Human Rights Watch joins the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative and the Human Rights Network in writing to President Yoweri Museveni, calling upon the government to implement key recommendations of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and ensure it operates independently and without political interference, as well as appoint credible, independent commissioners to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

Human Rights Watch writes to urge the Ugandan government to honor its obligations under the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict by ensuring the rehabilitation and reintegration of Bushobozi Irumba, who was abducted at nine years of age by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF).

Amid reports that the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) is again brutalizing civilians and in advance of the anticipated December 17 Security Council briefing by the UN Secretary-General’s special envoy for the LRA-affected areas, we write to urge your government to take steps toward helping to end LRA abuses and paving the way for apprehension of LRA leaders wanted by the International Criminal Court.

We write in advance of the briefing to the Security Council on June 20 by the Secretary-General’s special envoy for the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA)-affected areas, the former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano.

On behalf of Human Rights Watch, I write to express our deep concern over the recent arrests and charges filed against Onziema Patience, Valentine Kalende, and Usaam Mukwaaya—three human rights activists—supporting the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities in Uganda during a peaceful demonstration in Kampala. We urge you to ensure that the charges against are dropped. In addition, prohibiting such a demonstration and arresting its participants amounts to an unacceptable and discriminatory interference with the peaceful exercise of the freedoms of expression and assembly.

Human Rights Watch writes in advance of the Security Council’s mission to Africa on June 1-10, 2008, urging the Council to use this opportunity to address pressing human rights issues in Sudan, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.

Human Rights Watch writes to urge Dr. Ihsanoglu to use his position as Secretary General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference to support measures at the upcoming Summit of the Organisation of Islamic Conference in Dakar, Senegal on March 13-14 that would improve and strengthen the 1999 OIC Convention on Combating International Terrorism. In particular, the OIC should consider two amendments to the Convention to narrow its overbroad definition of terrorism and make absolutely clear that there is no sanction in Islam for deliberately attacking civilians, whatever the circumstances or justifications.

As leaders of diverse religious communities, we call on you to stop the verbal assaults and legal attacks of your government on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) people. All religious traditions demand that we care for the neighbor and the oppressed among us and that we uphold the dignity of every person. No one should have to live in fear simply because of who they are.