Dear all,
Please see the message below from the Avaaz network, regarding Uganda's
proposed anti-homosexuality bill.
Dear friends,
Uganda’s parliament is preparing to pass a brutal new law that would
punish gay people with prison -- even death.
Initial international criticism drove the President to call for a
review. But after a well-funded and vicious lobbying effort by
extremists, the bill looks set to be passed -- threatening widespread
persecution and bloodshed.
Opposition to the bill is rising, including from the Anglican church.
Ugandan gay rights advocate Frank Mugisha writes, "This law will put us
in serious danger. Please, sign the petition and tell others to stand
with us – if there’s a huge global response, our government will see
that Uganda will be internationally isolated by the proposed law, and
strike it down."
With the decision expected in days, only an irresistible wave of
worldwide pressure will be enough to save Frank's life and many others.
Let’s build a huge petition to stop the gay death law -- please visit:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/uganda_rights_3/97.php?cl_tta_sign=1ca0f958c3d60e52076d4a8b57012669,
then forward this email.
The petition will be delivered to President Museveni and the parliament
at the end of this week by top Ugandan civil society and Church leaders.
Pro-death penalty advocates have also planned a march this week, so our
voices need to be louder than theirs!
The bill proposes life imprisonment for anyone convicted of having
same-sex relations and imposes the death penalty for “serial offenders”.
NGOs working to prevent the spread of HIV could be imprisoned for up to
7 years for “promoting homosexuality”. Even members of the public face
up to three years in jail if they fail to report homosexual activity to
the police within 24 hours!
The bill’s advocates claim that it defends national culture, but its
strongest critics come from within Uganda. The Reverend Canon Gideon
Byamugisha is one of many who’s written to us – he says,
"It is violating our cultures, traditions and religious values that
teach against intolerance, injustice, hatred and violence. We need laws
to protect people -- not ones that will humiliate, ridicule, persecute
and kill them en masse."
By rejecting this dangerous bill and supporting the breadth of
opposition to it, we can help set a crucial precedent. Let’s build
massive support for Uganda’s human rights defenders, and save lives by
stopping this bill -- sign now here, then tell friends and family:
https://secure.avaaz.org/en/uganda_rights_3/97.php?cl_tta_sign=1ca0f958c3d60e52076d4a8b57012669
With hope and determination,
Alice, Ricken, Ben, Paul, Benjamin, Pascal, Raluca, Graziela and the
whole Avaaz team
SOURCES
African letter to Ugandan President to throw out Anti-Homosexual Bill:
http://www.africafiles.org/article.asp?ID=22761
Ugandan church leader brands anti-gay bill 'genocide':
http://www.guardian.co.uk/katine/2009/dec/04/gideon-byamugisha-homosexuality-bill
Human Rights Impact Assessment of Uganda's Anti-homosexuality Bill By
Sylvia Tamale, The Dean of Law at Uganda's Makerere University:
http://www.zeleza.com/blogging/african-affairs/human-rights-impact-assessment-ugandas-anti-homosexuality-bill-sylvia-tamal
--
Avaaz.org is 3.8-million-person global campaign network that works to
ensure that the views and values of the world's people inform global
decision-making. (The word "Avaaz" means "voice" or "song" in many
languages.) The Avaaz team works from 10 countries on 3 continents, and
Avaaz members live in every country in the world. You can learn about
some of Avaaz's biggest campaigns here, or follow Avaaz on Facebook or
Twitter.
--
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