Protesters Storm Ugandan Building

UGANDA HOUSE X390 (FAIR USE) | ADVOCATE.COM

About 40 people caused a scene at Uganda's United Nations mission in New York on Thursday to protest an antigay law being considered in the African nation.

The law would punish those who merely touched "another person with the intention of committing the act of homosexuality" with life in prison. Those found guilty of "aggravated homosexuality" — which includes sexual activity for those who are HIV-positive — would be put to death. Additionally, people who do not report known violations of the law would be fined and jailed.

Officials from the United States and France have condemned the bill, according to Agence France-Presse.

The demonstration was organized by several groups, including the African Services Committee, Human Rights Watch, and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Luke
Date posted: 11/20/2009 9:48:11 AM
Hometown: Florence, SC

Comment:
Mary - Not to sound uncaring about children being recruited into terrorist organizations, but we are talking about a law that would mandate the execution of people for being who they are, in this case practicing homosexuals. Judging from just the above article the proposed law would clears the way for a pogrom or genocide against the GLBT population of Uganda. This being an outcome that one would hope all civilized people would eschew. In my opinion, the United States should have no dealings with a nation that would create laws allowing such acts, other than to encourage regime change through whatever means are available and reasonable. To continue giving aid to a government that created such a law would be to give our tacit approval not only to the law but to any prosecutions, executions, or other barbarities committed under the law. Personally as a United States citizen I feel that I have enough blood on my hands without adding that of the Ugandan GLBT community.
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Name: Jeffrey
Date posted: 11/20/2009 9:32:08 AM
Hometown: Albany

Comment:
Michelle, in case you did not read the article, this bill will also hurt innocent people i.e. kill them for being gay. Are you suggesting that the US, with all of our governments hype about being champions of human rights should continue to support a government that is committing legalized genocide against its gay and lesbian citizens?
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Name: Michelle
Date posted: 11/19/2009 11:16:07 PM
Hometown: Virginia

Comment:
From Jay "The US should cut off all aid to this backward country" Woah dude, I think this bill sucks too but remember Uganda is the country with the little LRA infestation. The one where a supposed "god" kidnaps children and forces them to be terrorists. Condemn the bill all you want, but economic sanctions would hurt innocent people.
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Name: Harvard
Date posted: 11/19/2009 10:47:06 PM
Hometown: Cambridge, MA

Comment:
If Americans that are considered as more civilized than other human being in this world are still discriminating their LGBT brothers and sisters, what can we expect from Uganda that soooo behind and barbaric???
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Name: Ben
Date posted: 11/19/2009 8:05:07 PM
Hometown: NY

Comment:
US foreign aid to Uganda has tripled over the past decade, from $55 million in 2001 to $183 million in 2007, the last year I was able to find data. Surely two hundred million dollars is enough leverage to fight against this law. What is the State Department doing about this, if anything? What about the various EU governments? And yes I agree with Jay, any US citizens involved in sponsoring this legislation should be arrested and imprisoned.
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Name: Jay
Date posted: 11/19/2009 7:06:50 PM
Hometown: Santa Monica

Comment:
I am glad to hear about this protest. The US should cut off all aid to this backward country, and the US Christian activists who sponsored this law should be prosecuted for crimes against humanity.
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Name: Jessica K
Date posted: 11/19/2009 5:33:10 PM
Hometown: NJ

Comment:
Almost makes you wish that Idi Amin would return to power

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