Friday, January 8, 2010

Uganda Lawmaker Refuses to Withdraw Anti-Gay Bill


From The New York Times-

The Ugandan lawmaker who proposed a bill that would give some gays the death penalty said Friday he will refuse any request to withdraw the legislation after a minister said the government would ask him to.

Lawmaker David Bahati said he felt the bill is necessary in the conservative East African country. On Thursday, Minister of State for Investment Aston Kajara said the government would ask Bahati to scrap the bill because they fear backlash from foreign investors. The bill, which Bahati proposed in September, has provoked criticism from gay-rights groups and protests in London, New York and Washington.

''I stand by the bill,'' Bahati said. ''I will not withdraw it. We have our children in schools to protect against being recruited into (homosexuality). The process of legislating a law to protect our children against homosexuality and defending our family values must go on.''

The proposed legislation would toughen Uganda's already strict laws against homosexuality, which are bolstered by Uganda's conservative society.

The draft of the new bill says anyone convicted of a homosexual act -- which includes touching someone of the same sex with the intent of committing a homosexual act -- could face life imprisonment. The death sentence could apply to sexually active gays living with HIV or in cases of same-sex rape. The new law also expands its scope to include Ugandans living abroad, who can be extradited and punished.

More here-

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/08/world/AP-AF-Uganda-Gay-Death-Penalty.html

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's no wonder that Uganda is an economic and political cesspool. They need to dig their heads out of the sand and enter the 21st century.
The days of lynching gays is OVER.
If Ugandans really want to follow Biblical teachings why not impose death penalty for wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy, and gluttony.
That should just about wipe out everyone in Uganda.