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WikiLeaks Precedes Ugandan Election to Reveal Meteroic Rise of Homophobia

Posted by: Lez Get Real on February 17, 2011.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Entebbe, Ju...

Melanie Nathan- Feb. 17, 2011.

Wiki Leaks reveals U.S. embassy cable reports on ‘s meteoric rise of homophobia in Uganda, reflecting on a UN-backed human rights meeting attended by now murdered Ugandan Gay activist David Kato, and author of the “Kill the Gays” Bill, David Bahati. The International community could not have better real time reports and so action and outcry must occur in as rampant a fashion.

According to a US diplomat in Kampala, in a leaked American embassy cable on Wiki Leaks, David Kato, the murdered Ugandan Gay activists, was ridiculed during his speech at a “consultative meeting” in December 2009, organized with funding from the UN, aimed to discuss the MP David Bahati Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which seeks to impose the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” and life imprisonment for consenting adults who have gay sex.

This comes as no surprise since we have been reporting for some time the harsh treatment of gays and lesbians in Uganda. LGR has reported this in the context of Melanie Nathan’s conversations with Bahati and also in the context of the Asylum case in the UK of Brenda Namigadde. – One cable concluded “even if the draft bill is shelved in the weeks ahead, rampant homophobia in Uganda won’t go away.

The proof is clear from the Wikileak cables – Uganda is already living the yet to be passed Anti-homosexuality bill, authored by David Bahati.

In the now public, classified cable, dated 24 December 2009, a U.S. diplomat reported that Kato, delivered a well-written speech against the bill, although his words were almost inaudible due to “his evident nervousness”. Throughout his talk a member of the Ugandan Human Rights Commission “openly joked and snickered” with supporters of the bill, the diplomat claimed in the cable.

After expressing fears for his life based on the homophobic assaults, Kata was bludgeoned to death near his home in the capital, Kampala, last month, after he successfully obtained an injunction against the Tabloid Rolling Stone’s outing of gays with their photos and a headline “Hang Them.”

Other confidential memos sent between Kampala and Washington in 2009-2010 and sent to WikiLeaks paint a picture of a degrading and fragile human rights climate in the run up to Ugandan elections on Friday, tomorrow, Feb 18^th. “The Cables note Uganda’s “chilling” descent from tolerance to violent homophobia and a desperate fear among gay activists, who claim they are being increasingly monitored and harassed.” (UK GUARDIAN)

The memos, classified as confidential, also reveal US diplomatic attempts to thwart passage of the bill – which is at the parliamentary committee stage.

Referring to Bahati, the diplomat said: “His homophobia … is blinding and incurable.” That has been my own experience in the numerous conversations I have had with Bahati that I have reported here on LezGetReal. “The violent hatred of a previously unpopular but tolerated minority is chilling,” the diplomat said; not unlike my own “sinister” conversations with Bahati relating to the asylum application for Brenda Namigadde in the United Kingdom.

The diplomat refers also to James Nsaba Buturo, Uganda’s minister for ethics and integrity, a strong supporter of the bill, and Pastor Martin Ssempa, who organizes anti-gay rallies in Uganda, as key players ushering in a new era of intolerance.

The cable described in detail the Ugandan Human Rights Commission debate on the 18 November 2009, which it said was organized with support from the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights at which Bahati, Ssempa and Kato, the leader of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), were all present. Kato left shortly after his speech.

“Bahati led a “tirade against homosexuality” attacking White House opposition to the bill and insisting that impending oil revenue would free Uganda from foreign influence. His message to President Obama was that “homosexuality is … an evil we must fight”, which prompted loud applause, led by Ssempa pounding his hand on the table, the cable said.

The UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has spoken out against Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill, describing it as “draconian” and “unacceptable”, and in breach of international human rights standards. (UK GUARDIAN)

In a later cable, dated 16 February 2010, the diplomat reported concerns from activists that the draft bill was already affecting gay people’s lives. One activist alleged that some gay people had been arrested and detained by authorities and homophobic extremists who were eager to build legal cases in advance of the legislation’s ratification, although the claims were contradicted by another activist who said they were not aware of any arrests.

The cable noted that international condemnation of the bill had forced Ugandan leaders to reconsider their initial support of Bahati’s legislation, but that “Ugandan officials continue to give conflicting assessments of the bill’s prognosis”.

Activists were also concerned at government monitoring of electronic communications, saying that they had been forced to switch telephones, restrict emails and resort to switching codewords when arranging meetings to avoid harassment and eavesdropping, the cable said.

In one report – “Homophobic Demagogues, the diplomat reports in the Christmas Eve cable that Bahati, a born-again Christian MP from the ruling party, had become “further isolated” following “recent condemnations” by high-profile Pastor Rick Warren and other US-based individuals who are against the bill. However, it was clear he would not yield to international pressure.”

This seems to be the case as in current context Bahati is still trying to spin the yarn - that all harm is at the hands of gays – who are trying to convert children to the homosexual lifestyle a lie which he cannot prove. As time goes by and as more is revealed, including the Wiki reports , it is clear that Bahati may well have dug his own political grave.

It is time for Rick Warren and other Christian leaders to speak loudly – very strongly – against Uganda’s homophobia and it is time for Western countries to retract aid and to divest. It may well turn out that tomorrow’s rigged election could fall prey to a culmination of anti-Ugandan sentiment due to this overt homophobia and 30 years of despotic dictatorship – of the Museveni regime.

Uganda cannot afford to get any poorer and Ugandans must note that they will get a lot poorer if they follow Bahati ‘s Murderous attitude towards gays and Museveni’s surreptitious support thereof.

Does Kampala have a square?

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

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THE CABLES:- Vuia Wikileaks.

Cable dated:2009-12-24T08:27:00
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 KAMPALA 001413
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 2019/12/24
TAGS: PHUM, PGOV, PREL, UG
SUBJECT: UGANDA: HOMOPHOBE EXTREMISTS AND HOMOSEXUAL SCAPEGOATS
REF: 09 KAMPALA 01381; 09 KAMPALA 1409; 09 KAMPALA 1396 09 KAMPALA 01024
CLASSIFIED BY: Aaron Sampson, Pol/Econ Chief, State, Pol/Econ; REASON: 1.4(B), (D)

1. (C) Summary: Parliamentary sponsor of the anti-homosexuality bill, David Bahati, told PolOffs on December 15 that he is open to minor changes to his legislation, expressed deep disappointment with Rick Warren and others’ statements against the bill, and said Uganda will not yield to international pressure. On December 18, Bahati and Pastor Martin Ssempa dominated a one-sided “consultative meeting” on the bill organized by the Uganda Human Rights Commission with UN funding. Bahati directly challenged the White House statement against the bill, and said impending oil revenues will soon liberate Uganda from international influence. Members of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee continue to maintain that the anti-homosexuality bill is not a priority and will not come up for debate in committee until March or April 2011. However, domestic pressure on parliamentarians is growing. XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Bahati Unrepentant

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2. (C) PolOffs met with Bahati on December 15 to provide recent statements by Rick Warren and others against the anti-homosexuality bill. At Bahati’s request, the meeting occurred at the Anglican Church of Uganda’s headquarters where Bahati said he was reviewing the legislation with Anglican Church leaders. XXXXXXXXXXXX Bahati entered our meeting with a document entitled “The 10 Deadly Sins of Homosexuality”, and launched into a lengthy explanation of the current bill, saying it renders existing law more specific by defining homosexuality and attaching penalties for homosexual “recruitment”. He criticized international donors for short circuiting Uganda’s democratic procedures when it is in their interest, said demands to withdraw the legislation outright are unacceptable, and ridiculed recent threats by Sweden to cut its assistance (ref. A). Bahati attributed international criticism to a misreading of the text and a misunderstanding of the “situation on the ground” in Uganda.

3. (U) Bahati described the bill as a “proposal”, solicited recommendations for “improving” the legislation, and appeared moderately open to altering provisions regarding the death penalty and requirements to report homosexual activity to authorities within 24 hours. Bahati said he personally does not believe in the death penalty and that this language was lifted directly from Uganda’s 2007 Defilement Act. He said he is talking with XXXXXXXXXXXX about the bill’s impact on HIV/AIDS programs, but that he does not believe the legislation will negatively impact HIV/AIDS prevention. Although Bahati claimed the bill is intended to further protect minors from sexual predators, he seemed unaware and unconcerned that his bill’s “aggravated homosexuality” provision also condemns to death “serial offenders” twice convicted of the lesser and much more vague infractions of “homosexuality” and “related offenses”.

4. (C) Bahati expressed profound disappointment with Rick Warren’s letter against the billXXXXXXXXXXXX and said Ugandan church leaders are in the process of drafting a response. XXXXXXXXXXXX Bahati hoped Parliament’s Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee will take up the bill in February 2010, but said his overriding goal is to see the bill into law – and he stressed that the bill will become law – by the February 2011 elections.

KAMPALA 00001413 002 OF 004

5. (C) Bahati’s reasoning for introducing the bill alternated between protecting children from sexual predators, eradicating Uganda of homosexuality, and some combination of the two. He claimed to have evidence documenting the homosexual recruitment of children, particularly in same sex schools and churches, and said the bill’s provisions on reporting suspected homosexuality specifically target school masters and religious leaders. When asked to elaborate on evidence of supposed homosexual recruitment, Bahati referred to a XXXXXXXXXXXX pamphlet distributed in Uganda in 2002 that mentioned same-sex attraction, vague activities of unnamed foreign NGOs, and “networking” among foreign diplomats. At the end of the meeting, Bahati noted that he is also the Chairman of the Uganda Boy Scouts and is working on another bill – the second of his short Parliamentary career – updating Uganda’s 1963 Scouts Act. We did not ask if this bill will also target homosexuality.

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One-Sided Human Rights Debate

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6. (C) On December 18, the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) organized – with support from the UN Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights – what turned out to be a one-sided debate on the anti-homosexuality bill. XXXXXXXXXXXX Prior to the debate PolOff received a text message from XXXXXXXXXXXX expressing concerns for the safety of XXXXXXXXXXXX representatives scheduled to attend the event. Bahati’s late arrival delayed the event for more than an hour, and the UHRC failed to seat any representative of those opposed to the legislation at the head table, despite seating Bahati and – for unexplained reasons – Uganda’s most outspoken anti-gay activist Martin Ssempa. A comment by an audience member later prompted the UHRC to correct this imbalance by inviting a clearly hesitant and nervous SMUG leader, David Kato, to sit beside Ssempa on the dais. Ssempa proceeded to shake Kato’s hand while striking absurd poses for the assembled press corps.

7. (C) Bahati’s remarks mirrored his private statements to PolOffs. Bahati also attacked the White House statement opposing the bill, saying that he admires President Obama, that President Obama ran on a platform of change, and that Uganda’s message to him is that “homosexuality is not a change but rather an evil that we must fight.” At this point the room erupted in loud applause, led by Ssempa pounding his hand on the head table, and Bahati observed that oil revenues will free Uganda of foreign entanglements. At other points in Bahati’s tirade against homosexuality, Ssempa registered his support by issuing audible sounds of disgust.

8. (C) Kato delivered a well-written speech defending the rights of gay and lesbians in Uganda. However, his words were nearly indecipherable due to his evident nervousness. Throughout Kato’s speech, XXXXXXXXXXXX UHRCXXXXXXXXXXXX openly joked and snickered with Bahati and Ssempa XXXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX representatives left shortly after Kato’s speech, fearing that Bahati had instructed the Inspector General of Police to arrest Kato. After a break, Ssempa showed graphic x-rated photos of what he described as gay sex, and several audience members rose to ask why authorities did not arrest Ugandan homosexuals when they had the chance. XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Buturo – He’s Back

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KAMPALA 00001413 003 OF 004

9. XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Parliamentary Debate in March or April

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10. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX reaffirmed that Bahati’s bill is not a priority and that debate on the legislation will likely not begin until March or April 2011 (ref. C). Key bills on election reform, political party funding, and the International Criminal Court are already pending before XXXXXXXXXXX. XXXXXXXXXXXX said pressure to move the anti-homosexuality bill to the front of the line is “disturbing” committee members, but XXXXXXXXXXXX and take a skeptical view of anti-homosexuality legislation.

11. (C) Bahati tried to shift the bill from the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee to the more favorable Presidential and Foreign Affairs Committee on December 15 but failed as there is no provision in Parliament to re-assign legislation from one committee to another. XXXXXXXXXXXX said the bill “has no place in our modern world”, and XXXXXXXXXXXX

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Opposition Concerns

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12. (C) XXXXXXXXXXXX told PolOff XXXXXXXXXXXX. In September, Otunnu accused state security services of running a smear campaign about his sexual orientation and HIV status to discredit a potential presidential bid (ref. D). XXXXXXXXXXXX speculated that Uganda could run a similar smear campaign against Besigye, forcing him to

KAMPALA 00001413 004 OF 004

curtail presidential campaign activities.

13. (SBU) XXXXXXXXXXXX said the opposition FDC fears Uganda will use the anti-homosexuality legislation against Besigye, and recalled government efforts to hobble Besigye’s 2006 presidential campaign by arresting him on spurious charges of rape, terrorism, and treason. XXXXXXXXXXXX speculated that Uganda could disrupt Besigye’s 2011 campaign with phony homosexuality allegations.

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Comment: Homophobic Demagogues

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14. (C) Recent condemnations by Warren and other U.S. based individuals have further isolated Bahati. His homophobia, however, is blinding and incurable. Bahati, Buturo, and particularly Ssempa’s ability to channel popular anger over Uganda’s socio-political failings into violent hatred of a previously unpopular but tolerated minority is chilling. XXXXXXXXXXXX described Ssempa as an anti-homosexuality “extremist.” XXXXXXXXXXXX said he opposes the legislation not because he favors homosexuality, but because legalizing persecution of homosexuals is the first step toward state sponsored persecution of other minority groups. On December 22, XXXXXXXXXXXX asked PolOff if the U.S. could provide an expert speaker to reinforce arguments exposing the human rights ramifications of Bahati’s legislation in advance of parliamentary hearings. Helping those attempting to counter Bahati, Buturo, and Ssempa to better craft their arguments – perhaps through a digital video conference or some other venue – is worth pursuing.