19 November 2012

Uganda and South Africa, hate revisited

" ...Referring to the law as a ‘Christmas gift’ to the population, she spoke of ‘the serious threat’ posed by homosexuals...

‘Aggravated homosexuality’ is defined as gay acts committed by parents or authority figures, HIV-positive people, pedophiles and repeat offenders. If convicted, they will face the death penalty.

The ‘offense of homosexuality’ includes same-sex sexual acts or being in a gay relationship, and will be prosecuted by life imprisonment... "

Uganda to officially pass ‘Kill The Gays’ bill

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga has said 2009's
Anti-Homosexuality Bill will become law by the end of 2012
Uganda parliamentary speaker Rebecca Kadaga has said the country's Kill The Gays bill will officially be passed by the end of 2012.
Uganda will officially pass the ‘Kill The Gays’ bill at the end of this year despite international criticism.
Speaker Rebecca Kadaga said the anti-gay bill will become law by December since most Ugandans ‘are demanding it’.
Referring to the law as a ‘Christmas gift’ to the population,  she spoke of ‘the serious threat’ posed by homosexuals.
The law will broaden the criminalization of same-sex relationships by dividing homosexuality into two categories; aggravated homosexuality and the offense of homosexuality.
‘Aggravated homosexuality’ is defined as gay acts committed by parents or authority figures, HIV-positive people, pedophiles and repeat offenders. If convicted, they will face the death penalty.
The ‘offense of homosexuality’ includes same-sex sexual acts or being in a gay relationship, and will be prosecuted by life imprisonment.
Originally put to government in 2009, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill had been temporarily shelved because of international criticism.
Several European countries have threatened to cut aid to Uganda if it passes, with the UK government warning Uganda it would face severe reductions in financial help.
US President Barack Obama has described it as ‘odious’, and Canadian politician John Baird has said it is ‘vile, abhorrent, and offends decency’.
Uganda lawmaker Atim Ogwal Cecilia Barbara has even suggested there should be a continent-wide ban on homosexuality, saying all African gay people should be jailed for life.
Gay rights activist David Kato was murdered in Uganda in January 2011 shortly after a local newspaper published images of him and other gay people under a headline urging readers to ‘hang them.’
Despite this, Uganda’s LGBT community held a weekend of gay pride events this summer.
According to a 2010 survey by The Pew Research Center, homosexuality is morally unacceptable to 89% of Ugandans.
Gay Star News


South African lesbian soccer player brutally murdered
Sihle Skotshi, a 19 year-old lesbian from South Africa was brutally murdered
According to Ndumie Funda, director of Luleki Sizwe, an organization that assists young lesbian victims of so called ‘corrective rape’ a young South African lesbian was murdered by a group of gangsters.
Sihle Skotshi, was a soccer player who was only 19 years-old when she was murdered.
Skotshi was one of the girls in the group assited by the Luleki Sizwe organization.
The attack occurred on the 9 November at Cosovo an informal settlement in Phillipi, a township of Cape Town.
According to an eye witness interviewed by Funda, Skotshi along with two of her women friends left a tavern where they were drinking to pick up more money at home of one of the girls.
Upon arriving five or more men confronted and started cursing them saying: ‘Ayo ndawo yenu le, yindawo yamaVura’ (this is not your place, it is amavura’s place) (Amavura is the gang that is known and feared in the area).
The men attacked them, and pulled out a mini spear stabbing Skotshi in the chest.
One of her friends attempted to intervene and got stabbed in her arm, whilst the other friend ran for help.
Skotshi was hospitalized but died shortly after. According to the report Skotshi told her friend before she died: ‘Please apologize for me to my mother, and I love you all’.
The two young women had to return home to the township where the attack too place, fearing further attacks.
Skotshi’s brutal murder is the latest in a spate of killings and ‘corrective rapes’ targeting lesbians in South Africa.
Skotshi was described by Funda 'a friendly young woman to those who knew her; she was a soccer player and has recently matriculated and was working and saving money to study further'.
Last month 6 lesbians were brutally attacked and beaten at a petrol in Cape Town.
While in August this year a lesbian was raped and murdered in Kwa Zulu Natal.
In July a lesbian mother was brutally raped and murdered at her home in Polo Park, Mokopane.
Many LGBT people, particularly those who live in the townships, suffer death threats, violence and daily abuse.
According to activists of those most at risk are lesbians, transgender and asylum seekers from neighbouring African countries.
Many South African lesbians living in townships have been reported to having been subjected to so called ‘corrective’ rape, where attempts to ‘cure’ lesbians by raping them.
Despite having a relatively progressive pro-LGBT rights constitution, South Africa is witnessing a growing problem of homophobic violence which affects the poor and black LGBT communities disproportionall.  White LGBT South Africans, however, seem to remain relatively safe.
Lesbian human rights campaigner Melanie Nathan claimed the Traditional Leaders political organization were to blame for the recent violence against South African lesbians, in a comment piece for Gay Star News.
Gay Star News

Related posts on stormidae: 
welcome to Uganda: death penalty for “serial" gays
corrective rape: how South Arfica 'cures' lesbians

No comments: