Woke up today morning in one of the Ugandan suburbs and when I turned on my TV set I was surprised that CNN (International news network) had something to say about my country.
I found it really sad that the gay people were getting more love than half of the country’s population that’s starving due to lack of food, shelter and all the basic life necessities.
All that got me into thinking about when the world is going to let Africa make its decisions. Every time Africa does something, the world always has something to say yet whenever they make their decisions we don’t say a thing.
Personally I don’t judge gay people but I wonder if the people who are saying “shame on Uganda” really know what happens in this small African country that we in.
There are many stories of young boys in Uganda who’ve been sexually abused in single secondary schools. It’s so bad that some of them have to wear diapers to be able to hold their s**t and the world doesn’t care about them.
People outside should stop talking about Africa like they really know what’s going on down here, Africa is a country where a young girl of say 15years has to wakeup very early in the morning at about 5am and move a long distance to go fetch water from the well (water source) and carry over 40 liters of water up the hill to her home, after all that she has to walk another long distance to go to school with nothing to eat for the school break (though at times they carry leftovers from dinner).
Why am saying all that? My main point in all that I’ve been saying is that someone who hasn’t been in the low or middle class of Africa(Uganda in particular) doesn’t really know what happens down here and should try to stay out (Not trying to be rude, just being real).
Am neither a gay or anti-gay supporter but I think the Ugandan people should make their own decisions.
Posted by ugandagaybill on December 16, 2009 at 7:39 am
Leave a comment.
Posted by +Jn1034 on December 16, 2009 at 1:39 pm
I agree that Ugandans have the right to self-determination and self-rule. No other nations have the right to interfere or judge Uganda.
Except when international human rights laws are being violated. Uganda is a Member State of the UN since 1945. Uganda’s membership to the UN, and Uganda’s acceptance of the International Bill of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, grants all Member States the right to speak up and intervene when these laws are being violated.
Yes, Ugandans must make their own decisions. But even these decisions must comply, first, by Uganda state law, and second, by international law. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009 is in violation of the International Bill of Human Rights and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. And so, Ugandans may make their own decisions … but within the international lawful limits that the government of Uganda accepts by its membership in the UN.
It is “Shame on Uganda’s government.” Not on all the people of Uganda. Not on the history of the nation. And here is where you amd all Ugandans are responsible for your decisions: Either you empower your leaders to continue violating human rights, or you don’t. The result is your decision, not the outsiders.
We outsiders will speak up for the victims of crimes against humanity when you won’t. That is our decision and right by international law.
Posted by Vontelle on March 9, 2010 at 9:37 pm
If you knew how Uganda worked, you’d know that the country has a terrible history of tyrannous dictators. Ugandans don’t have the option to “empower their leaders”. The leaders do their own will, not that of the people. Uganda’s president could care less about what his people have to say. And when people do speak out against the Ugandan government, they die. Living in a democratic country, it’s easy to feel as though everyone can just speak against the government, but remember that everyone can’t.
Posted by anengiyefa on December 16, 2009 at 2:43 pm
Wrong!! It precisely because the world KNOWS what goes in in Africa and in Uganda in particular, that the rest of the world is showing concern. You talk of Ugandan children who have it rough in life. What has the Ugandan government and the Uganda Parliament done to alleviate the suffering of those same Ugandan children youre referring to? Would it not be more sensible if Ugandan authorities had spent all this thime they have been wasting on a ridiculous anti-gay law, on something more meaningful to the lives of the ordinary citizens of Uganda?
How can a whole country’s population allow prejudice alone to guide them in their decision making? Telling me that I should die because I’m gay is as stupid as saying that I deserve to die because I’m black, or because I have brown eyes. Don’t be ridiculous! Ugandans need to wake up from their slumber, start developing their country and leave gays alone. It is interesting that the most backward places on the Earth are the ones that hate gays the most. And by the way I am an African too!
Posted by Jay Hunstein-Holtz on December 16, 2009 at 6:11 pm
“and should try to stay out … but I think the Ugandan people should make their own decisions.”
No. When you, your people, or anyone anywhere at any time decide to commit genocide, YOU ARE WRONG! You should be grateful people care to help Uganda, the Uganda who needs FOREIGN MONEY to survive, the Uganda that would disaapear without FOREIGN AID. Do Ugandans have the resources WITHOUT FOREIGN AID to help themleves? Answer that.
Posted by Jones on December 17, 2009 at 12:34 am
Then you won’t mind if the West removes the hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, then. If you’re so against interference. Or, not to put too fine a point on it, that you should move back to your country and live as you speak.
Shame on you. Go home. Help your country thrive.
Posted by CockyZ on December 17, 2009 at 1:12 am
You can blame your government for the lack of basics, for not caring for much else than their own pockets. You cannot blame the international community for pointing an accusing finger at Uganda for entertaining the idea that genocide is permissible.
Posted by flamefang on December 17, 2009 at 8:59 am
I was aghast when I learned about the anti-homosexuality bill 2009. It is very rare that you see laws of this nature in the 21st century. This violates international human rights laws! It is outrageous that any government is entertaining the thought of genocide based solely on sexual orientation, which by the way, is not a choice. Uganda is plagued with famine, lack of modern medical supplies, poverty, among other problems. The Ugandan government should be focusing on improving the way of life for it’s citizens. Not condemning a minority based on something they have no control over. It’s certainly audacious of a struggling country to propose such a radical law when Uganda survives solely on international aid. Uganda, wake up! Feed your citizens, provide basic necessities of life for your citizens and stop worrying about such trivialities as men who want to sleep with men.
Posted by icearc on December 18, 2009 at 5:23 am
It would be so funny if it wasn’t so sad. Our politicians in Uganda attempting to be the moral compass of our society. I will not set a thief to guard my house! The parliament is full of the most immoral characters of our society, opposition or government. In that house, you’ll find murderers, thieves, adulterers, defilers, liars etc, it’s laughable,the devil and his cronies would call the kettle black! As a christian amm dissapointed that our Christian leaders have associated themselves with that lot, I don’t care how protective your hazmat suit is it’s always best to steer clear from toxic waste especially when it’s clearly marked so. I would take note of their efforts if they put the death sentence on corruption, and executed a few of their own. if that campaign is instituted, believe me I will be on the frontline with my stones pre-acquired and the only thing that will prevent me from throwing more stones will be the scarcity of stones not mercy……..they don’t deserve an ounce of it, I’ll leave that to God. Incredible, to protect our sons and brothers in school we have to execute those having their consensual sex in their bedrooms, does it follow………….. to protect our girls, we have to execute those have consensual heterosexual sex, imprison their landlords and their friends and family who harbour and conceal them? how intellectually bankrupt an argument!
Posted by Our Man In America on December 19, 2009 at 2:07 am
Well, my friend, here is one from a person who grew up not far from Uganda and who thinks the persecution of gay people in Africa is outright barbaric and shameful. There are so many in Africa who think so, but are not safe enough to speak out.
I would buy your argument against outside interference if the Bill was an entirely Ugandan creation. Everywhere you look there are U.S. Evangelicals pushing for such bills in Africa. Isn’t it hypocritical to cry “sovereignty” while at the same time letting these religious extremists who have been rejected by a majority of Americans dictate what should be Uganda’s culture?
And how can you say that “Personally I don’t judge gay people …” but support a law that could send them to death?
Even bigger an irony is that everything you are saying about gays molesting children has been fed to you by these wackos in America, who if given a chance would return the country into the days of slavery. There is no relationship between child molesters and gay people. In fact, as someone who has lived with Americans for 15 years, I can tell you that there is more evidence of family members molesting children.
The truth is that we Africans have been tolerant of each other for so long. We only have started going after each other’s throats after these religious nutjobs teamed up with their puppets, the African clergy, and tell you that we are poor because we are tolerant of the “sinful” gays — not because the likes of Museveni, Ssempa and Akinola are stealing from the continent’s poor.
How many times have you heard them tell you that the kingdom of heaven belongs to the poor, when in fact they are raping your piggy bank at home? How comes poor Africans are the ones who give tithe religiously, while the clergy live in mansions? I guess, “Blessed it the hand that gives, than the one that takes.”
There is evidence everywhere that this is a U.S. Evengelical creation (pun intended). Don’t be bamboozled into carrying their cross; Africa has had more than its share of the burden.
Stop persecuting your brothers. Remember Rwanda? A million people died because they were different. In Nazi Germany it was 6 million. And in both cases, hate was propagated by mass media, especially radio. Today it’s the Internet. But both media leave an indisputable paper trail.
Read the article below.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1946645,00.html?xid=rss-topstories