready for an Honest Discussion about Homosexuality? (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Home Office Deporting Ugandan Lesbian to Certain Harm (lezgetreal.com)
• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)
• Brenda Namigadde, Lesbian Asylum Seeker, Released OUT of UK Detention (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde Remains in Great Danger of Deportation (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda Lesbian DeportationTomorrow; HELP free her from being Deported to certain Death (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Sunday Telegraph Could Impede Ugandan Lesbian’s Asylum Case (lezgetreal.com)
• Hate Follows David Kato to his Grave (lezgetreal.com)
• UPDATE: Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde’s Deportation is set for 9.20PM from London (lezgetreal.com)
• The Confession of a Patsy – to Uganda Gay Activist’s Murder – Amounts to a Hit (lezgetreal.com)
• Insidious Ugandan Press Statement by Tormentors of Murdered Gay Activist David Kato (lezgetreal.com)
• National Prayer Breakfast Ignores David Kato’s Death, Vigil Called For New York City (lezgetreal.com)
• BREAKING: LGBT Community Time to Take to the Streets – DAVID BAHATI the UGANDAN MP – Author of KILL the GAYS BILL IS in D.C. (lezgetreal.com)
• Is David BAHATI in US Illegally to Peddle his Ugandan KILL-GAYS Bill? (lezgetreal.com)
• US Deputy Secretary’s Secret Uganda Pre-Election Visit (lezgetreal.com)