(Tokyo) On June 27, three organizations concerned with human rights - Tokyo Pride, Human Rights Watch Tokyo, and African Japan Forum - met with representatives of the Embassy of Uganda to express concerns about recent violations of rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) persons in that country. Key concerns raised by our organizations included the introduction of an anti-homosexuality bill in the Ugandan parliament, the murder of David Kato, a prominent and vocal human rights activist working to protect the rights of the LGBT community in Uganda, on January 26, and criminalization of consensual sexual conduct among adults in the Ugandan Penal Code.
The participants in the meeting were two officials from the Embassy of the Republic of Uganda in Japan; Kanae Doi, Japan Director of Human Rights Watch; Masaki Inaba, the director of global health at Africa Japan Forum; Daisuke Monko, President of Tokyo Pride, and Rev. Kimie Ikeda and layperson Heiwa Kataoka from the United Church of Christ in Japan. They exchanged opinions about the need to respect human rights of members of the LGBT communities in Uganda for an hour and a half.
The three NGOs expressed deep concerns about the situation facing LGBT persons and their communities in Uganda. Specifically, we expressed deep sorrow over the death of David Kato, and we strongly urged the government of Uganda to undertake a thorough, effective, fair and transparent investigation into his murder. By doing so, the government of Uganda would send a strong public message that it is committed to protecting the rights of all Ugandans equally. All those found responsible for Kato's murder should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in a speedy, public and fair trial.
During the meeting, we also raised very serious concerns about the "anti-homosexuality bill," which was introduced in the Ugandan parliament as a private members' bill by MP David Bahati. We pointed out that if the law had been enacted, provisions of such a law would clearly violate the human rights of LGBT persons in Uganda, and we condemned the harsh provisions of the draft law that could threaten LGBT persons with long prison sentences and even capital punishment. We also raised concerns about troubling provisions of the draft law that could criminalize promotion of homosexuality. Recognizing that the draft law expired with the end of Parliament, we urged the government of Uganda to publicly oppose any similar draft laws that may be introduced in the Ugandan parliament in the future.
The existing laws criminalizing consensual sexual conduct (sections 145, 146, and 148 of the Ugandan Penal Code) were also discussed. These provisions of law restrict people's fundamental rights and expose them to abuse and violence from both state and non-state actors. We urged the government of Uganda to revoke these discriminatory provisions of law which violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) as well as the African Charter on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR), to which Uganda is a state party.
In response, officials at the Embassy of Uganda provided a written response in which they rightly attributed responsibility for the existing laws criminalizing consensual sexual conduct to the British colonial administration but failed to say whether the government would revoke those sections of law. The Embassy officials also claimed that the "anti-homosexuality law" was not a government proposed bill, but again, failed to say what they would do to prevent stigma and discrimination against LGBT persons. In response to concerns about the murder of David Kato, the Embassy officials stated that two persons have been arrested, though we now understand that one has been released, while the other is still being held in jail. The NGOs urged the government to undertake an in-depth investigation into the background and possible motives for the murder.
The organizations strongly urged the Ugandan government to publicly commit itself to defending the rights of LGBT and to strenuously work against the adoption of any "anti-homosexuality bill" that may be re-introduced into the Ugandan parliament in the future.
The organizations in the delegation consisted of Tokyo Pride, which is a community-based organization working to protect the rights of LGBT people and developing community activities for creating dialogue and social change; Africa Japan Forum, a civil society network of Japanese NGOs working on African issues; and Human Rights Watch, an independent international NGO working to defend and protect human rights worldwide which has a long history of work on Uganda.
