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Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde Remains in Great Danger of Deportation

Melanie Nathan- February 03, 2011;

Brenda Namigadde is a lesbian who remains at great risk for deportation back to Uganda, a Country where gays and lesbians are criminalized and subject to harsh treatment at the hands of the authorities, public and family members.

Brenda’s story touched the world last week, when activists dived into action to prevent her return to Uganda; and she was pulled at the last minute from a deportation flight to Uganda, through extraordinary efforts of activists and legal representatives in the United Kingdom. But it does not end there.

Scheduled for a hearing this week, her Counsel in the United Kingdom managed to postpone her hearing to Monday 7 February, 10am in the  Royal Courts of Justice, London.  But that still yields barely enough time to accomplish what may be impossible.  Extraordinary measures are yet again called for.

The concern is that the hearing officer may not hear the nuances of Brenda’s case – such as the fact that regardless of specific hard to come-by evidence, pointing to her lesbian activities in Uganda 8 years ago, she is nonetheless at great risk of harm and even death, if returned to Uganda next week.

Brenda is known to be a lesbian and the evidence is in the statements or outing of lovers past and new, as the system in the UK requires, but it does reside in the simple fact that the anti-gay hounds and hunters, believe that Brenda Namigadde is a lesbian.

To – the United Kingdom authorities and officials   – let  this article stand – and I would be willing to travel to the UK to testify if need be- that David Bahati, the member of Parliament who is the author of the Anti homosexuality Bill set for passage in Uganda this month, contacted me after reading the first article about Brenda Namigadde’s refusal for asylum and removal situation. I have already been quoted widely in the international press and others have called Bahati to confirm  and I  reiterate here:

“David Bahati: Brenda is welcome back to Uganda- she will be safe if  – -she repents for being a lesbian – -she renounces homosexuality, and –and she does not engage in that behavior again

Melanie Nathan: What if she arrives in Uganda, Mr. Bahati and cannot say or do any of the above requirements; will she go to jail?

David Bahati: Yes she will

Melanie Nathan: So you are saying that she is a lesbian and will be treated as one when she returns if she does not comply fully with the above statement?

David Bahati: Yes, that is correct.”

Activists and humanitarians are callinf for the UK  authorities including the Home Office will consider this enough evidence of Brenda Namigadde’s homosexuality – the fact that right now in this moment UGANDA and its anti-gay machine consider Brenda Namigadde to be a lesbian.  She is a lesbian and she is in danger if deported.     Her danger is heightened by the fact that Bahati accused her of bad mouthing Uganda; and yet further  by the fact that David Kato was murdered a mere 18 hours after my conversation with Bahati, by a person we believe was planted in his home to carry out an ordered hit,  and a set up.

It is a great irony that in order to survive Brenda is expected to still prove in the UK that she is a lesbian and at the same to disprove that she is not a lesbian in Uganda.

Legally speaking, Brenda has been the victim of  a combination of factors that have all but served to victimize her further; her case did not receive the due diligence or expertise required in its initial stages and it became a fast track case which belies the time needed for the presentation of important  evidence.

Often lesbians and gays are not taken at their word and hence have to go to great lengths to prove their sexual orientation – not an easy task when one has spent many years thousands of miles away from home -  shamed and fearfully hiding one’s sexuality.

Here are some updated actions of behalf of Brenda Namigadde:

The United Reform Church, which represents one hundred thousand people in 1600 congregations, has issued a statement of support for Brenda. Simon Loveitt, the public issues spokesperson of the United Reformed Church, said:

“Deporting Ms Namigadde to the life-threatening persecution she fled eight years ago because of her sexual orientation is counter to the gospel values of love-informed justice and compassion which Christians subscribe to.”

“It is also contradicts the tradition of providing sanctuary to persecuted minorities and individuals over centuries in the UK and runs counter to the unanimous judgement of the UK Supreme Court last July, which ruled that homosexual asylum seekers should be granted refugee status if being repatriated would result in them being forced to conceal their sexuality.”

The South Australian MP Ian Hunter has written in support of Brenda to Home Secretary Theresa May. He said: “As a well known lesbian Ms Namigadde will face serious threats to her safety should she be returned to Uganda.”

Brenda’s MP Andrew Slaughter has put down a motion in the British Parliament supporting Brenda. It reads:   “That this House is concerned by the imminent proposed deportation of Brenda Namigadde, who has claimed asylum because she fears persecution based on her sexuality; believes the atmosphere in Uganda towards homosexuality, driven by inflammatory rhetoric, puts gay and lesbian citizens at risk; deplores the recent murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato; notes that a politician in Uganda had demanded Ms Namigadde repent or be punished; believes that widespread publicity about Ms Namigadde’s sexuality has placed her at severe risk of harm; is worried by persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people around the world; and calls on the Government to exercise its powers to allow Brenda Namigadde to remain in the United Kingdom.”

British people can use the TheyWorkForYou.com to contact their MP and urge them to sign the motion.

Later today allout.org will launch a fresh push to get the British government to intervene.

We need our readers to comment and to keep an eye out for our ALLOUT campaign……

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

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